A delegation of representatives of the Land of Snow Leopard (LOSL) Network in Kyrgyzstan participated at a conservation seminar at Mongolian Secret History Camp in Tuv province in Mongolia from 7-16 May, 2019. The delegation included Kuluipa Akhmatova, the director of Public Fund (PF) Rural Development Fund, Almagul Osmonova from PF Taalim Forum, Eric Shukurov from Public Union (OO) Ecological Movement of Alaine Plus, Zhaparkul Raimbekov, known as “batachy (a spiritual practitioner)”, and Turdubek Choduraev, a local leader and an ecologist from the At-bashinsky district. They have been engaged in the LOSL Network, initiated by Rodney Jackson from the Snow Leopard Conservancy (www.snowleopardconservancy.org), for three years.
The aim of this workshop was to learn how to engage revived/preserved traditional practices in order to protect
biodiversity and the local sacred sites through community participation. During the seminar, the participants studied previous work of the LOSL Network and learnt about the shared database management. They also discussed the importance of leadership in community-led initiatives of the Network, and of monitoring numbers of snow leopards and other wild species in their habitats.
The centre focus of the seminar was to consider conservation efforts from the indigenous point of view. The Network members, together with the seminar coordinators, participated in group work to discuss objectives and to develop strategies and action plans according to the proposed methods of the Network. The seminar also included a day in nature and visit to sacred places. Upon returning to their own countries and regions, all members of the Network will apply their newly-acquired knowledge in order to promote engagement of traditional practices in harmonious coexistence with nature.