LLF Commits USD 1 Million Annually to Mongolia's Onon-Balj National Park and its Buffer Zone
“The Land of the Blue Sky” is a 15-year partnership between Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and WWF-Mongolia to sustainably conserve the unique biodiversity, ecosystems, and cultural heritage of Onon-Balj National Park, with a grant of USD 1 million per year.
Spanning over 11,534 km2, the Onon-Balj legacy landscape encompasses a National Park and its buffer zone. The goal of this grant is to establish a ‘model’ landscape where protected area conservation and socio-economic development work hand in hand.
The Nature Conservancy, a global leader in conservation, will implement the grant in close collaboration with WWF-Mongolia, the park administration, local and national authorities, and local communities. The funds will enhance the effectiveness of Onon-Balj National Park, support sustainable herding practices, invest in the sustainable tourism industry, and set a global example of land and freshwater conservation. Local community-driven initiatives will play a key role in helping develop and implement the conservation plans for the landscape and will showcase what can be accomplished through partnerships that promote community-led conservation.
In line with LLF’s public-private funding model, the USD 10 million grant from LLF will be supplemented by USD 5 million in match funds from philanthropic donors including My Good Fund and the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust.
LLF’s contribution is part of a broader conservation financing framework, Eternal Mongolia, a Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative that aims to deliver USD 198 million in new investment over 15 years to support sustainable community development and conservation in and around Mongolia’s protected areas.
“LLF is proud to have signed this long-term grant with TNC to fund the Onon-Balj legacy landscape. This grant marks LLF’s expansion into Eastern Asia and into crucial peatland ecosystems. We look forward to reaping the benefits of synergies between LLF funding and the Eternal Mongolia funding, and to working with a broad group of partners and stakeholders in Mongolia".
Situated between the East Siberian Taiga and Daurian Forest Steppe, Onon-Balj National Park (OBNP) is home to diverse species and vital ecosystems, including wetlands and peatlands. It shelters numerous endangered mammals and birds, such as the iconic Mongolian gazelle and Asian Great bustard and serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The park’s rivers support vulnerable species like the Siberian taimen, which contributes to the regional biodiversity and hydrological stability. Moreover, the forests and peatlands in OBNP play a critical role in carbon sequestration and water regulation, essential for climate resilience. Culturally, OBNP is intertwined with Mongolia’s nomadic heritage, providing essential grazing lands and sacred sites.
“We are delighted to lead the implementation of this grant agreement with the Legacy Landscapes Fund in the Onon-Balj National Park together with our partners and stakeholders. It will provide tremendous opportunity for us to develop Onon-Balj as a model National Park for what should be achieved by every National Park in Mongolia, as well as improve conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts".
“Conservation often doesn’t yield immediate results or make an immediate impact, especially when it involves ecosystem restoration, sustaining natural processes, or increasing public awareness. This is why the 15-year project we’re embarking on in the Onon Balj area is truly exceptional. To illustrate, let’s look back at a similar case in Western Mongolia. WWF-Mongolia spent over a decade working to achieve a critical milestone: reaching a sustainable population threshold for the Argali sheep. Success in this effort wasn't just about increasing numbers; it involved ensuring the health of the surrounding habitat and the availability of food sources. We anticipate similar outcomes from our project in the Onon Balj area, where we aim to foster a thriving and balanced ecosystem over the long term”.
The Onon-Balj is the headwater of the Amur River, which supports the livelihoods of 75 million people and contains some of the most important ecoregions on Earth.
Onon-Balj was selected following LLF’s first open call for proposals in early 2022. Out of 19 eligible applications, the site was chosen based on criteria including biodiversity value, habitat diversity, climate relevance, conservation approaches, integration of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, ecosystem services, and global geographic balance.
“We face financial hardship to preserve this crucial ecosystem, which supports the livelihoods of millions of people and numerous endangered species in the world. As a result of this grant project, we are now able to sustainably conserve this unique landscape for our future generation".
Legacy Landscapes Fund is an international public-private fund that was established as an independent charitable foundation in 2020 with the aim of supporting nature, people, and climate via closing the global biodiversity financing gap.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. TNC is tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in more than 70 countries and territories, TNC uses a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.
World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) is an independent conservation organization, with over 35 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in over 100 countries. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Find out more at panda.org.
