Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluating the management effectiveness of protected areas in Mongolia using the management effectiveness tracking tool

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The importance of management increases in the context of numerous and intensive inner and outer pressures on Protected Areas (PAs). The need to assess the management effectiveness (ME) in protected areas is increasing around the world. The ME assessment helps to improve the management of PAs and to develop a rational, long-term action plan. This study was conducted using the World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF) Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools methodology (METT) to evaluate the ME of six PAs in central and eastern regions of Mongolia. The main purpose of this study was to assess ME and identify common threats of PAs across different natural zones and administrative areas in Mongolia. The results of this evaluation indicate that, the main threats faced by PAs in Mongolia are: (i) degradation of ecosystems, (ii) environmental pollution, and (iii) habitat fragmentation, resulting from over-exploitation and inappropriate use of natural resources. All six PAs examined have clear management goals and management decision-making systems however, their ME scores differ significantly. This research suggests that the administrative features of the individual PA influence management effectiveness and problems in the efficient implementation of management still need to be resolved.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Mongolian administrative unit (Province)

  2. Mongolian administrative unit (sub-district of aimag)

References

  • Adams WM (2009) Green development: environment and sustainability in a developing world, 3rd edn, Routledge, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson K, Ryan B, Sonntag W, Kawada A, Friedl L (2017) Earth observation in service of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Geo-Spat Inf Sci 20(2):77–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anthony BP, Shestackova E (2015) Do global indicators of protected area management effectiveness make sense? a case study from Siberia. Environ Manag 56:176–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-015-0495-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruner AG, Gullison RE, Rice RE, Da Fonseca GA (2001) Effectiveness of parks in protecting tropical biodiversity. Science 291:125–128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butchart SHM et al. (2012) Protecting important sites for biodiversity contributes to meeting global conservation targets. PLoS ONE 7:e32529. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0032529

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butchart SHM et al. (2015) Shortfalls and solutions for meeting national and global conservation area targets. Conserv Lett 8:329–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chimed-Ochir B (1997) Protected areas of Mongolia in past, present and future, second conference on national parks and protected areas of East Asia: mobilizing community support for National Parks and protected areas in East Asia (30 June to 5 July, 1996, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan). Japanese Organizing Committee, Tokyo, Japan. p 51–55

  • Deguignet M, Juffe-Bignoli D, Harrison J, MacSharry B, Burgess N, Kingston N (201,4) United Nations list of protected areas. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge UK 44

  • Dudley N, Belokurov A, Higgins-Zogib L, Hockings M, Stolton S, Burgess N (2007) Tracking progress in managing protected areas around the world: An analysis of two applications of the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool developed by WWF and the World Bank. WWF International, Harvard

  • Dudley, N (ed.) (2008) Guidelines for applying protected area management categories. IUCN, Gland. http://www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/PAPS-016.pdf. Accessed 20 March 2011

  • Eklund J, Cabeza M (2016) Quality of governance and effectiveness of protected areas: crucial concepts for conservation planning: Governance and protected area effectiveness. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13284

  • Ervin J (2003) Rapid assessment of protected area management effectiveness in four countries. BioScience 53:833. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0833:RAOPAM]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueroa F, Sánchez-Cordero V (2008) Effectiveness of natural protected areas to prevent land use and land cover change in Mexico. Biodivers Conserv 17:3223–3240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9423-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galragchaa P, Munkhchuluu B, Chimiddorj B, Erdenechimeg N (2016) Methodology for management effectiveness evaluation of protected areas. WWF Mongolia; Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ulaanbaatar city, Mongolia

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston KJ, Charman K, Jackson SF, Armsworth PR, Bonn A, Briers RA et al. (2006) The ecological effectiveness of protected areas: The United Kingdom Biological Conservation 132(1):76–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geldmann J, Barnes M, Coad L, Craigie ID, Hockings M, Burgess ND (2013) Effectiveness of terrestrial protected areas in reducing habitat loss and population declines. Biol Conserv 161:230–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.02.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadeel A, Jabber M, Chen X (2011) Remote sensing and GIS application in the detection of environmental degradation indicators. Geo-Spat Inf Sci 14(1):39–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hochings M, Stolton S, Leverington F, Dudley N, Courrau J (2006) Evaluating Effectiveness: A framework for management effectiveness of protected areas. 2nd edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 105 pp. ISBN-10: 2-8317-0939-3

  • Hockings M (2000) Evaluating protected area management: a review of system for assessing management effectiveness of protected areas. School of Natural and Rural System Management, Lawes, University of Queensland, Queensland

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockings M, Stolton S, Dudley N (2000) Evaluating effectiveness: a framework for assessing the management of protected areas. IUCN, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockings M, Stolton S, Dudley N (2002) Evaluating effectiveness: a summary for park managers and policy makers. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and IUCN, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockings M (2003) Systems for assessing the effectiveness of management in protected areas. BioScience 53:823. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0823:SFATEO]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hockings M, Stolton S, Dudley N(Eds.) (2006) Evaluating effectiveness: a framework for assessing management effectiveness of protected areas, 2nd ed., Best practice protected area guidelines series. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, How well are we doing.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockings M, Cook C, Carter RW, James R (2009) Accountability, reporting or management improvement? development of a state of the parks assessment system in New South Wales. Environ Manag 43:1013–1025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffrey A, McNeely (1994) Protected areas for 21st century: working to provide benefits to society. Biodivers Conserv 3:390–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi P, Narula S, Rawat A, Gosh A (2011) Landscape characterization of Sariska National Park (India) and its surroundings Geo-Spatial Information. Science 14(4):303–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11806-011-0557-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juffe-Bignol D et al. (2014) Protected planet report 2014. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolahi M, Sakai T, Moriya K, Makhdoum MF, Koyama L (2013) Assessment of the effectiveness of protected areas management in iran: case study in Khojir National Park. Environ Manag 52:514–530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0061-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leverington F, Hockings M, Pavese H, Lemos Costa K (2008) Management effectiveness evaluation in protected areas-A global study. Supplementary report No. 1: Overview of approaches and methodologies. The University of Queensland, Gatton, TNC, WWF, IUCN-WCPA, Gatton, p 145

    Google Scholar 

  • Leverington F, Costa KL, Pavese H, Lisle A, Hockings M (2010) A global analysis of protected area management effectiveness. Environ Manag 46:685–698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9564-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu DJ, Kao CW, Chao CL (2012) Evaluating the management effectiveness of five protected areas in taiwan using WWF’s RAPPAM. Environ Manag 50:272–282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9875-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Margolius R, Salafsky N (1998) Measures of success: designing, managing, and monitoring conservation and development projects. Island Press, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia (2016) Methodology for evaluating management effectiveness of protected areas (in Mongolian). ​https://www.mne.mn/

  • Mongolian Parliament (1998) National programme on protected areas (in Mongolian). http://www.parliament.mn/, https://www.legalinfo.mn/annex/details/3191?lawid=7015

  • Mora C, Sale PF (2011) Ongoing global biodiversity loss and the need to move beyond protected areas: a review of the technical and practical shortcomings of protected areas on land and sea. Mar Ecol Progress Ser 434:251–266. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myagmarsuren D, Enebish D (2008) Protected areas in Mongolia. ulaanbaatar.state auditing office, (2004) protected area network and its management effectiveness, Audit Report. Manuscript, Ulaanbaatar city. (in Mongolian). http://koha.pl.ub.gov.mn/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=25282&query_desc

  • Myagmarsuren D, Namkhai A (2012) Protected areas in Mongolia. Admon Press, Ulaanbaatar city. (in Mongolian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Naughton-Treves L, Holland MB, Brandon K (2005) The role of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and sustaining local livelihoods. Annu Rev Environ Resour 30:219–252. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.30.050504.164507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nolte C, Leverington F, Kettner A, Marr M, Nielsen G, Bomhard B, Stolton S, Stoll-Kleemann S, Hockings M (2010) Protected area management effectiveness assessments in Europe: a review of application, methods and results. Bundesamt fu¨r Naturschutz (BfN), Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Konstantinstrasse

    Google Scholar 

  • Reading RP, Johnstad MD, Batjargal Z, Amgalanbaatar S, Mix HM (1999) Expanding Mongolia’s system of protected areas. Natural Areas Journal. 19:211-222

  • Richard BP, Batbold D, Samya R., Batsaikhan N (2003) A Primer of Conservation Biology. 2nd ed. 231–275. https://www.ebooknetworking.net/ebooks/a-primer-of-conservation-biology.html

  • Rodríguez-Rodríguez David, Martínez-Vega Javier (2012) Proposal of a system for the integrated and comparative assessment of protected areas. Ecological Indicators 23:566–572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott G, Rajabifard A (2017) Sustainable development and geospatial information: A strategic framework for integrating a global policy agenda into national geospatial capabilities. Geo-Spat Inf Sci 20(2):59–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salafsky N (2011) Integrating development with conservation. Biol Conserv 144:973–978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.06.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shafer CL (2012) Chronology of awareness about US National Park external threats. Environ Manag 50:1098–1110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9946-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoll-Kleemann S, Bender S, Berghöfer A, Bertzky M, Fritz-Vietta N, Schliep R, Thierfelder B (2006) Linking governance and management perspectives with conservation success in protected areas and biosphere reserves. Perspect Biodivers Gov Manag 1:40

    Google Scholar 

  • Stolton S (ed) (2008) Assessment of management effectiveness in european protected areas sharing experiences and promoting good management. In: Proceedings of a Seminar Organized by BfN and EUROPARC Federation on the Island of Vilm, Germany, 2008

  • Stolton S, Dudley N (2016) METT handbook: a guide to using the management effectiveness tracking tool (METT), WWF-UK, The Living Planet Centre. Rufford House, Brewery Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4LL. ​ISBN: 978-1-5272-0060-9

  • Stolton S, Hockings M, Dudley N, Mac Kinnon K, Whitten T, & Leverington F (2007) Management effectiveness tracking tool: Reporting progress at protected area sites (2nd edition). Gland: World Bank/WWF Alliance by WWF International

  • Tan G, Shibasaki R, Matsumura K (2004) Development of a GIS-based decision support system for assessing land use status. Geo-Spat Inf Sci 7(1):72–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timko JA, Innes JL (2009) Evaluating ecological integrity in national parks: Case studies from Canada and South Africa. Biological Conservation 142(3):676–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Government of Mongolia (2014) The green development policy of Mongolia, (in Mongolian). http://zasag.mn/, http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/law/green-development-policy-gdp/

  • UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2016). Protected Planet Report 2016. UNEP-WCMC and IUCN: Cambridge UK and Gland, Switzerland

  • Wells MP, McShane TO (2004) Integrating Protected Area Management with Local Needs and Aspirations. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment 33(8):513–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to those who helped us to complete this research, particularly to the Biodiversity and Adaptation to Climate Change Project (A Development Project of the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW), the park administrations’ personnel and local residents for the help in field in each case study.

Funding:

This study was funded by the Department of Research and Innovation, National University of Mongolia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Oyunchimeg Namsrai, Altansukh Ochir & Sonomdagva Chonokhuu

  2. Institute of Geography and Geoecology of the Academy of Science of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Oyungerel Baast

  3. Department of Earth Observation Science, Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands

    J. L. van Genderen

  4. Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria

    Andreas Muhar

  5. Baikal Institute of Nature Management of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Ulan-Ude, Russia

    Sanzheev Erdeni

  6. State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Juanle Wang

  7. School of Art and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Davaadorj Davaasuren

Authors
  1. Oyunchimeg Namsrai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Altansukh Ochir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Oyungerel Baast
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. L. van Genderen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Andreas Muhar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sanzheev Erdeni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Juanle Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Davaadorj Davaasuren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Sonomdagva Chonokhuu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Altansukh Ochir.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Namsrai, O., Ochir, A., Baast, O. et al. Evaluating the management effectiveness of protected areas in Mongolia using the management effectiveness tracking tool. Environmental Management 63, 249–259 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-018-1124-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-018-1124-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation