In the course of project implementation, the community residents and workers of district Forest department were provided with informations, brochures and publications on evinroment protection, land conservation. To raise awareness of community residents and project stakeholders a series of village meetings (20 meetings), consultations and round-table organized and conducted. The capacity and knowledge of community enhanced through introdcution of SLM best practices and lessons learnt. Now 460 community residents of 4 villags of target zone (Jamoat) are realized that having woodlines in open landscapes is very important and essential for protection of their lands from wind & sand erosion and deforestation; for biodiversity conservation, and for improvement of living conditions and health status of the target areas.

Plantion the Saxaul in this area has improved protection and production of 3,000 ha of arable land where local community members, including women and men, are equally self-employed. Besides, 20 seminars provided for 500 women, children and village leaders on saxaul, pasture rotation and sustainable land management practices.

The emerged 60 ha saxaul plantations were included in the list of assets of the district Forest department, i.e. as State-Forest-Reserve. In according to estimations, in 4-5 years the saxaul plantations will get far matured and strong enough to provide local farmers with alternative option for livestock production (as livestock will no longer be able to harm plants). Every year, state Forest department and land farmers committ resources to inlarge area under saxaul plantation. The project and its possible replication in the region is supplementary support to state policy, "increse forest coverage till 2015 year in the country?. The strategy planned to cover some 500 ha land, in average.

The indigenous people live within project area including local farmers and landowners identified most resistant species and planted Russian olive and elm trees in bald-areas of existed woodareas. The district forest department provided local farmers with technical assistances while they established small nurseries which consequently been replanted in the most forest-emitted areas and which expose to erosion and deforestation.

The key goal of the project is to create conditions for protection of 3,000 ha arable lands belonged to community residents of the target areas. As stated above, there is no much alternatives existed for rura poor. Agriculture farming and animal husbandry are the main source of income. By ensuring protection of woodareas they largely input in rehabilitation and conservation of their own lands and pasturelands. This has allowed community residents to increase agriculture productions thereby improving thier economic and living conditions.

The project implementation and continuation is in-line with and supplementary to the Government program on ?forest development till 2015 year in west country?, which planned to cover some 500 ha land, on average.

The project is build-up on experiences gained and activities undertaken by GEF Sustainable Land Management Project in wetern Shaartuz district of Tajikistan, 2007-2011 yrs.

The project is provided great opportunity for local farmers and land owners to ensure protection of 3,000 ha arable land from wind erosion and sand movement. The lessons learnt and positive project impacts on sustainable land management definitely created possibility to scale up project through local farmers/ land onwers, state Forest organization, Government programmes and international organizations.

The recieved information and knowledge on sustainable land management best practices and lessons learnt enabled local community to monitor and contribute to protection and development of Saxsaul plantations. Conservation of woodlines ensured rehabilitation of their arable lands thereby increased production in agriculture landscapes and imrpoved living conditions of rural poor. The community residents no longer have to allocate extra funds to rehabilitate their lands from sand and wind erossions. Money and time saved by community from reduced number of occurences of respiratory and asthma diseases among rural community. Increase of land erosion and desertification is reduced/ mitigated by applying SLM best practices and management tools.

Upon completion, the activities carried out under project will be sustainable. The key value in the rural area is a land and it is a main source of income of local farmers and community residents. There are not much alternatives existed. The rural poor can only afford to be engaged with agriculture and livestock farming. The number of information materials distributed and awareness raising campaigns conducted have improved and increased the awareness and knowledge of local community residents. They acknowledged that conservation of biodiversity, in particularly, conservation and development of woodareas in open landscapes is very crucial and essential for prevention of land degradation, desertification and improvement of living conditions within targeted areas. Knowing this, the local community ensure maintainance and protection of saxaul plantation from livestock and intruders. The saxaul plantation formally handed over to the Forest department of Shaartuz district. The state authorities and Forest department issued and indorsed a document, which allows execution of penalty sanctions and determine a fine for those who deal with unauthorized tree cutting and grazing cattle within plantations. Local farmers/ DFs agreed to share security costs by collecting certain fees from the income they earn from agriculture products sold in the market. The owner also take over additional charges to cover financial expenses related to protection and maintenance of the saxaul plantation in future. The forestry department involves the security guard who is engaged in the implemented project for plantation of saxaul seeds in 25 ha land under GEF SLM project. Upon completion, the 60 ha saxaul plantation was included in the list of assets of the Forest department, under category of State-Forest-Reserves. Presumable in 4-5 years the saxaul plantation will be far matured and tall that allow local farmers to use this area for livestock production. Annually local authorities in close partnership with Forest department and land farmers will continue expansion of saxaul plantation to new land-areas. The project and its continuation is in-line with and supplementary to the Government program on ?forest development till 2015 year in Shaartuz district?, which planned to cover some 500 ha land, in average. The local farmers of the targeted villages also participated and contributed to the sustainability of the project. Together with community they planted Russian olive and elm tree plants along roads and irrigation channels to enhance the protection capacity of existed woodlines. The planted species are resistant to the local semi-arid zone and climate. Also, forest department provided local farmers with technical assistances while they established small nurseries for tree plants, which consequenly have been replanted in most vulnerable areas - to prevent further land desertification and deforestation.

a) Civic awareness increased which enabled local community directly participate in decision-making processes and contribute to the betterment of environment conditions within their communities and yet globally; b) 100 brochures and information materials developed, published and distributed among 500 families/ households (HHs); c) Round table for 30 participants organized and conducted on the issues of environment protection including SLM best practices and lessons learned; d) widespread of press releases on the local and national newspapers, TV and through NGO/CBOs networks.