goldenmountains of altaialtai include wolves, fox, lynx, and the manul cat.the republic is also home...

THEGOLDENMOUNTAINSOFALTAI

ATreasure of Biodiversity and Culture

Publisher:Altai Alliance

Produced by: Pacific Environment

Written by: Jennifer Castner and Pacific Environment

Senior Editor and Production Manager: Meerim Kylychbekova

Contributors: Chagat Almashev, Matt Foley, Gleb Raygorodetsky, Don Weeden

Editors: David Gordon, Leah Zimmerman, Michael Martin

Contact: [email protected]

Copyright 2009

Cover Photos: Carol Hiltner,World Wildlife Fund,Ashley Tindall (top),Flickrcc/Ilya Schurov (middle), Meerim Kylychbekova (bottom).

Design: Design Action Collective

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THEGOLDENMOUNTAINSOFALTAI

ATreasure of Biodiversity and Culture

THE GOLDEN MOUNTAINS OF ALTAI

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Nestled in the Golden Mountains of Altai in south-ern Siberia, the Republic of Altai is a unique blendof ancient cultures, stunning landscapes, andextraordinarily high biodiversity.The republic bor-ders Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, covering93,000 square kilometers—an area roughly the sizeof the state of Indiana. Sacred sites dot the repub-lic’s varied terrain. Its lands include temperate andboreal forests, dramatic alpine landscapes, rich agri-cultural lands, the wild and scenic Katun River, andthe remote and fragile Ukok Plateau.

The republic’s relative isolation and lack of devel-opment mean that its landscape and habitats remainlargely intact. Many community members are com-mitted to protecting their sacred land, and someopen-minded government officials are ready toconsider sustainable and renewable technologies.Yetexternal pressures on the region are numerous.TheRussian government’s plans to open the borderwith China by means of a gas pipeline would haveenormous ecological impacts on the region. Otherlarge development projects, like the proposed AltaiDam on the Katun River, would endanger public

health, water quality, critical habitat, and the localtourism-based economy.

In this paper, we explore why the Altai is a high-priority conservation area, what threats the regionfaces today, and where the most significant conser-vation opportunities are located.The paper discussesspecific recommendations to engage in and advancethese conservation opportunities. It focuses on:

• Strengthening cultural and environmentalactivism;

• Promoting alternative energy and green-buildingtechnologies;

• Creating and strengthening protected areas; and

• Supporting eco-tourism, effective land-use plan-ning, and legislative and policy reforms.

Taken together, increased efforts to protect Altai’senvironment and cultures will lead to conservationvictories that can establish Altai as a model forenvironmental protection and sustainable develop-ment.

The Altai is an ancient crossroads that has beeninhabited by Scythians,Turks, Uigurs, Mongols,Altaians (also known historically as Oirats), andothers.The entire region has been home to bothsettled peoples and nomadic cultures for millennia.Some scientists even point to evidence indicatingthat humans have inhabited the region for one totwo million years.1 A great number of archaeologi-cal sites across the republic contain petroglyphs, kur-gans,2 and ancient artifacts, some dating as far backas the Stone and Bronze ages.

Today, the Republic of Altai is home primarily tonative Altaians, ethnic Russians, and Kazakhs.TheAltaian people make up about one-third of therepublic’s population.Their traditional and spiritualculture continues to figure prominently in people’sdaily lifestyles, blending with the influence ofRussian and post-Soviet cultures. Given the histori-

cal and cultural ties to other Turkic groups of theformer Soviet Union, the Altaian people maintainclose relationships with neighboring Tyva and moredistant Sakha-Yakutia, and with Kyrgyzstan inCentral Asia.

The Altaians are a Turkic people who have settledin the greater Altai region. Originally nomadic, theAltaians became more settled with Russian influ-ence. Today, many live a partial subsistence lifestylethat includes hunting, gathering, and animal hus-bandry. They speak Altaian, a Turkic language, andpractice a mixture of Buddhism and shamanism,influenced by both animism and RussianOrthodoxy. Many mountains, rivers, lakes, andhigh-elevation plateaus are considered sacred sitesby the Altaians, which often translates into a localcultural and spiritual mandate for protecting naturalresources and landscapes.

Ancient Peoples, Ancient Crossroads

Introduction

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The Altaians’ culture and spirituality are tied deeplyto the region’s dramatic landscapes.The people liveclose to the land.Their culture is inextricablylinked to the surrounding landscape.They reveremany animals as sacred and venerate the mountainsand rivers of the republic’s unique geography.

The Altai Mountains form a dizzying alpine ecosys-tem, with crystalline lakes and glaciers dotting themountainous terrain. Mount Belukha, located alongthe southern border with Kazakhstan, is the range’shighest summit, standing more than 4,500 meterstall. It is also a sacred mountain, traditionally calledUch Sumer, or “three peaks.” Forests cover approxi-mately 25% of the republic’s territory. Its largestlake is Lake Teletskoye, or Altyn Kol (Golden Lake),

which is surrounded by ancient Siberian pineforests. In the south, the landscape transforms intolarge steppe plateaus with rich biodiversity and, insome places, permafrost tundra.

The largest rivers in the republic, the Katun andBiya, flow from the glaciers of Mount Belukha andLake Teletskoye, respectively.The Katun and Biyamerge to become the Ob River, which ultimatelyjoins with the Irtysh River to form the longestriver system in Russia.To the native Altaians andlocal residents, these magnificent rivers are sacredand tied to generations of history and lore. Manyshamans attend to the spirit of the Ob River(Toibodym in Altaian), known for its self-will andpower.

Sacred Landscapes

1. Most well-known, perhaps, is the Pazyryk Ice Princess, discovered in 1993 on the Ukok Plateau and documented in National Geographic.

2. Kurgan is a Turkic word, widely used in Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, to identify a type of burial mound constructed over a pit graveor a burial chamber.These chambers were complex structures, often containing the bodies of animals, household utensils and tools, weaponry,and jewelry. Native Altaians strongly oppose any type of interference with the kurgans, including archeological excavations, as they believe itwill result in serious ramifications like natural disasters.

Ancient petroglyphs of Elangash (Kosh Agach area). Photo by Meerim Kylychbekova.

A TREASURE OF BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURE


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With limited infrastructure—fewer than 2,000 milesof paved roads cross through the entire region—anda population of only 200,000 people, the Republicof Altai boasts a wealth of biodiversity. Perhaps mostwell-known among the region’s species is the mag-nificent snow leopard, a large reclusive cat whoserange once extended across much of Central Asia.

Due to habitat losses,decreased prey access,and poaching, the leop-ard is now criticallyendangered andrestricted to high alpineareas in Tibet andChina.3 An elusive crea-ture, the snow leopardspends most of its timein alpine zones and isdifficult to study andtrack.

Other key predatorspecies found in theAltai include wolves,fox, lynx, and themanul cat.The republicis also home to brownbears, wild boar, andwolverines.The best-

known ungulate in the region is the Argali mountainsheep, a highly endangered species whose distinctivetwisting horns make it a prized target of poachersand trophy hunters. Fewer than 350 sheep remain inRussia’s Altai.4 The republic is also known forSiberian ibex, roe deer, and maral deer, which occurnaturally but are also farmed for horns and meat.Rich concentrations of raptors and other birds canalso be found in the region.

The Republic of Altai’s biodiversity also extends tothe plant world.The Altai is well known for itsmedicinal herbs, which occur both in the wild andin cultivation. Golden root is a popular medicinalplant highly sought throughout Asia. Many herbalteas, roots, berries, honeys, and non-timber forestproducts such as Siberian pine nuts are collected andsold within Russia and across Asia. South Korea is aparticularly valuable market for many of the Altai’smedicinal products.

Much of the richly biodiverse Altai is a workinglandscape where subsistence farmers and livestockherders have lived in sustainable coexistence withnature for hundreds or thousands of years. Forests inthe north gradually give way to higher and driersteppe and pasture lands in the alpine south.Theseprovide vast open spaces for the seasonal pasturing ofcows, sheep, goats, horses, camels, and yaks.

Wealth of Biodiversity

Mount Belukha. Photo by AshleyTindall.

3. According to the International Snow Leopard Trust, snow leopards are still found in 12 countries, with the largest numbers found in China,India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Pakistan. China (Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region) and Mongolia have the largest habitats.

4. International Union for the Conservation of Nature,“The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ovis ammon,” January 28, 2009,http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15733.

Top: Snow leopard (Irbis). Photo courtesy ofSnow Leopard Conservancy. Bottom:Argali

sheep. Photo by Richard Reading.


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Both the Altai Republic’s government and its peoplehave long recognized the importance of conservingand protecting the territory’s natural wealth.Thanksto efforts by local and national environmentalists andthe Russian government, UNESCO designated the“Golden Mountains of Altai” a World Heritage Sitein 1998.This site, covering 16,000 square kilometers,includes three separate areas:Altaisky Zapovednik,with a buffer zone around Lake Teletskoye; KatunskyZapovednik, with a buffer zone around MountBelukha; and the Ukok Quiet Zone on the UkokPlateau.

Beyond the UNESCO designation, conservationefforts in the republic have led to an extensive sys-tem of protected areas designed to safeguard floraand fauna.Approximately 25% of the republic hassome form of protected status.This protected areasnetwork includes:

• Zapovedniks, or federally created nature preserves.These areas afford the highest protections, withhighly restricted public access and a mission dedi-cated primarily to the study and protection of keyspecies.

• Zakazniks, or wildlife refuges.These offer thenext-greatest level of protection and are often cre-ated to protect a particular species while stillallowing limited commercial activities, such aslogging, hunting of non-protected species, andlivestock grazing.

• Nature parks.These are one of Russia’s newestforms of protected areas.They allow great latitudein the kinds of activities that can go on inside agiven area (e.g., tourism), but still keep natureconservation as the primary goal. Nearly all natureparks incorporate lands used by local people, fromfarms and villages to seasonal grazing lands.

Grassroots support for nature park creation in Altai isrising. Nature parks in particular are seen as a way toprotect the precious lands and wildlife valued byAltai people.The parks also afford Altaians a way tocontinue their communal traditions of land use,enabling them to profit from sustainable tourism andsecure jobs for local residents.

Communities Protecting Nature

Summer flowers in Karakol Valley (Uch Enmek Park). Photo by Meerim Kylychbekova.

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The ecological damage concomitant with large-scaleconstruction, industrialization, and resource extrac-tion schemes has largely bypassed the Altai Republic.The region’s mountainous, underdeveloped roadsand its distance from Russia’s established rail systemhave allowed local residents and native Altaians toprotect their culture and traditional land-use prac-tices. Despite local government officials’ good inten-tions and general public support for nature protec-tion and habitat conservation, however, the AltaiRepublic faces ongoing challenges and specificthreats.

The Altai (Russia-China) Gas Pipelinethrough the Ukok PlateauAfter traveling to China in early 2006 to exploretrade relations, Russian PresidentVladimir Putinannounced that a 2,700-kilometer gas pipelinewould be constructed from western Siberia toChina’s Xinjiang Province.As proposed, the pipelinewill bisect the Altai Republic and pass over the frag-ile tundra of the Ukok Plateau.The area is recog-nized locally, nationally, and internationally as worthyof protection, and is part of the UNESCO WorldHeritage Site.

Local residents responded to the pipeline plans withgreat concern, voicing anxiety about potential dam-age to the tundra and to archaeological and sacredsites in the region.They are concerned that apipeline and its accompanying road opening the bor-der to China will lead to unregulated development,increased illegal logging, and a flood of Chineseproducts crowding out Russian goods. Local, nation-al, and international environmental groups areundertaking a major campaign currently to ensurethat the pipeline will not be built through the cul-turally and historically significant Ukok Plateau.

Katun River: Dam and Development SprawlThe Katun River is one of the last large, undammedwild and scenic rivers in Russia. Flowing for over680 kilometers, the Katun is famous for its glacier-blue waters, alpine valleys, and world-class kayakingand rafting.The Katun is also considered a sacred

river by local Altaians.The northern half of theKatun is especially accessible, and many tourists fromacross Russia and around the world visit it each year.Unfortunately, its free-flowing and fast waters and itsdeep alpine valleys have also made it a target forconstruction of a large hydroelectric dam.

The idea for a hydroelectric dam project on theKatun River dates back to the 1980s. In one of itsfirst major victories, the Soviet environmental move-ment successfully halted this project through protestsand scientific research. Recently, however, Moscow-based financial interests have attempted to re-launchdam construction by securing land rights.The cur-rent proposal is to construct a 50-meter dam thatwould flood over 730 hectares of land, destroy threebridges across the Katun River, add several roads, andremove a large portion of land from the “commons”used by local residents.The dam would virtuallyeliminate much of the recreational tourism forwhich the Republic of Altai is famous. Hundreds ofsmall lodging facilities and hiking, camping, andwater-sport businesses rely on the free flow of theKatun River.The dam would severely underminethe river’s sacred status, as the core of local beliefsand traditions around Katun is based on its pristinenature.

“Wild Tourism”Tourism—including eco-tourism, adventure sports,hunting, fishing, health spas, and even science- andagro-tourism—is an increasingly important part ofthe Republic of Altai’s economy. Mount Belukha hasbeen a popular mountain climbing destination sincethe early 1900s. Russian and international visitorshave flocked to the region in increasing numberssince that time, with over 450,000 tourists in 2002alone, according to the republic’s Ministry ofTourism.

While this trend illustrates an excellent opportunityfor the Republic of Altai to develop a non-agricul-tural revenue stream, many people are concernedthat unorganized and unregulated tourism in theregion could lead to problems in waste management,

Threats and Challenges



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threats to habitat and biodiversity, damage to sacredand archaeological sites, conflict with local landusers, and increased risks of forest fires. In somelocalities, the development of lodging and recre-ational facilities is not well regulated and controlled.Many builders and business owners circumvent land-use and building codes by paying bribes or by simplyassuming that already overwhelmed and under-funded government agencies will not be able to stopthem.

The terms “eco-tourism” and “green tourism” areused liberally in Russia—particularly in the Altai.Often, however, there are no actual assurances thattheir impacts are ecologically sustainable. Many con-sider tourism a panacea for the republic’s economicwoes, but without the creation of an underlyingtourism infrastructure and education for local peoplein providing services and management, it is likelythat tourism will continue to cause increased ecolog-ical problems along with economic benefits.

Other Threats and ChallengesOvergrazing continues to be one of the mostwidespread problems in the Republic of Altai.Whilenomadic herding has been an important practice inthe region for millennia, the Soviet system createdvast herds of cattle, sheep, horses, and goats that over-grazed and damaged the landscape. Overgrazing haseliminated much of the natural vegetation in someareas, resulting in erosion and desertification, loss ofbird and small animal habitat, and the introduction ofnon-native species. Livestock numbers crashed afterthe collapse of the Soviet Union: people used theiranimals for sustenance when markets and stores wereliterally bare of goods. Herds are now rebounding,and historical problems may recur as the marketeconomy develops, as land is privatized, and as semi-subsistence farm families increase their cash incomes.Other management issues, such as minimal localmeat and dairy processing capacity, also present chal-lenges for local agriculture.

Small-scale mining for gold, tungsten, and othermetals is active in the republic. Much of it occurswith little regulatory oversight or enforcement.These

small placer mines can cause significant damage towaterways.

One of the possible uses of the proposed KatunDam’s energy production would be to build an alu-minum smelting facility using imported alu-minum ore—a phenomenon often seen in develop-ing countries where hydroelectric power generationand labor are cheap.

Although the Altai Republic’s forests are generallyin good condition, with some recovering fromSoviet over-harvesting, poor use of timber resourcesis a common problem. Local forests are the primarysource of building materials and heating fuel in thecountryside, but a lack of milling equipment meansthat much high-grade timber is used for the low-grade purpose of heating fuel. Grazing animals oftenadversely affect forest regeneration.

Wildlife poaching is a two-dimensional problem:rich outsiders and poor locals.Trophy hunters in hel-icopters fly in to remote areas to hunt many speciesof big game year-round, often without regard forseasonal restrictions or game refuge boundaries.Local subsistence hunters work on the ground, most-ly in winter, and hunt animals with value for fur orEastern medicine. Some poached animals, includingthe beautiful snow leopard, are endangered. Increasedand more effective enforcement is needed for bothgroups of poachers, and local poachers need betteralternative economic opportunities.

Land privatization is progressing in Russia andwill pose many new problems.Towns in desirabletourist areas are already changing, as newcomers buyout local residents, tear down their small houses, andmake way for larger destination homes for tourists.Unsophisticated farmers may lose land that hasalways been under their control. Communal patternsof use may be altered. Local governments may losethe ability to plan development and govern useunless they adopt zoning laws.

Finally, global climate change is likely to have asignificant impact on Altai’s biodiversity and culture.The highest part of the Altai Mountains, including


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the Katun, South Chuya, and North Chuya ranges,contains about 70 percent of all the glaciers insouthern Siberia.These glaciers provide fresh waterto the upper tributaries of the Ob andYenisey rivers,two of Siberia’s primary rivers that flow toward theArctic. Rising temperatures, however, have con-tributed to the loss of glacial ice.

Despite the myriad challenges facing the Republic ofAltai and its people, the region presents many oppor-tunities to promote environmental protection, cul-tural security, and sustainable development thanks toits limited infrastructure and population and its activeindigenous and environmental organizations. Keyopportunities include:

• Strengthening cultural and environmentalactivism;

• Promoting alternative energy and green-buildingtechnologies;

• Creating and strengthening protected areas; and

• Supporting eco-tourism, effective land-use plan-ning, and legislative and policy reforms.

Cultural and Environmental Activism:Capacity Building for Local Community-based OrganizationsA strong environmental conservation movement hasgrown throughout Russia.The burgeoning move-ment has seen many successes in recent years, rang-ing from securing President Putin’s decision toreroute the Siberia-Pacific Pipeline to protect LakeBaikal to the Russian government moving torevoke environmental permits for the ecologicallydevastating Sakhalin–II oil and gas project.Simultaneously, a movement of indigenous activistsis growing in the country, with Altai at the center

Conservation Opportunities

Center for Ecologyand Culture of Altai (CECA)Gorno-Altaisk, Republic of Altai

Natalya Tokova, who got her start at the Fund for

Sustainable Development of Altai, founded CECA in 2007.

CECA works to develop environmental policy, protect biodi-

versity, conduct outreach, and facilitate the renewal of the

ecological heritage of Altai for its sustainable development.

Natalya Tokova spearheaded an extensive network of

activists and community members throughout the republic—

and beyond—and organized a republic-wide conference to

develop effective strategies to address current environmen-

tal issues. Under her leadership, activists are campaigning

actively against the Katun Dam project and exposing illegal

and poorly managed logging projects near Lake Teletskoye.

Tengri School of Spiritual Ecology andthe Association of Altai Protected Areas

Onguday, Republic of Altai

Danil Mamyev is one of the founders of Uch-Enmek Nature

Ethnic Park, a board member for the Foundation for

Sustainable Development Altai (FSDA), and president of the

Association of Altai Protected Areas. Danil is committed not

only to protecting his own people’s traditional territories but

also to the preservation of indigenous land and culture

across the Altai. With the Tengri School of Spiritual Ecology,

he attempts to bring the traditions of Altai’s indigenous peo-

ple into the environmental consciousness of all citizens and

to create research centers introducing models of sustainable

development based on native Altai philosophy.

Danil also participates in the regional government as Chair

of the Land Use Committee in Onguday Raion. He has been

actively promoting region-wide zoning to preserve environ-

mental and cultural values in the impending post-privatiza-

tion era. In the coming year, he will develop a contract for

the resource-assessment and GIS-mapping work necessary

to develop a zoning law, with co-funding from FSDA.


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for indigenous activists working to protect tradi-tional cultures.

Activists in both the Republic of Altai and sur-rounding Altai Region have united together withthe larger Russian environmental movement to tar-get key issues, including the Altai Gas Pipeline andAltai Dam.These grassroots organizations work incoalitions locally, regionally, and nationally to ensurethat federal and regional public participation lawsare followed.They also work to help guarantee thatenvironmental impact assessments are thorough andthat potentially disastrous projects are improved,mitigated, or stopped.

Successful capacity building of grassroots organiza-tions includes direct financial support—both coresupport and project-specific support—informationexchange, technology acquisition, and trainings.Core support is particularly important in ensuringan organization’s stability and its ability to conductlong-term programs. It is also vital for groupsaddressing specific threats from resource extractionprojects.

Recommendations:

• Provide core support to local indigenous andconservation NGOs for staff salaries, office space,and legal fees;

• Sponsor international and regional exchanges ofexperts, activists, and indigenous representatives,with a focus on information exchange, coalitionbuilding, and professional development in theareas of community participation, public moni-toring, environmental law, and sustainable devel-opment;

Fund for 21st Century AltaiBarnaul, Altai Region

In the 1980s, activists and community members battled a

large hydroelectric dam proposed for the Katun River. Mikhail

Shishin, an art history professor based in Barnaul in the Altai

Region, helped catalyze a national campaign to stop the pro-

posed Katun Dam. In 1997, Shishin was awarded the Conde

Nast Traveler Environmental Award, and used the money from

the award to create the Fund for 21st Century Altai. In the 10

years since, the fund has played a key role in advocating for

UNESCO’s designation of a World Heritage Site, continuing

campaigns to stop destructive projects such as the Katun

Dam, and facilitating the establishment of the transboundary

International Coordinating Council for Greater Altai. The coun-

cil works with the four member countries of China,

Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia to improve management of

transboundary economics, nature conservation and ecology,

laws and policies, and governance.

The Fund also has two small commercial organizations: an

independent TV studio, “Katun,” which creates and broad-

casts environmental and social awareness programs, and a

travel agency, “Milky Way,” which organizes eco-tours. In an

important new endeavor, the fund is building an Altai Center

for Renewable Energy Technology, based in the village of

Chemal in the Republic of Altai. The center will showcase

new energy technologies and sustainable architecture and

design, provide meeting space for technology providers and

end users, and conduct workshops and trainings.

Elders looking over sacred stones. Photo by Evgeny Butushev.


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• Provide technology grants to existing NGOs tosupport the purchase of video equipment fordocumenting issues and successes, computers andnetwork equipment to facilitate informationexchange, and GPS and GIS equipment for map-ping and surveying;

• Fund local organizations to conduct public envi-ronmental impact reviews and cultural impactreviews of potentially harmful projects; and

• Support international organizations with linguis-tic and cultural expertise working in the Altai toassist with researching and translating materials,networking and coalition building, facilitatingjoint advocacy work, and bringing internationalleverage points to bear on threatening projects inthe republic.

Alternative EnergyEnergy is a key issue in the Republic of Altai:where it comes from, how much it costs, who paysfor it, and who controls it.All of the republic’s elec-tricity is generated outside the region and is relayedon transmission lines from the neighboring AltaiRegion.The republic’s officials are motivated todevelop locally owned and operated power sources.Communities, small businesses, and individuals areeager to meet their own power needs cheaply, usinglocal resources. Implementation of renewable ener-gy technologies inside the Republic of Altai wouldreduce its energy and economic dependence onfederal subsidies and imported electricity. It wouldalso provide an alternative to the larger, moredestructive Altai Dam.

Technologies such as active and passive solar, windpower, methane gas digesters, and mini- and micro-hydroelectric power generators are all consideredapplicable in the Republic of Altai. Many Altai offi-cials enthusiastically support the concept of renew-able energy development.The challenge with all ofthese technologies, however, remains funding theirdesign, installation, and long-term maintenance andoperation.

Recommendations:

• Provide seed funding for technology purchases,design, installation, operation, and maintenancein remote villages;

• Support the development of new governmentpolicies and regulatory agencies needed toimplement grid-tied renewable technologies,including the basic concept of metering;

• Support surveying for wind mapping and gather-ing the climatic data necessary for proper siteinstallations;

• Support advocacy efforts to stop construction ofthe Altai Dam and the Altai Gas Pipeline, pro-moting alternative energy developments instead;

• Establish links with universities, technologyresearchers and providers, and communities toincrease local technical expertise and to facilitateplanning; and

• Launch a microcredit program for renewablesand sustainable architecture installations.

Creating and Strengthening Protected AreasDespite some form of protection for a quarter ofthe Republic of Altai’s territory, the system of pro-tections is weak. It is very new, and protected areasdo not have the funding, staffing, or infrastructureto operate effectively. Nature park staff have largeresponsibilities with inadequate resources. Eachpark, regardless of size, has a staff of approximatelyfive individuals, several of whom lack experience.Rangers generally have post-secondary education,but it is often in unrelated fields.The extent of apark staff ’s legal responsibility and authority is ofteninsufficient or unclear.The parks system is so youngthat there is no central management structure, leav-ing local staff members to improvise. Communica-tions are difficult; radios for field use do not exist,and, in some cases, the Altai telephone system doesnot even extend to park headquarters.Additionly,parks are often expected to generate a portion of


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their annual budget from tourism and othersources, forcing park staff to dedicate time totourists and removing critical, scarce resources fromecological protection efforts.

Recommendations:

• Provide additional support for ecosystem-basedland-use planning that incorporates communityinput, including basic technology, GIS training,and surveying;

• Support customs training and enforcement,endangered species trade restrictions, protectedareas enforcement, and anti-poaching patrols;

• Provide core operating support for basic infra-structure of existing protected areas, includingsalaries, operations, transport, public outreach,environmental education, visitor centers, scientif-ic research, and species inventories;

• Assist efforts to create new protected areas and toexpand existing ones;

• Offer support to pursue transboundaryconservation efforts with China, Kazakhstan,and Mongolia;

• Sponsor international and regional exchanges ofexperts, activists, protected areas managers, andlocal and regional government officials;

• Support local networking of park staff and sup-porters, such as that provided by the regularmeetings of the Altai Association of ProtectedAreas; and

• Aid the local establishment of permanent post-secondary educational programs for park person-nel and local tourism entrepreneurs.

Supporting Eco-tourism, Effective Land-usePlanning, and Legislative and Policy ReformsDeveloping environmentally and culturally sustain-able tourism can be an important source of revenuefor the Republic of Altai, providing jobs and otherincome for local people. In addition to direct

provision of services, many people can be employedin manufacturing souvenirs or fine handicrafts or indistributing specialty products like honey orSiberian pine nuts.All of these occupations canprovide a valuable source of income for local resi-dents in an area where unemployment is very highand salaries very low. Current levels of tourism arealready straining existing infrastructure, however.Planned and existing tourist facilities need to bedesigned to have minimal impacts on the environ-ment.

Recommendations:

• Sponsor trainings in “leave no trace” philoso-phy—including cultural sensitivity for sacredsites—for protected areas managers, tour opera-tors, and community members;

• Support the development of waste managementplans for protected areas and communities heavi-ly impacted by tourism;

• Sponsor the development of signage, brochures,trail maps, visitor centers, environmental educa-tion, and general public outreach and educationmaterials;

• Provide hospitality training for locals to providean alternative to poaching; and

• Develop microcredit and small-business develop-ment programs for seed money to launch smallbusiness ventures.

ArkharGorno-Altaisk, Republic of Altai

Arkhar is a local wildlife conservation NGO working to conserve

two highly endangered species: the snow leopard and Argali

sheep, a Central Asian big horn sheep. Arkhar’s director, Mikhail

Paltsyn, is a biologist and GIS expert who worked for the Altaisky

and Katunsky Zapovedniks (nature preserves) for over 10 years.

Paltsyn’s background provides him with important expertise for

strengthening Altai’s protected areas and biodiversity conserva-

tion. Currently Paltsyn also works as Endangered Species Group

Leader for the UNDP/GEF project, “Biodiversity Conservation in the

Russian Portion of Altai-Sayan Ecoregion.”


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Altai-based NGOs and ProjectsWithout the hard work and dedication of localprojects and NGOs, much of the progress made inAltai conservation over the last 20 years would nothave happened.Throughout this paper, we havehighlighted the work of number of local NGOs:Arkhar, Foundation for Sustainable Development ofAltai, Fund for 21st Century Altai,Altai Associationof Protected Areas, and Tengri School of SpiritualEcology.These groups conduct activism and publiceducation and outreach, watchdog potentiallyharmful projects, attract regional and internationalsupport, provide technical expertise, conduct inter-national exchanges, support protected areas, andpromote science-based conservation.

Other key Siberian NGOs that conduct projects orwork collaboratively in the Republic of Altaiinclude the Siberian Environmental Center,EcoDom, ISAR–Siberia in Novosibirsk, and TaigaResearch and Protection Agency in KemerovoRegion. National Russian organizations working in

Altai include Greenpeace–Russia, which worksproactively and collaboratively with local NGOs toaddress large-scale threats to conservation and bio-diversity in the republic.World Wide Fund forNature’s (WWF) Altai-Sayan project, while spreadover a much larger territory, also devotes significantresources to the Republic of Altai, supporting gov-ernment programs, ecosystem-based planning,research initiatives, anti-poaching brigades, andparks management.

In addition to the Tengri School of SpiritualEcology, a number of groups provide support forAltai’s indigenous communities.The RussianAssociation of Indigenous Peoples of the North(RAIPON) has a number of chapters in the repub-lic. RAIPON provides national support from itsMoscow office, advocating for federal laws, policies,and projects to benefit indigenous peoples acrossRussia.

Shaman Maria Amanchina and local expert Maya Erlenbaeva documenting sacred stones. Photo by AshleyTindall.


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Due to Altai’s remote location and relative isolation,there are only a few international groups regularlyinvolved in conservation activities in the AltaiRepublic.

Pacific Environment, a San Francisco-based organi-zation, has worked alongside Altai groups for 15years. Pacific Environment works to protect the liv-ing environment of the Pacific Rim and partnerswith leading environmental and indigenous organi-zations throughout Siberia and the Russian FarEast. Pacific Environment conducts joint advocacywith grassroots organizations by offering technicalsupport and expertise, connecting Russian environ-mental leaders with colleagues and decision-makersaround the world, and by providing grants to sup-port leading Russian environmental organizations.Pacific Environment works especially closely withFund for 21st Century Altai and Foundation forSustainable Development of Altai.

The Altai Assistance Project (AAP) is a group basedin NewYork’s six-million-acre Adirondack Park.AAP works to strengthen management and conser-vation systems of Altai nature parks, promote sus-tainable land-use planning and regulation, demon-strate alternative energy technology, and develop acommunity-based tourism network.AAP works inclose partnership with Gorno-Altaisk-basedFoundation for Sustainable Development of Altai.

The Altai Project (TAP) is a project of Earth IslandInstitute.TAP focuses on nature conservation, pro-motes renewable energy and environmentally sus-tainable housing design, and supports indigenousorganizations in their efforts to restore and protect

traditional lands.TAP has been working for manyyears with grassroots groups in the Republic ofAltai and Altai Krai, including the Fund for 21stCentury Altai,Arkhar, and the Tengri School ofSpiritual Ecology.They also work with the staffs ofmany of the republic’s protected areas.

The Global Environmental Facility (GEF), in coop-eration with the United Nations DevelopmentProgram (UNDP), recently launched a new multi-million dollar biodiversity and conservation pro-gram in the region.This project is expected tointerface mainly with government programs andlarger NGOs such as WWF. In an early stage ofimplementation, local groups are concerned thatthe program will not provide on-the-ground con-servation benefits.

Despite the significant conservation opportunitiesin Altai, few international funders have supportedwork in the area.The Weeden Foundation has beenthe lead private foundation that has made commit-ments over many years to conserving biodiversityand promoting sustainable development in Altai.The Trust for Mutual Understanding, which sup-ports exchanges between the U.S. and countries ofthe former Soviet Union, has also supported anumber of environmentally oriented exchangeswith Altai groups.The Ford Foundation has recent-ly started supporting efforts in Altai through itsenvironmental justice program.To fully realize theconservation opportunities in Altai, additional inter-national funders are needed.

International Conservation Efforts

goldenmountains of altaialtai include wolves, fox, lynx, and the manul cat.the republic is also home...

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