Landscapes of Dauria, Mongolia

They are a key resting place for over 260 bird species, including the globally-endangered white-naped crane, hooded crane, relict gull and great bustard, and are a nesting ground for many species of waterbirds and shorebirds from tropical countries.

Granted World Heritage status in 2017, the site includes a total of four component parts. Two of these, the Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Area (SPA) and the Ugtam Nature Refuge, can be found in Mongolia, in the north-east corner of the country on the border with Russia.

The Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Area is comprised of a rare combination of arid steppes and large wetlands, and covers an area of almost 2,000 km2. It was given SPA status in 1992 and its ecosystem includes diverse habitats and specific landscape features.

The area is characterised by low-mountainous landscapes which support a wide variety of native Daurian and Manchurian flora and fauna, including 31 mammal species, 256 bird species, 5 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 349 plant species.

Management of the Nature Reserve is focused on the unique flora for which the region is known. It is home to 236 plant species from 35 families, including Botrychium (moonworts), Equisetum, Typha, Potamogeton, Trighochin, Alisma, Butomus, grass, and sedge.

The area’s Protection Administration works with organizations such as the Mongolian Bird Conservation Centre and Beijing Forestry University in conducting comprehensive research on migratory birds and their breeding, feeding and migration patterns.

The Landscapes of Dauria World Heritage site is surrounded by a large buffer zone which, in Mongolia, overlaps with the Mongol Daguur Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar Site of International Importance. 

The area was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2007, to ensure the preservation of the environment in the protected core area, while allowing locals to carry out ecologically sustainable activities in the outer transition zone. 

The Dornod Mongol SPA is also located in north-eastern Mongolia, though not included in the Landscapes of Dauria World Heritage site. Designated as an SPA in 1992, it covers 5,703 km² and is crucial in protecting the area's biodiversity.

The area has extensive temperate grasslands, comprised of needle-grass steppe, treeless flat steppes, hills and wetlands. As a result, it’s rich in biodiversity with Siberian, Manchurian and Central Asian flora and fauna and notable herds of Mongolian gazelle.