MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM
As a part of “The Protection of UgiiLake Ecosystem” project, the center has been established in July, 2009 which was implemented in cooperation with Mongolia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism and JICA.
The center`s core mission is to introduce and exhibit the UgiiLake area’s natural beauty, landscape, animals, plants and birds; to provide the local community with ecological education; to conduct research; and to develop ecotourism.
The Information and Training Center consists of three separate buildings:
In addition, the center also has an extended weather monitoring station.
The beautiful UgiiLake is located in the northeast of OgiinuurSoum, Arkhangai Province.Ugii Lake belongs to the Orkhon River Basin Administration, covering an area of 2570 hectares. Theshore length is 24.7 kilometers, the maximum depth is 15.3 meters and the water volume is 171 million cubic meters. The HugshinOrkhon River flows into the lake from the southwest.
According to the studies conducted from 2005 to 2006, a total of 266 species of plants, 20 species of mammals, 15 species of fish and 89 species of water insects were identified and registered in and aroundthe Ugii Lake.The area has been under a special local protection since 2006.
MONGOLIA JOINED THE RAMSAR CONVENTION (1998)
The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971, is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and biological species. There are 11 wetlands in Mongolia which have been designated as Ramsar sites.
MONGOLIA JOINED THE NORTHEAST ASIAN NETWORK TO PROTECT DUCKS AND GEESE (1999)
The Northeast Asian Network to Protect Ducks is an international cooperation program to protect habitats of the species of geese and ducks which fly through the Asia Pacific region. TerkhiinTsagaan Lake and Ugii Lake are included in the network.
Ugii Lake has an extreme continental climate with an average annual temperature of-0, 5˚C to 1˚C. Summer temperature canreach as high as 38˚C and -46˚C in winter. Ugii Lake has an average annual soil temperature of 0.7˚C. The soil temperature reaches -46˚C in winter and 59˚C in summer. Precipitation averages 250-300 millimeters per year, 10 to30 percent of which falls in winter. The average wind speed is 2,8 meters per second near Ugii Lake. The maximum wind speed reaches 36 meters per second.
Ugii Lake is part of a semi-steppe that supports a vast river valley. It is covered by rocky dark brown soils in the surrounding hills. The large part of the area is covered by dark brown soils. The soil contains deposits of clay originated by diluvium. Glacial till is scattered unevenly near the lake.
Ugii Lake and the Orkhon River belong to the Arctic Ocean basin.15 out of the 20 fish species of the Arctic Ocean have been found in Ugii Lake and the Orkhon River. Taimen,Lenok, Arctic grayling, Northern pike, Common roach, Ide, Siberian dace, Prussian carp, Amur catfish, European perch, Burbot, Lake minnow, Siberian spiny loach, Siberian stone loach, Asian common carp were found in the lake. Further study on the fish species of Ugii Lake needs to be conducted in the future.