News

Kyrgyz Republic mountain forest project gets under way

26.03.2013

The first workshop in the preparation of a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) project on “Sustainable management of mountain forests and land resources of the Kyrgyz Republic under climate change conditions” took place in Bishkek on 18 March 2013.

All 18 Mountain Partnership members in the country were invited to the meeting, which also included representatives of the State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry and several ministries.

The project will introduce innovative practices for the rehabilitation and sustainable management of both forests and agricultural lands. It aims to raise awareness on the global climate change benefits of calculating and monitoring carbon sequestration and reduction in greenhouse gases from forest rehabilitation and sustainable forest, land and pasture management. It will also strengthen coordination and capacities among local resource users associations in the management of forest and agricultural areas.

Discussions took place on each on three project components: 1) strengthening the enabling environment for sustainable forest and land management (agriculture, rangelands and transitional areas); 2) enhancing carbon stocks in dryland forest through innovative management and rehabilitation practices;  3) promoting and demonstrating climate-friendly agriculture, including pastures as part of sustainable land and water management in drylands. Suitable oblasts (provinces) for pilot sites were also discussed.

National consultants have been recruited for the project and the timetable was fixed.

The University of Central Asia also hosted a meeting of the project's national and international consultants and Mountain Partnership members to share information about what members are doing to support sustainable mountain development in the country and better understand how they can contribute to the project's implementation.

Read more