Space restrictions, limited access to pastures, and hunting negatively impact the survival and reproduction of individual animals, and consequently the population size and dynamics. This close coexistence of livestock and wild animals is the cause of potential conflict that needs to be addressed with urgency. The project aimed to address this issue, within which plans for joint pasture use were developed in the territories of state natural parks (SNP) and adjacent Aiyl Aimaks to regulate land and forest use in buffer zones and migration corridors.
During the course activities, the project relied on approaches that enhanced the understanding that key biodiversity areas, as well as buffer zones, migration corridors, and sustainable forest and pasture management in a wider landscape, are paramount for biodiversity conservation and forest and land use.
During the project, geobotanical surveys and economic assessments of pastures were conducted, determining the impact of different grazing regimes on biodiversity and climate change on the pastures of the Western Tien-Shan.
Joint pasture use plans were developed for the Kan-Achu and Alatai hunting grounds, existing plans were improved for the Cholpon-Ata, Kyzyl-Ozgorush, Kok-Irim, and Atai village districts.
The developed plans include the management of pastures covering over 166,000 hectares, of which 30,000 hectares are designated as protected areas, while the rest belong to the territories of four village districts. These pastures support around 30,000 head of livestock. According to the pasture plans, over 200 local residents are involved in livestock grazing, as livestock husbandry is the main source of income for the local population. Approximately 25,000 resource users have potential access to the pastures.
An automated system called the "Electronic Zhayyt Committee" has been developed and launched.
