Story | 21 Mar, 2017

The oldest protected area in Central Asia celebrates its 90th anniversary

Several events were held in Kazakhstan to celebrate the history of the Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve - from the international scientific conference “From the Strict Nature Reserve to the Biosphere Reserve” organized by the Committee for Forestry and WildLife, to a round table discussion “Aksu-Zhabagly, the eldest protected area in Central Asia”, organized in Al-Farabi Kazakh National University by the UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Development.

Aksu-Zhabagly_Maidantal valley

Photo: Evgeniy Belousov

Aksu-Zhabagly_Trolius altaicus

Photo: Evgeniy Belousov

Aksu-Zhabagly_Coenonympha pamphilus

Photo: Roman Jashenko

Aksu-Zhabagly_Tulipa greigi red-yellow

Photo: Roman Jashenko

Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve was proclaimed by the Resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (KazASSR) on 14 July 1926 and the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on 27 May 1927 and initially it consisted of only 30,545 ha of mountain lands. Today, the strict Protected Area covers 157,734 ha. In 2015 Aksu-Zhabagly was recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve with a total area of 357,734 ha, including the core zone (territory of Aksu-Zhabagly State Nature Reserve) of 131,934 ha, the buffer zone (25,800 ha, 2-3 km of the border along the perimeter of Nature Reserve) and transition zone (some 200,000 ha). Aksu-Zhabagly Biosphere Reserve is located in the West Tien Shan, and protects about 75% of its biodiversity, including 48% of birds, 72.5% of vertebrates, 221 of 254 fungi species, 63 of 80 moss species and 15 of 17 vegetation types of West Tien Shan.

More information:

Tethys Scientific Society on behalf of UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Development, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

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