Salkhin Sandag Association

Salkhin Sandag Association (Salkhin Sandag NGO; Салхин Сандаг Холбоо) is a non-government organisation^[1] founded on October 2002 by the grandson of Salkhin Sandag and local supporters from Govi-Altai province. The organisation has 450 members in Govi-Altai, Uvs, Bayankhongor and Zavkhan provinces in addition to 160 volunteer activists, seven advisory board members and two consultants. The association primarily focuses on protecting and revitilising the Zakhvan River basin, including the 800-kilometre river itself and the two lakes into which they flow - Lake Airag and Lake Khyargas.^[2]

Activities

Legal Initiatives

• Played a key role in passing the 2009 “Law on Prohibiting Mineral Exploration & Mining Operations at Headwaters of Rivers, Protected Zones of Water Reserviours” in collaboration with various non-government organisations. The law is also known as, the "law with long name."^[3] Salkhin Sandag helped draft the law as well as organising demonstrations on horseback in front of the House of Parliament to push through the law.

• The law was publicised in twenty-eight soums (sub-provinces) of only two provinces. The government is still attempting to alter the law.

• Partnered with government entities to implement the "law with long name" in six soums of four provinces.^[4] The organisation carefully monitors any unwarranted amendments to the law.

• Confiscated the mining licenses of six LLCs operating in violation of the law.

• Confiscated the licenses of twenty-one of the sixty-four companies licensed to mine in the Zavkhan River basin.

Projects

• Released television series - "The River Calling" - in 2009 based on issues concerning rivers flowing through Bayankhongor, Govi-Altai, Zavkhan, Uvs and Khuvsgul provinces.

• Collaborated with “Altain Khuder” LLC in Tseel soum, Gobi-Altai province to mediate mining controversies with local residents.

• Restored watering system in 100 hectares of long-fallow land along the Dagnalt River and entrusted the land to the national commission.

• Established protected zones for reservoirs in Govisumber, Dungovi, Govi-Altai and Zavkhan provinces in 2010 in partnership with hydro plants and local government.

• Planted 150 hectares of endangered plant species including, inter alia, Astragalus, Glycyrrhiza, Hippophae (Sea Buckthorn) and Ephedra in Guulin settlement.

• Planted 30 hectares of ulmus, populus, sea buckhorn and other trees and shrubs as part of the "Green Fort" project.

Advocacy Work

• Patron of projects safeguarding the following organisms: trees and deer living in Olon-Ovoo, Jon and Bayansair; marmots inhabiting Bichigt Hill; and wild mountain sheep, mountain goats and snow leopards inhabiting river basins.
• Took under protection the wicker and local wild onion growing along Zavkhan River.
• Patron of the project naturalising cottontails in the Zavkhan River brushwood.
• Helped found the "Mongolian River Movements" in partnership with non-profit organisations working to protect rivers and water sources in twenty-one soums of nine provinces.^[5]

• Annually organise trainings - "Environmental Protection Advocacy" - dedicated to increasing involvement in environmental protection.
• Successfully organised households in Otgon and Shiluust soums (sub-provinces) of Zavkhan province and Guulin settlement of Delger soum in Gobi-Altai province to plant trees and shrubs in their backyards.
• Established fellowship of young conservationists; leads environmental treks for youth aimed at acquainting the youth with their local environment. The treks are organised in collaboration with the scientific community.
• Became a member of the River Network^[6] and the World Water Council.^[7]
• Helped establish the Tri-partite National Committee working group in Mongolia as per the Prime Minister’s 17th decree.
• Presented at five international conventions.

Ongoing Initiatives

• Vigilantly protesting and monitoring the thirteen hydropower plants that were installed in the direction of provinces in the west.^[8]
• Drawing government attention to pressing issues facing Zakhvan and other rivers by participating in televised interviews and debates with the media's support.
• Collaborating with the local councils in Ulan Bator.
• Participating in various domestic and international projects; implementing among rural nomadic populations.
• Actively working to improve the legal setting for environmental protection.^[9]

References