Модернизация лесного управления в Кыргызстане: новые возможности ИСУЛ

Modernization of Forest Management in Kyrgyzstan: New Opportunities of IFMIS

Within the framework of the project “Integrated community-based management of high value mountain ecosystems in southern Kyrgyzstan for multiple benefits” supported by the GEF and UNDP, the modernization of the Information Forest Management Information System (IFMIS) and the development of new functional modules are ongoing.

IFMIS is a digital platform designed to automate forest resource accounting, monitor forestry activities, and provide public services in the forestry sector. The system enables forestry enterprises to maintain cartographic records of land plots, track forest land leases, record environmental indicators, and simplify interaction with tenants and government authorities.

According to Alexander Zubovich, expert of the Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG), the IFMIS system has already been upgraded, with existing modules improved and new ones developed.

“The overall logic of the system is designed to automatically generate forestry reports based on primary data uploaded by forestry enterprises, in order to eliminate unnecessary workload. In addition, it is important that forestry enterprises make maximum use of cartographic data,” noted Alexander Zubovich.

At the current stage, the following IFMIS modules have been developed and improved:

• Land lease module: issuance of forest permits for livestock grazing and payment for the use of forest areas;
• Forest protection and conservation: monitoring of threats and violations;
• Forest ecosystem development: accounting for forest planting and restoration activities;
• Monitoring and forestry management: digitalization of data on forest users and their land plots;
• Public services: accounting of lease payments and calculation of forest resource losses.

Special attention has been given to the “land plot assessment” module, which has already been improved. IFMIS now includes data on available and leased forest plots, updated on a daily basis, allowing for timely notification of tenants. The system also tracks outstanding lease payments and automatically updates tenant status after payment. In addition, the introduction of forest resource loss calculations in forest management planning and public service sections is planned at the request of the Forestry Service of the Kyrgyz Republic.

IFMIS allows for the recording of coordinates of all land plots, registration of new forest allotments, and access to detailed information on types of forest use. According to Alexander Zubovich, a hybrid option for integrating data from the Forestry Service of the Kyrgyz Republic is possible, where part of the information can be transferred automatically and part manually.

Thus, the modernization of IFMIS opens new opportunities for transparent accounting and effective forest management in Kyrgyzstan, improving cooperation between the state, forestry enterprises, and local communities.