Like many grasslands around the world, the vast steppes of Central Asia are in decline due to factors like overgrazing, conversion to arable land and the shifting climate.

In Kazakhstan, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has been working since 2005 to restore steppe, semi-desert and desert ecosystems within the historic range of the saiga, a once abundant antelope critically endangered by hunting and habitat loss. As well as reviving and protecting the steppe, the initiative has helped conserve wetlands that are a vital stopover for an estimated 10 million migratory birds each year.