Type the title into Google and see the results. Most will tell you that the first national park in the world is Yellowstone in the United States, established in 1872. I heard this bold statement recently in a nature documentary screened by National Geographic.
I was taught that the oldest such park in the world was established in 1783 in Mongolia so I decided to dig a little deeper and see who is right or who is wrong.
Marketing
The way we position ourselves determines our lives and others’ perceptions of us as individuals and professionals. Some are exceptionally good at marketing themselves with limited resources, while others couldn’t sell a gold bar even for free.
It’s no different in the case of tangible and intangible heritage, or our natural resources either. The louder a country is, the more recognition it receives. It may even go as far as being able to claim a title that the facts would assign elsewhere. Like the title of the world’s oldest national park that may actually belong somewhere in the heart of Inner Asia, instead of a country as powerful as the United States.
Definition
Based on the 10th General Assembly of IUCN meeting in New Delhi in November 1969,
’a National Park is a relatively large area
1) where one or several ecosystems are not materially altered by human exportation and occupation, where plant and animal species, geomorphological sites and habitats are of special scientific, educative and creative interest or which contains a natural Iandscape of great beauty and
2) where the highest competent authority of the country has taken steps to prevent or to eliminate as soon as possible exploitation or occupation in the whole area and to force effectively the respect of ecological, geomorphological or aesthetic features which have led to its establishment and
3) where visitors are allowed to enter, under special conditions, for inspirational, educative, cultural and recreative purposes’.
No one can deny that these conditions apply to both Yellowstone and the Bogd Khan Uul Biosphere Reserve. The reasons for protecting the latter were somewhat different than elsewhere in the world, but the fact remains.
The whys
While Mongolians will proudly tell you about Bogd Khan Uul (Mong. Богд хан уул) as the first national park in the world, most non-Mongolian sources assign the title to Yellowstone. In a way, it’s a lucky situation considering how over-tourism can affect protected areas.
Mongolia remains a less-visited country until today. It is partly due to its climate which many would consider unfriendly at most times of the year. It’s extremely cold during the winter so when March starts greeting us with -10°C-mornings, it’s a relief. It feels warm after months of living in a freezer. Sand storms follow with heavy floods, making travel beyond the capital complicated and often impossible. June, July, and August are the months when the average traveller finds it the easiest to adapt to the circumstances, but the end of August might bring the first snow so be prepared. Just because it’s sunny and warm when you leave for your holiday, it’s not guaranteed that you won’t need a winter coat.
On top of the adventurous climate, the general unwillingness of Mongolians to boast about what they possess and what they are capable of may contribute to being less acknowledged in more ways than one. A highly resourceful nation with dedicated and talented people who don’t feel the need to shout about their abilities, how precious is that!
This mindset is strongly connected to the nomadic lifestyle that influences everyday life until today where the needs of the family or the community are more important than the individual’s, and also to Buddhism, a religion where the ego takes a backseat. In contrast, there is the strongly individualistic approach of the US, which shamelessly claims what it thinks deserves, and even more.
What is Bogd Khan Uul
Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia lies in a valley of four peaks, with Bogd Khan Uul or Bogd Khan Mountain to the south of the city. When you land in the capital at the right time of the year, wherever you look, you will see harsh green mountains surrounding you with their ancient and majestic slopes.
20 years ago it was easy to walk from the city centre straight to the mountains but today it’s advised to take a bus or catch a taxi for the short ride. Back then there weren’t high-rise buildings, and fences simply didn’t exist. I utterly enjoyed the freedom of being able to cross anything and everything without being stopped or feeling that I trespassed on anyone’s property. Don’t do it today. The dogs and the police can be like the weather. Harsh.
A bit of history
Bogd Khan Uul was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1996 and described as ’Mongolia’s first official protected area and one of the oldest protected areas in the world. It was officially sanctified and taken into protection in 1778…’.
Bogd means sacred or holy and is used as a title given to highly revered religious personalities and mountain ranges. Already in the 12th and 13th centuries, the area was protected as a holy mountain and until today it is home to several monasteries and sacred sites. It can easily happen that during your climb local hikers stop you and ask you not to go this or that way because visiting certain sites is allowed only for certain groups of people.
In the below image you can see the peak where I was asked to turn back because women were not allowed to climb up there and pay respect to the ovoo. It might feel strange for outsiders that we cannot climb in any direction in an open space but don’t argue, respect local spirits and those who believe in them, there is enough to see for everyone.
Shamanism and Buddhism go hand in hand in Mongolia. Unless you know what you are looking at, it is easy to confuse the two or even think that Mongolia is a purely Buddhist country but syncretism is alive and well.
This is why you can bump into strategically placed animal skulls even at sacred Buddhist sites and see Buddhist prayer flags on the so-called ovoos (Mong. овоо), the remnants of shamanism. These ovoos are mounds of stones, often found on mountain tops and high places, near rivers and springs, and they serve as sites for worshipping the local spirits who guard the area and those living there.
If you see one, make sure you stop and circle it three times, moving clockwise to ensure a safe journey. The same is your task when you visit a Buddhist monastery or a stupa. Whether inside or outside, you have to move three times clockwise around the site and any statue of a deity or high-ranking person. Once you get the hang of it, it can turn into a wonderful meditation practice.
The presence of these nature spirits greatly contributes to environmental protection, and to the general respect towards nature you will experience in Mongolia. It doesn’t mean that there is no destruction in this sense but in general, people consider themselves as part of the natural world, being aware of the interconnectedness of all living beings.
It was the same in the 13th century when Tooril khan (Mong. Тоорил хан), the then ruler of the Kareits, forbade logging and hunting there. Then, in 1778, the Mongolian governor of present-day Ulaanbaatar sent a letter to the Qing Emperor, asking permission to hold annual ceremonies dedicated to Bogd Khan Uul. This letter is held in the Central Archives of Mongolia for anyone to read. Permission was granted and in 1783 the local government of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled Mongolia from 1635 to 1912, declared the Bogd Khan Mountain a protected site, making it the first national park in the world.
Ecological Characteristics
The area is highly valued and appreciated not only for its sacred status but also for its natural diversity. The northern slopes of the mountains are covered by dense coniferous forest and the southern slopes by bare rocks.
There are grasslands, taiga vegetation, alpine tundra, and mixed forests, giving a home to animals like the musk deer, roe deer, Siberian deer, ibex, wild boar, sable, arctic hare, red fox, grey wolf, and various species of birds among many other beautiful creatures living in peace with the local nature spirits.
All in all, until someone convinces me with clear facts about Yellowstone’s alleged status, I will always think of Bogd Khan Uul as the world’s oldest national park, where I first drank from a mountain stream and enjoyed the abundance of wild berries and the peace these peaks bless busy minds with.
