Wild Bees (Conservation and restoration of bee abundance in the foothills and the lower mountain belt of Trans-Ili (Zailiyskiy) Alatau mountain range)
The greater part of Southeastern Kazakhstan is occupied by the arid and subarid landscapes particularly exposed to degradation through the anthropogenic pressure. A considerable disturbance of the biotic balance in ecosystems first of all affect the biodiversity of invertebrate animals; representing the most numerous component of the whole fauna (a total number of invertebrate species in region is more than 100,000 as compared with 835 vertebrate ones), they are an indicators of the biocenose welfare. One of the basic biocenose components are bees the main nucleus of which is represented in Kazakhstan by solitary ones having ancient pre-Palearctic and Palearctic origin. Among the total bee species (ca 600) 120 ones belonging to five families are endemics and subendemics of Kazakhstan and Middle Asia; in the Halictidae and Andrenidae families their percentage is 30% while in the Anthophoridae family ca 60-70%.
Agricultural practices, road construction, and natural environmental changes are reducing the numbers of the ground-dwelling bees. As pollinators, these bees are very important components in local ecosystems, and also play a large role in the agriculture of southern Kazakhstan. The negative factors of anthropogenic pressure are especially disastrous owing to the total ecological ignorance of the local population and unproductive land use. An intensive weed control and a depletion of the flowering plants deprive the bees of their nutritive base. The irregular use of pesticides and absence of any invertebrate conservation arrangements result in the further apifauna degradation and undermine a genofund of the majority of bee species progressively becoming rare and dangerous ones. It is therefore necessary to take urgent measures on the conservation and restoration of these invertebrates, ecological education of the local population, a prospective field management propaganda favouring the wild bees preservation and their use as the agricultural pollinators.
A primary Project objective is the achievement of stabilization of the degradation process of apifauna and the beginning of its quantitative and qualitative restoration by means of practical introducting the elaborated methods of wild bees enticement into the artificial nests allocated in the piedmont zone and in lower mountain belt of Trans-Ili Alatau combining with the possibilities of: (a), rendering assistance in the life-support and employment of the local communes (farmers, youth and gardeners' associations, etc.) and women by means of introduction the new ecological technology of agriculture productivity rise as well as the development of small ecological business; (b), practical involving of the local population in the solution of the biodiversity conservation problem.
Agricultural practices, road construction, and natural environmental changes are reducing the numbers of the ground-dwelling bees. As pollinators, these bees are very important components in local ecosystems, and also play a large role in the agriculture of southern Kazakhstan. The negative factors of anthropogenic pressure are especially disastrous owing to the total ecological ignorance of the local population and unproductive land use. An intensive weed control and a depletion of the flowering plants deprive the bees of their nutritive base. The irregular use of pesticides and absence of any invertebrate conservation arrangements result in the further apifauna degradation and undermine a genofund of the majority of bee species progressively becoming rare and dangerous ones. It is therefore necessary to take urgent measures on the conservation and restoration of these invertebrates, ecological education of the local population, a prospective field management propaganda favouring the wild bees preservation and their use as the agricultural pollinators.
A primary Project objective is the achievement of stabilization of the degradation process of apifauna and the beginning of its quantitative and qualitative restoration by means of practical introducting the elaborated methods of wild bees enticement into the artificial nests allocated in the piedmont zone and in lower mountain belt of Trans-Ili Alatau combining with the possibilities of: (a), rendering assistance in the life-support and employment of the local communes (farmers, youth and gardeners' associations, etc.) and women by means of introduction the new ecological technology of agriculture productivity rise as well as the development of small ecological business; (b), practical involving of the local population in the solution of the biodiversity conservation problem.
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Naurzum
Country:
Kazakhstan
Area Of Work:
Biodiversity
Grant Amount:
US$ 29,390.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 5,000.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 5,500.00
Project Number:
KAZ/98/06
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
Project Characteristics and Results
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
From their involvement in creating and establishing the artificial bee nests in natural habitats, local people will learn about the bees and other related ecological problems.
Seminars will be held, to present information on wild bees and conservation issues in the region.
Seminars will be held on the progress of the project and on project monitoring initiatives.
A seminar will be held to summarize the activity that was undertaken through the project.
Articles will be placed in the newspapers, and messages about the project will be placed on radio and TV. Video segments will be aired on TV, and booklets and leaflets will be published.
Capacity - Building Component
Local schoolchildren and communities will be trained how to manufacture artificial nests for wild bees, and will learn about the natural habitats for the bees. Seminars and lectures will present information on the value of wild bees, and the necessity of conservation measures.
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SGP Country office contact
Zharas Tugulbayev
Email:
Ms. Zhazira Altybayeva
Email:
Address
24 Mambetov street
Astana, 010000
Astana, 010000
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