Every year there is a growing need to improve and develop the system of protected natural areas as the most effective measure of territorial protection, ensuring the real preservation of the most valuable natural objects and maintaining the required level of biological diversity in the region.
Different ecosystems of Aralkum:
Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the support of the Saiga Conservation Alliance, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Institute for the Study of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Uz-Kor Gas Chemical JV on May 5, 2023 at the conference In the Moderno Hotel hall, a round table was organized to discuss the development potential of the Aralkum National Natural Park (NNP). This event is held within the framework of the Darwin Initiative / Defra project “Resurrection Island: Industry, Nature Conservation and Development around the Aral Sea”. The project is being implemented in collaboration with researchers from Oxford University (UK).
The project is aimed at taking a number of measures aimed at giving the Resurrection island and the adjacent territory, located on the drained bottom of the Aral Sea, the status of a protected natural area. This will help preserve the unique biodiversity of the island, in particular the endangered saigas. At the same time, projects will be implemented to provide the local population with new sources of stable income, mainly through the development of ecological tourism.
Within the framework of the seminar, the current state of the organization of NNP Aralkum was discussed on the basis of the current environmental legislation and taking into account the task of creating conditions for the economic interest of nature users. The botanical and zoological criteria for assessing the territory of the national park were discussed, the zones and boundaries of the protected areas were approved. The participants also discussed the existing potential for the development of ecotourism in the territory of NNP “Aralkum” and its vicinity.
The reports aroused great interest among the participants of the round table. Experts explained the main approaches to defining boundaries and zoning NNP, the advantages of integration into regional systems of specially protected natural areas.
Mr. Khalilulla Sherimbetov, Head of the Department of Protected Areas of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in his speech noted that before proceeding to consider the principles on which the system of national parks in Uzbekistan should be built, it is necessary to briefly familiarize yourself with the international requirements for national parks. It should be noted that national parks are one of the most popular categories of protected natural areas abroad. However, behind the same name in different countries of the world there are often very different objects, both in terms of preservation and tasks.
The seminar also discussed the importance of the optimal development of protected areas, the possibilities of solving problems related to the socio-economic development of the region.
The participants came to the conclusion that each new national park complements the existing network of protected areas, allowing to form in the future a joint system of protected natural areas, representing all the diversity of nature in Uzbekistan. There were outlined further steps to determine the functional areas of the Aralkum National Park and prepare the necessary documentation for the effective operation of this territory.