Региональный форум МСОП: «САМР Алатоо» поделился опытом в области охраны природы

The Regional Forum on Nature Conservation is taking place from September 30 to October 3, 2024, in Bruges, Belgium. This event, held every four years, has brought together 400 delegates from the member countries of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from Europe, North, and Central Asia. During the main sessions and parallel discussions, participants have been invited to explore the following topics: (1) "Sustainable Growth: Working with Nature"; (2) "Low-Impact Food Systems: Finding the Necessary Balance"; (3) "The Climate Challenge"; (4) "Conservation Outcomes"; (5) "Restoration of Nature."

The forum serves as a platform for discussions on sustainable development and conservation priorities at both global and regional levels. It promotes the IUCN agenda, shapes its strategic directions, and facilitates the exchange of experiences and ideas.

The СAMР Alatoo PF has been a member of the IUCN since 2019. Organization specialists participated as speakers in the session titled "One Health in Nature Conservation." Aliya Ibraimova, program manager for "Wildlife Conservation" and "Environmental Education," presented the foundation's approaches, tools, and outcomes from working with rural communities. She shared experiences in engaging local populations in the establishment and management of community-protected natural areas. Projects that led to the creation of the "Baiboosun" micro-reserve and utilized this model in the "Jargylсhak" reserve have addressed biodiversity conservation through local community protection of wildlife, resolution of disputes related to pasture use within protected areas, and the provision of alternative income sources through conservation measures such as ecotourism development. Additionally, Aliya Ibraimova discussed achievements in environmental education, including the promotion of the concept of "Education for Sustainable Development" in secondary and higher education institutions, as well as raising community awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation, highlighting effective communication channels such as information campaigns and collaboration with local media.

This session also featured presentations from specialists in the public sector, research institutes, and civil society organizations from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. They discussed the role of protected area networks, improvements in wildlife conservation, enhancing knowledge about zoonosis prevention, and the importance of effective laws and policies. Participants learned about a project aimed at enhancing landscape resilience to zoonotic diseases through the consolidation of conservation systems in Central Asia, with the СAMР Alatoo PF as one of the implementers in Kyrgyzstan.

During the session, experts exchanged experiences and offered recommendations regarding the "One Health" approach in the region, discussing opportunities for new projects.

*“One Health” is an approach aimed at maintaining and improving the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, considering their close interconnections and interdependencies. Due to climate change, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and increasing contact between wildlife and domestic or introduced species, natural processes that maintain balance and control the spread of diseases are under threat. This amplifies the need for conservation measures.

*Zoonoses are infectious diseases that are transmitted to humans from animals.