The ecological situation of Ili-Balkhash region is deemed to be close to critical and extremely unstable in terms of the conditions of water, soil and plant resources. The Concept of the Sustainable Development of Ili-Balkhash Basin worked out at the direction of the Government of the RK underlines that by the beginning of the XXI century the distressful economic and environmental situation is observed in this region rich in water resources, and diversity of flora and fauna. Observed are the degradation of desert range land and forests, drop in the numbers and diversity of the species of plants and animals, contamination of the surface waters, soil degradation, blowout and acceleration of desertification.

Analysis of the interviews with the local people shows that the unemployment rate and poverty keep growing. The number of farms in three rural districts does not exceed 130 with about 210 households being involved, which is approximately 16% of the total number of households.

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These farms manage about 65000 hectares of land with total livestock number about 50000 heads. Possibilities for plant breeding and vegetable growing are rather limited, and alternative activities are not available and in fact, the cattle breeding remains the only way of the life support for local residents. Lack of money to buy fuel results in extinction of saxaul woods and cutting of tugai and flood plain forests.

Under current conditions the sustainable development of the region is impossible without implementation of the alternative activities for the resident population, sound use and restoration of intensively degrading pastures. At the same time, the increase of forage land productivity is possible only with preservation of the total biodiversity of the natural ecosystems. Creation of conditions for self-regeneration and autoregulation is the most sound way to preserve the biodiversity.

This Project aimed at promotion of solving the problem of preservation and restoration of the biodiversity of the desert wooded meadow ecosystems is implemented on the territory of the peasant farms that has not be thoroughly examined and is a logical addition to the actions that have been undertaken within the frameworks of the IESD GTZ /CCD-project. Implementation of the Project concerning restoration of the biodiversity by means of biological autoregulation will strengthen the sustainability of both Projects and mutually increase the practical value of the results obtained and expand the possibility to replicate the experience gained. .

Project tasks are
1.To develop and implement a special regime of using the wooded meadow ecosystems in the course of ranging by the farms of South Pribalkhashie.
2.To create conditions for the biological autoregulation of the desert ecosystems and preservation of valuable pasture, rare and endemic plants on the reference areas.
3.To identify valuable species of flora and fauna and work out proposals concerning development of the alternative activities on the Project territory.
4.To raise the ecological conscienceness of the local residents by their active involvement in solving the issues of preservation and management of pastures and working out recommendations on the sound wildlife management for the farmers and ecological education of the schoolchildren.

Expected outcomes:
Demonstrate the possibility to rehabilitate the wooded meadow pastures and restore the diversity of species, including rare and endangered ones.
Evaluate the landscape and floral diversity of the representative farms and single out the species of plants and wooded meadow ecosystems that need protection and use management.
Establish a few micro-sanctuaries on the lands of local farmers that will be protected by said farmers, wherein the economically valuable and endangered species are preserved and restored by the natural ways.
Create conditions for the biological autoregulation of the wooded meadow ecosystems on the reference areas (micro-sanctuaries) and identify the ways of their rehabilitation.
Evaluate the value of species (fodder, fuel and raw-material value) and ecological condition of the lands and make a plan of the pasture management.
Identify the raw-material basis for the alternative activities based on the plant resources.
Work out and implement recommendations concerning alternative activities based on the valuable species of the plant resources and fauna.
Take a set of actions to raise the awareness of the farmers, local residents and specialists of rural and district Aklimats with regard to the global importance of South Pribalkhashie endemic plant species and improve ecological education of the local schoolchildren.

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