The possibility of creating a cross-border reserve on the Ustyurt plateau is being discussed
In October 2023, the 14th Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Protection of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aim to use this opportunity to intensify cross-border cooperation in the field of nature protection in the border triangle of Ustyurt, representatives of the parties met to exchange experience in Nukus. Employees of the Kaplankyr Nature Reserve participated from Turkmenistan.
The Ustyurt Plateau in the border triangle between Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan has been identified as a transboundary hotspot by the Central Asian Mammals Initiative of the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. This region plays a central role in the conservation of cross-border herds of animals such as urial, Asian kulan and jeyran.
During the meeting, the results of monitoring using camera traps and observations during various expeditions were presented, recommendations on the adaptation of border barriers to ensure cross-border migration of ungulates were considered. The possibility of creating a cross-border protected area between the three countries was also discussed, DAZ Asia reports.
Part of the exchange was a two-day expedition that led to the coast of the Aral Sea through the Ustyurt plateau and the Sudochie Nature Reserve, where colleagues from Central Asia had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with existing environmental measures on the ground. The tour provided an excellent opportunity to bring the participants of the meeting closer and create trusting relationships for future cooperation.
The results of the exchange and recommendations for further actions are recorded in the "Nukus Reflections", where the readiness to develop a joint Memorandum of Understanding between the three countries to improve communication and cooperation in the adjacent specially protected natural areas is emphasized. They intend to sign it during CMS COP14 in October in Samarkand. It is expected that the memorandum will be prepared in advance within the framework of the seminar of the Central Asian Initiative on Mammals at the end of June on the island of Wilm in Germany.
The events are supported within the framework of the regional project "Environmentally Oriented Regional Development in the Aral Sea region", funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany and implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Michael Sukkov Foundation.
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