India launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems of India at the UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The guide covers grasslands, savannas, deserts and other open ecosystems, describing their geography, ecology, biodiversity and the communities and tribes linked to them. It stresses that these ecosystems need conservation alongside forests, and is aimed at policymakers, researchers, conservation groups, development agencies and local communities.