UNDP Uzbekistan

printer-friendly 15/07/2011

On 13-15 July, 2011 in the scope of national component of Multi-Country Capacity Building Project of Central Asian Countries Initiative for Land Management (CACILM) a field visit was organized to raise awareness of CACILM National Coordination Council and for demonstration of experience on introduction of forestry ameliorative activities on the dry Aral Sea bed area accumulated by specialists of Forestry Sector. In Uzbekistan, this GEF funded project is implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ),  Global Mechanism (GM) of United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification and the Center for Hydrometereological Services (Uzhydromet) under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The project aims at building national capacities for restoration, maintenance and enhancement of the productive functions of the land in Central Asia.

Agenda of the visit included visit to forest plantations situated on Kazakhdarya forestry enterprise area and Workshop which was held in the building of Academy of Science of Republic of Karakalpakstan. On 14 July, 2011 during of the field visit, participants were demonstrated sides where diverse approaches of sand fixation had been applied to reduce salt and dust transfer from the dry Aral Sea bed area. It was highlighted that due to active work of the specialists of the Karakalpakstan Forestry Administration forest planting is carried out at 20 thousand hectares of the dry Aral Sea bed area annually that promotes addressing not only local but global environmental issues as well.

On 15 July, 2011 during the Workshop dedicated to discussion of the Aral crisis issues and ways of their addressing, scientists, workers of the Karakalpakstan Forestry Administration and representatives of GEF/UNDP Project “Conservation of Tugai Forest and Strengthening Protected Area System in the Amudarya Delta of Karakalpakstan” made their presentations. Specialists of key ministries and agencies including State Committee for Nature Protection, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, Uzhydromet, State Committee on Land Resources, Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, Ecological Movement, NGOs participated actively in discussions and underlined necessity of organization of such kind of events for awareness raising and experience exchange. They highlighted active work of Forestry Sector of the Republic of Uzbekistan in addressing the Aral Sea crisis issues and importance of all stakeholders contribution in these activities.