Gobi Herders Filled 82 Abandoned Mining Pits, Handing 3.3 Hectares Back to Pasture

The Temuulel Community-Based Organization is a group of pastoralist families in Mongolia's Gobi, led by Kh. Otgonbayar, who is also one of the Gobi Women Climate Champions supported by WCS Mongolia. Together the herders filled 82 abandoned mining pits, each nearly 10 metres deep, which had been a danger to people, livestock and wildlife. That work rehabilitated 3.30 hectares of community-managed pasture and seasonal wildlife habitat. She also led the community in planting 128 trees, including native saxaul, near herder camps. The figures come from an August 2026 account written by a WCS Mongolia manager.