Overview

Since 2010 Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has been working in Tajikistan’s forests, which face similar threats to other fruit-and-nut forests in Central Asia; namely, increased human pressure in the form of unsustainable grazing, cutting and firewood collection. These pressures are causing both the fragmentation and degradation of the forest. Tajikistan’s forests are of particular regional importance due to their significant populations of critically endangered pear species, but they are also valuable because many trees found locally are the ancestors of today’s domesticated fruit and nut varieties and therefore hold potentially important genetic diversity that could help these species withstand future pressures. 

Objectives

Our long-term aim is to ensure the full recovery of Tajikistan’s fruit-and-nut forest landscapes, thus supporting the well-being and resilience of forest communities. We will reach this goal by: 

  • Supporting more than 200 people from ten local communities to participate in forest management and benefit from sustainable harvest of non-timber forest products. 
  • Ensuring the most sensitive areas from the reserves are protected from over-grazing, allowing the forests to recover naturally.   
  • Promoting the recovery of diverse, resilient and healthy forests, enriched by planting of over 30 native species (including targeted population reinforcement for highly threatened tree species). 

Our work

Our conservation activities include conducting baseline surveys and ecological monitoring in collaboration with Kulob Botanical Garden, fencing off household and forest monitoring plots that contain pear and other fruit-and-nut trees to protect them from grazing, developing the capacity of Forest Service Units staff, planting out nursery-grown seedlings to boost wild populations, and increasing community participation in forest management. We are also focusing on fostering more sustainable resource use across the wider area by working with local communities and the government to improve forest management and by empowering local communities to develop sustainable livelihoods to reduce pressure on forest resources. 

Key resources

  • 2020

    Over 575,000 trees from 13 native species are planted in nurseries and in the forest across two reserves. This includes 13,000 seedlings of two critically endangered pear species.

  • 2018

    Six savings groups and eight producer groups are established to support the livelihoods of local people living near the reserves.

  • 2014

    The first fences to protect wild pear trees from grazing are erected.

  • 2010

    The first baseline surveys of threatened trees are completed and school nurseries are established to begin tree planting efforts.

  • 2010

    Project begins

Project partners

  • Local government Forest Service Units
  • Kulob Botanical Garden  
  • Zam Zam  
  • Ganji Tabiat  
  • National Academy of Sciences of the RT