Ulaanbaatar, December 4, 2025 /MONTSAME/. A three-day consultative meeting of special protected area administrations is taking place at the Shangri-La Hotel from December 3-5, 2025.

Organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the meeting is jointly hosted by the Mongolian National Fund for Nature Conservation, the German KfW Development Bank’s Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation Project (BACCP), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Hanns Seidel Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Over 200 representatives from the ministry’s affiliated agencies, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, the General Authority for Land Administration, Surveying and Cartography, special protected area administrations, projects, programs, international organizations, NGOs, and local communities are participating.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Batbaatar Bat emphasized, “Wildlife, rivers, springs, and nature cannot speak or complain - they rely on us to be their voice. Protected area rangers are the ones who speak, educate, enforce laws, and safeguard nature. Today, we recognize the importance of protected areas. A survey report compiled with the participation of around 1,400 rangers shows challenges in exercising their legal authority and functions. We have identified social, investment, and governance issues. Within my ministerial authority, I have announced the decision to grant state inspector status for one year to all rangers, including those working in protected areas. Local rangers must operate within a unified, vertical structure. We will review their work and make legal adjustments to eliminate overlaps. Rangers often encounter conflicts with the public, for example, when travelers pollute rivers or cause wildfires. We must support our rangers and collectively work to protect our Earth. Given the workforce shortage in this sector, in 2026, we will enroll an additional 2,000 students in national and international universities to strengthen human resources.”

During the meeting, participants are discussing the current conditions, challenges, and opportunities in special protected areas and biodiversity conservation. They have officially launched the development of a “Special Protected Areas Roadmap.”

Additionally, the meeting addresses the 2026 work plan for protected area administrations at the network level, management plans, current state of conservation funding, preliminary results from the study, and the need to improve legislation governing protected areas. Capacity-building training and discussions for management staff and specialists are also being conducted.