Central Asia’s fruit & nut forests

Childukhtaron Forest has a wonderful mixture of walnut, apple, cherry, mulberry and juniper trees, making it globally important for biodiversity but also vital to local people’s survival. FFI is working with the Forestry Department, local communities and national NGOs to raise awareness and improve the forest management by strengthening the capacity of key-stakeholders to protect this threatened ecosystem. In particular, we are helping to build the skills of our Tajik partner Zan va Zamin so it can increase its effectiveness and expand into nature conservation. We are providing training, mentoring and support in the development of small scale conservation initiatives in highly diverse forest habitats.

The unique fruit and nut forests of Central Asia have declined by 90 per cent over the last 50 years and are still under threat from grazing, hay making, over harvesting, illegal tree cutting and firewood collection.

FFI and our partners are helping the local forest service and communities to plan together to manage the forests. Through seminars and events we are raising awareness of the global importance of the forests, the conservation issues and practical solutions to address threats, such as solar cookers and heaters.

FFI is actively conserving the endangered Niedzwetzky apple, one of the trees identified in The Red List of Trees of Central Asia. We are increasing knowledge and protection of the tree in areas where it occurs and building capacity amongst local forest service, protected area staff and local communities to protect and reinforce the populations through propagation in nurseries for subsequent planting out. We aim to expand the project to include other threatened species and engage school children in nurseries and other conservation activities.