India Launches First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems

Context: India launched its first-ever comprehensive Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) of India during an official side event at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

About India Launches First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems:

What It Is?

• An authoritative, first-of-its-kind national knowledge framework and conservation reference document that maps, classifies, and details the rich diversity, ecological services, fire ecology, carbon sequestration potential, and socio-economic importance of India’s non-forest open biomes.

Definitions: Grasslands & Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs):

• Grasslands: Terrestrial biomes dominated by continuous or semi-continuous herbaceous vegetation—primarily grasses (Poaceae), sedges, and forbs—with little to no tree canopy cover, maintained naturally by distinct climatic regimes, wild/domestic grazing pressure, and natural fire cycles.
• Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs): A broader umbrella classification covering diverse non-forest landscapes naturally characterized by open canopies and low tree densities, including:
  • Cold and hot deserts (e.g., Thar, Spiti, Ladakh)
  • Tropical and sub-tropical savannas and scrublands
  • Saline wetlands and desert flats (e.g., Banni, Rann of Kutch)
  • Ravines and badlands (e.g., Chambal)
  • Rocky lateritic plateaus and high-altitude alpine meadows (Bugyals and Margas)

Launched At: The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17 to UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Aim: To reclassify grasslands as valuable ecosystems, integrate them into biodiversity frameworks, and promote science-based restoration to meet India’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) commitments.

Key Features of the Guide:

• Nationwide Geographic & Ecological Mapping: Documents the spatial distribution and ecological characteristics of major non-forest biomes across India—from Himalayan alpine meadows and Terai flood grasslands to Deccan savannas, Banni plains, and Thar desert scrublands.
• Thematic Scientific Sections: Features detailed analyses on pastoral mobility, rangeland dynamics, fire ecology, below-ground soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, and hydrology.
• Integration of Indigenous & Community Governance: Documents traditional community-conserved rangelands such as Orans (sacred groves), Gauchars (village commons), and pastoral grazing systems managed by nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.
• Correction of Flawed Afforestation Approaches: Emphasizes that planting trees in naturally open, treeless biomes damages endemic biodiversity, alters groundwater tables, and degrades unique grassland ecosystems.
• Tool for LDN & Target 15.3 Implementation: Provides standardized scientific metrics and restoration guidelines to help policymakers, forest departments, and researchers meet India’s commitments under UNCCD and SDG 15.3.