The project will build, apply and exchange capacities and knowledge to mainstream best practices and approaches for afforestation, conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity in arid regions of Turkmenistan. Experts from the Institute of Desert, Flora and Fauna and the Forestry Administration (FA) will collect experiences to prepare methodological guidelines to build capacities to reproduce endemic forest species. Nurseries in Dashaguz region will pilot the improved methodology and provide the FA and local population with desert forest seedlings for afforestation. Multi-Stakeholder knowledge exchange forums, involving officials, practitioners, NGOs and the local population will review findings and approaches for nursery and forest management, socially equitable afforestation and conservation of biodiversity. Resulting awareness raising materials will allow the dissemination of results on national, regional and local level to mainstream and sustain forest management.
This project is planned in two components:
● Information sharing and capacity building
● Establishment of a nursery of endemic forest seedling species
The first component envisages the development of a brief guide for introduction and strengthening of best practices for environmental improvement in desert areas of saline soils, development of a brief guide for community forest management in arid and semi-arid areas of Turkmenistan, training of local forestry specialists and other stakeholders involved in the forestry process, and raising awareness of the local population.
The second component envisages the establishment of a field nursery for the production of endemic desert plant species (such as saxaul, cherkez, kandym, sand acacia) to meet the needs identified in the National Forest Program and the National Climate Change Strategy to improve the ecological situation in the Aral Sea basin area. The second component will be implemented according to the recommendations of the first component and will include training of local specialists and dissemination of this experience to other regions of the country.
● Manual of best practices on soil amelioration in deserts affected by salinization and Guidelines of communal forest management in arid and semi-arid areas of Turkmenistan;
● Study visit to Israel to learn methods and approaches of forest management, afforestation technologies, experience in development of tree nurseries and growing seedlings in containers;
● Establishment of a nursery of endemic forest seedling species.
● The National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna (NIDFF) under the Ministry of Nature Protection (MNP) of Turkmenistan;
● The Forestry Administration of Turkmenistan under the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan;