Mountains of Central Asia Grantmaking Program completes its 5-year grant cycle, DKnews.kz reports.
@CEPF
A Final Assessment Meeting with grantees, donors, and government representatives from five Central Asian countries was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to mark the end of an ambitious five-year program of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). The program, which began in 2019, aimed to protect the unique ecosystems of the Mountains of Central Asia biodiversity Hotspot, home to many rare and endangered species of plants and animals.
@CEPF
CEPF provides funding and technical assistance to public organizations in protecting ecosystems of the world's biodiversity located in different regions of the world and under threat. Thus, one of such hotspots is the Mountain of Central Asia. It is home to 144 key biodiversity areas out of 16,000 worldwide.
Youth Group for Environmental Protection
From the Program’s inception at the end of 2019, 96 projects have been implemented in mountain ecosystems of Central Asia. The total budget of the grants amounted to $7.45 million US dollars. Recipients included 69 unique organizations, and of these, 56 were local organizations that are active in the field and have unique expertise on conservation issues in their region.
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@CEPF
Daniel Rothberg, CEPF Grants Director, noted that the Program in Central Asia has become a successful example of how local organizations can effectively enact conservation work. He also emphasized the high degree of responsibility and commitment to environmental issues on the part of residents in Central Asian countries.
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«Although the majority of funding for conservation is via government programs, experience shows that engaging civil society organizations as well, and creating partnerships with government agencies, produces more sustainable and long-term results. Non-governmental groups are showing are using innovative approaches to solve problems. This makes them reliable partners for the state. We want our work to strengthen the capacity of local stakeholder organizations. There are a large number of organizations, small and large, that are committed to working productively for biodiversity conservation. The incredible industriousness of people and love for their land are important values that are the foundation of conservation work in Central Asia» Daniel Rothberg
@CEPF
The program has had many successes which made important contributions to the conservation of ecosystems in the region. For example, in Uzbekistan, two new endemic reptile species - Alsophylax ferganensis and Alsophylax Emilia, representatives of North Asian geckos - were discovered as part of the grant “Conservation of Key Natural Complexes in the Fergana Valley”. This discovery confirms the uniqueness of the Fergana Valley, which is home to many rare species of flora and fauna. As a result of these efforts, a 100,000-hectare natural park has been established by the Uzbek government to conserve the habitat of the new species.
@CEPF
Uzbekistan is also implementing a project focused on reducing the negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems through reforestation. The focus is on raising environmental awareness among the population. The work includes educational initiatives aimed at informing citizens about the importance of nature conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and the need to protect ecosystems.
@Mountain club Zhabagly-Manas
«The project involved a number of educational activities, workshops on seed collection, tree planting and soil fertilization, as well as many workshops for farmers on drought tolerant crops and biodiversity. In addition, bilingual manuals, scientific videos and cartoons on reforestation have been published. Thanks to CEPF support and hard work, more than 350 schoolchildren have been reached and local communities have been sensitized to the country's biodiversity and environmental laws» Natalia Shivaldova, head of the environmental resource center «ННО Ekomaktab»
@Maxim Levitin
In Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the program created 8 micro-reserves to help conserve local animal and plant species at the local level. Grantees have built 12 nurseries for propagation of rare tree species throughout the region. In Kazakhstan, in turn, a unique educational resource for schoolchildren was published - the «Living Manual» book, dedicated to the flora and fauna of the country. The manual was translated into Kazakh and Russian and presented to schools in Almaty.
@Tabighat Association
Mikhail Yakovlev, Project Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, shared the importance of community participation:
«It is important to realize that nature conservation is impossible without the active participation of local people. We see how people who previously did not realize the importance of biodiversity are now becoming active protectors of it. During the implementation of the program in Kyrgyzstan, many trainings, seminars and public actions were organized to raise awareness, as well as practical involvement in the processes of ecosystem restoration. Through such initiatives, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable future, where caring for nature becomes an integral part of everyone's life. Therefore, I would like to reiterate that the inclusion of local communities in the process of ecosystem conservation is a key factor in the success of our projects. Overall, this is a unique biodiversity program for the entire region» Mikhail Yakovlev, Project Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan
@Mirzo Mirzoev
Turkmenistan is implementing projects to preserve pistachio and almond forests in Koytendag and to develop ecotourism in the region. As part of these initiatives, almost 400 people have been trained in planting and cultivating pistachio and almond trees, and nurseries for their breeding have been established. Threatened species of birds and Bukhara deer have also been monitored and conservation measures have been developed. Extensive forests existed in the area 300-400 years ago, but due to anthropogenic factors such as grazing, logging, fires and climate change, they have degraded and are preserved only in isolated areas. Koytendag is the ancient homeland of many cultivated plants and therefore their conservation, study and propagation remain important challenges.
Uzbekistan, new species of reptiles/@Timur Abduraupov
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Yelizaveta Protas, Program Coordinator, noted that the program not only contributed to the conservation of key ecosystems in the region, but also significantly strengthened cooperation between environmental organizations of Central Asian countries:
«One of the main goals of the program is to establish our grantees as leading experts. We hope that in the future grantees will be able to raise their own funding and continue our work to improve the management of key biodiversity hotspots (KBAs) and the role of civil society in conservation. These five years have been an important milestone in working together for the benefit of nature throughout the region. We have been able to make progress on sustainable development and biodiversity conservation issues, and this has been possible thanks to the united efforts of all participants» Yelizaveta Protas, Program Coordinator
@CEPF
«We have witnessed an ambitious effort in which local organizations have worked with great diligence and dedication to conserve Central Asian ecosystems. The journey has been difficult and long, but it has yielded amazing results. I am confident that our program will leave an indelible mark in improving the state of nature in this region» CEPF Grants Director Daniel Rothberg
