Mongolian Desert Conservation Talk

Join us in the Chase Administration Building, Tennity Boardroom, on Thursday, December 1st at 12pm as we welcome guest speaker, Ganchimeng Wingard, Regional Conservation Director for Asia, at the Denver Zoo, for a presentation on the Ikh Nart Nature Preserve, Mongolian Steppes, and Gobi Desert conservation.

Situated along the northern edge of the Gobi Desert, Ikh Nart Nature Reserve (Ikh Nart) protects a hotspot of biodiversity, several globally important species (including Argali sheep, Siberian ibex, Goitered gazelles, and cinereous vultures), and pasture for 150 nomadic herding families. Facing degradation caused by overgrazing, unregulated mining, and climate pressures, the long-term work at Ikh Nart serves as a model for community-driven conservation and science-based management across Mongolia and globally threatened desert grasslands.

Securing the survival of wildlife in the Ikh Nart requires a confluence of diverse conservation disciplines and collaboration with multiple partners - all wrapped in a sustainable approach that empowers local families, students, and organizations to be part of the long-term solution. Their efforts focus on four critical areas: Endangered Ungulates, Threatened Raptors, Rangeland Management, and Community Engagement.

Gana worked with partners and officials to formally expand Ikh Nart's boundaries and add additional local protected areas surrounding the park. Through rigorous scientific research and dedication to building the capacity of park management, Gana also worked closely with partners to transform Ikh Nart into the most successful park in Mongolia's Protected Area Network. Ikh Nart and the work that Gana and her team have put into it has led to it being recognized as a model protected area by the United Nations.

This event is open to the public at no cost.