Traditional and modern ecosystem services thinking in nomadic Mongolia: framing differences, common concerns, and ways forward

Interest in using an ecosystem services approach in environmental decision making and natural resources management has increased markedly, however, use of this approach at a local level, particularly in the developing world, is challenging. Mongolian pastoral society provides an opportunity to investigate what is possible. Focus groups, interviews with key informants, decision-makers, experts and nomadic herders, and a policy workshop, were used to explore its applicability. These were complemented by a policy document analysis that assessed the level of sensitivity to ecosystem services in current land use planning practice. The study demonstrates that a sensitivity to provisioning ecosystem services is integral to traditional nomadic pastureland management. Consideration of regulating and supporting services is less developed. Exploring options for nomadic herders adapting to climate change brought out some of the challenges and opportunities of bringing traditional culture into dialogue with ecosystem services thinking. Ecosystem services thinking arrives at the local level down a governance hierarchy, and this creates risks of marginalization of local interests and understandings. Finding ways to leverage local knowledge and to use ecosystem services thinking to empower local communities are essential.