Grasslands of the World.pdf - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP

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Grasslands of the world
Often herds are too small for it to be profitable for a family to spare labour to
take them to pasture , and herding communities are fragmented. If semi -arid
grasslands are to be managed sustainably, some planning is necessary at the
landscape scale. It is now widely accepted that rural development , including
grassland development, should be led by the ultimate users. Community
participation is essential, but if it is to be effective, rather than token talking,
a high priority should be developing some means of having herders organize
themselves into larger groups for deciding local herding policy, discussing with
regional authorities and sharing herding tasks.
Demotic factors
Population pressure and rising populations on decreasing pastoral resources
are mentioned in many traditional areas. The number of livestock that any area
of extensive grassland can carry sustainably is finite. If pastoral populations
grow larger than their resource base can stand it is unlikely that technical
solutions will be found.
Diversification
Because of poor returns from animal husbandry a number of commercial
enterprises in most of the countries studied are looking at alternative and
potentially more profitable uses for their grasslands. Raising game and wildlife
is already practised in eastern and South Africa and is probably expanding
– this may be for specialist meats, tourism , hunting of a combination. Some
mention organic meat .
Tourism and eco-tourism is another use of grasslands; in commercial
areas its benefits will go to the landowner; the extent to which it will become
important is unclear except where noteworthy scenery or wildlife is involved
since many grassland areas are remote and have little infrastructure. Tourism is
encouraged by many governments since it brings them revenue. However, in
areas of traditional herding , tourism must be seen as beneficial by the graziers
involved; the owners of large private establishments may negotiate fees, but
in traditional systems tourists may be regarded as a nuisance if they make no
contribution to local livelihoods. A quotation from an article in the travel section
of the Times (2004) is a good example of this:
“Mongolia ’s reindeer people say that tourism is threatening their way of life. 207 people from
Tsaganuur say that the small but growing numbers of tourists are disrupting the peace of the
taiga where their reindeer roam”
GRASSLAND IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Although grasslands are of primary environmental importance, not least
as catchment areas and sites for in situ conservation of biodiversity , their
preservation and proper management are given relatively little attention by
environmentalists and governments, which often see the traditional livestock