IIRSU (Conservation and rehabilitation of biodiversity on the Tien-Shan northern slope by local population and creation of alternative activity types aimed sustainable use of region’s natural, recreational and cultural potential - stage 2, sequential of the Mashattau project) (KAZ/00/04)

Project Details & Results

In the south of Kazakhstan a unique object, the National Aksu-Dzhabagly Reserve, is located. It has a significant value for conservation of the Kazakhstan nature, and also takes important place in the international system of protected natural territories, it's widely known to the world community. The area close-fitting to the Reserve has also a great value on biological diversity of Western Tien-Shan region because the territory of neighboring reserve “Aksu-Dzhabagly” doesn’t fully protect the specific character of regional flora and fauna. For instance, the whole zone of foothill ephemeral semi-desert (which remained beyond the boundaries of the reserve), foothill and low-mountain part of tugays where many rare and endemic species of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates live.

As a result of a hard economic situation in Kazakhstan there is a big problem of unemployment in Tyulkubas district. Migrants from Aral Sea area and Kzyl-Orda Province don’t have necessary knowledge and skills of treating natural resources of foothill and smooth areas. As a result of it there are numerous cases of damaging and cutting of bushes and trees during gathering of fruits, cattle grazing, etc.

Thus, conservation and rehabilitation of biodiversity in the Western Tijan-Shan Mountains region, through the involvement of local community groups is very important. By maintaining a micronursery of rare and endemic species, by planting seedlings of rare and endemic species, by developing a regional ecological route and by raising public awareness about biodiversity conservation, this project will contribute to sustainable development of the local area.

Implementation of this project will allow:
•To attract local population to solution of ecological and social problems of the region.
•To start process of rehabilitation of biodiversity of the region.
•To raise environmental awareness of the local people.
•To create base for ecological education of population.
•To create visual teaching aids on botany and zoology for schools of Tyulkubas district.
•To organize nursery fprest of rare and endemic plants and trees close to places of their natural living.
•To create new jobs for local population.

Within the 2nd stage of the project the existing rare and endemic species nursery will be extended and reconstructed for its more efficiency, endemic species seedings will be planted from the nursery to the project territory, planting of wild apple-trees, cherry-plum, hawthorn on the project territory will be arranged, lectures on environment for the local community will be hold, environmental class will be set up at the local school, information campaign will be arranged, a number of actions with participation of the local community will be organized.

Capacity - Building Component
This project will expand the level of ecological education in local schools through a series of lectures, and will educate the community about the collection of rare and endangered species for future micro nursery care.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Eco-tourism development will promote the creation of additional workplaces and will allow the local community to derive a sustainable income from ecotourism.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
This project will involve the local community, local authorities, and schoolchildren from around the rayon in planting rare and endemic species, in seeding and planting a micro-nursery and working on the project sites. The community will also be involved in expanding the work of the micro -nursery, planting cuttings along the Iirsu and Mashat rivers, establishing plantations of Rumex, poplar and ash, duplicating the experience of the "Wild bees" project in the region, and project monitoring and evaluation.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Activities such as the planting of rare and endemic species, the cleaning of wells, parks, springs, rivers, and tourist routs with the active participation of the local community, local authorities, schoolchildren, and NGOs; the creation of ecoposters and a booklet on the project results publication, and the production of a video film and photoes exhibition will bring much awareness of the project in the local community.

Project Results
Major project results:
•Two nurseries for rare and endemic plants were created. The seedlings grown have been planted on the habitat;
•Environmental class was equipped;
•Scientific-practical conference was organized with attraction of the local community, local authorities, NGOs and others;
•300 seedlings of Siverse apple-tree, 200 of karagach and 240 of apricot were planted.

According to estimations of project authors the following economic profit in seven categories is possible provided there is prospective market development:
•Collection and delivery of officinal raw material: $ 1500.
•Collection and delivery of wild plant fruit: $2000.
•Development of ecological and other tourism: $ 3000.
•Utilization and sale of artificial nests for wild bees
•Introduction and expansion of rumex culture
•Cultivation of wild officinal, decorative and technical plants
•Utilization of wood plantations

The level of development of institutional relations between various participating organizations can be classifies as quite high since complex restructuring of the implementation experience of Mashattau project was carried out. This allowed utilization of maximally productive models of cooperation with other organizations, particularly with government bodies and local population. Attention of local organizations was attracted at project elaboration stage; this interest was then reflected in the project budget by actual contributions from these organizations

Project executors managed to achieve significant success in involving local community into project activities as the number of local organizations involved equals 15. Possessing the experience gained in the course of Mashattau project implementation project executors managed to correct their methods and ensure high level of local population’s involvement. Project authors conducted sociological research that allowed highlighting social and environmental problems. One of the major project elements was the stressing the importance of finding reasonable balance between satisfying economic needs and environment protection. Attention was given to increasing the population’s awareness of the responsibility for environment state as a factor of social-economic improvement in the region, development of economic possibilities through rational use of natural resources, creation of new possibilities for employment. Another important issue is finding important project decisions during meeting discussions with local population, consultations with respected persons, the elderly, local authorities. One of the most important methods for active involvement of local population into project activity was conducting “Nature protection: nationwide matter” scientific-practical conference. There were attempts to involve population of neighboring villages into project activity through “Parks March” ecological event. Project activity also involved farmers, district newspapers and Almaty tourism firms.

The project is quite significant in the sense of influencing the state policy: many project components were supported by government bodies. Measures on formation of government bodies’ positive attitude were productive and created a base for solid social partnership within the project framework. Project executors established contacts with government authorities and administration, in particular with representatives of rural and district akimats, departments of educational, forestries and “Aksu-Zhabagly” natural reserve administrations.

The project considers a preliminary stage in development of ecotourism, which is the base for its development in the whole region of West Tien-Shan.

Generally project results prove that it was a success: local population’s assuredness in their capability of changing current environmental situation in the region is perhaps the principal of such results. Besides project and project activity exhibits clear innovative areas such as collection of officinal herbs to be sold to respective firms and several other unordinary solutions.