The Project is aimed at involvement of local communities in riparian forests management as well as in activities on riparian forests rehabilitation located in pilot territory (Boom Ravine, Kok-Moinok Rural District, Balykchi Forest Management Unit).
The seminar was conducted with participation of the State Agency of Environment Protection and Forestry under KR Government (SAEPF), National Agency on Local Self-Government Affairs, State Administrations of Issyk-Kul Province and Ton District, Biosphere Territory “Issyk-Kul”, representatives of Kon-Moinok Local Self-Government, Balykchi and Issyk-Kul Leshozes, experts from JICA “Joint Forests Management” project, GEF SGP and UNDP Democratic Governance Programme.
In his opening speech A.Chyngojoev, State Secretary of SAEPF under KR Government noted that such project has been launched for the first time ever in Kyrgyzstan. “Despite the fact that riparian forests occupy only 6 percent of forest territories in Kyrgyzstan, they are subjected to high level of degradation. Considering that riparian forests are located closely to residential areas and current energy crisis, they suffer from high anthropogenic influence”, stated A. Chyngojoev.
Within the project the several important activities such as elaboration and integration in local communities development plans approaches of sustainable riparian forests management, rehabilitation of 50 ha forests and establishement of two forest nurseries in Issyk-Kul Province and ecological clubs in local schools and installation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES).
Additional information: Riparian Forests are border zones consisting of trees, shrubs, and other plant species. They are located along small streams, rivers and mountain lakes up to 50 meters. In Kyrgyzstan riparian forests are presented by such plant species as Black poplar, Asiatic poplar, Willow, Russian olive, Sea-Buckthorn etc. An increase of local population living near riparian forests for the past 20 years has caused degradation and consequently deforestation of riparian forests area for 50% if compare to other forests in Kyrgyzstan.
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Learn more from Altynai Nanaeva at 623695 or a.nanaeva@up.elcat.kg
