Kazakhstan’s Government is establishing a comprehensive system of protective forest belts and barrier plantations to combat desertification, land degradation, and the loss of soil fertility.
Kazakhstan’ Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Bysanbayev announced this initiative during an official meeting as reported by the news agency Kazinform.
This move is part of a broader environmental strategy, which includes a commitment to plant 2 billion trees by 2027 and the adoption of a new biodiversity conservation concept that extend to 2035.
This forest strips serve as “wind walls” that protect crops from harsh weather, reduce soil erosion and improve microclimates, significantly increasing agricultural productivity.
The project uses drones and GIS technology for monitoring, planting, and maintaining high - survival rates of ssedlings, particularly in the Aral Sea region.
The efforts are supported by international partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as part of a national plan for sustainable development.
The Minster of Ecology and Natural Resources stated that the implementation of the task of planting 2 million trees will not be limited to that amount, and the work will continue. In order to prevent land degradation and desertification, work is underway to create a system protective forest strips and barrier plantations.
The official added that these tasks are especially important in the conditions of climate change and increasing anthropogenic load on ecosystems. Natural resources, should be used with the long - term interests of society in mind, which is why the ministry has adopted the Concept for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity until 2035.
Key Details of the Initiative:
• Action against Desertification: The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has initiated the creation of forest belts specifically designed to act as barriers against shifting sands and wind erosion, which affect a significant portion of the country.
• Key species: A major focus is on planting saxaul, a hardy, drought - resistant shrub that is critical for restoring ecosystems in degraded, arid areas.
• Aral Sea Restoration: Large - scale planting is occurring on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea, with over 74.000 hectares planted with saxaul to curb toxic dust storms operations started in 2023/24.
• 2026 Expansion: For 2026, the plan includes establishing six new forest nurseries across five regions to produce roughly 36 million seedlings annually, with a focus on closed root systems.
• National Goal: the government plans to raise the total forested area from 13.9 million hectares to 14.7 million hectares by 2035.
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