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Tulips in Central Asia © Brett Wilson

Tulips in Central Asia © Brett Wilson

Securing tulips and montane grassland in Kyrgyzstan

Project

Fauna & Flora and local partners are working to restore 500 hectares of degraded pastureland to protect Kyrgyzstan’s wild tulip species.

Our work with wild tulips

In partnership with Cambridge University Botanic Garden and BioResource, we are gathering vital field data on tulip distribution, ecology and threats to help pinpoint priority sites to protect the most vulnerable species. In these areas, we are working directly with pastoralists to help restore larger-scale areas of tulip habitat and grazing pasture by encouraging pasture users to apply skills and techniques that support the recovery of grasslands. Key activities include the development and implementation of pasture management plans, in which degraded areas of tulip habitat will be set aside and given time to recover.

Project goals

We aim to encourage resilient and thriving Kyrgyz pastoral communities who are supported by healthy and diverse montane grassland ecosystems, with self-sustaining tulip populations. To do this we are: 

  • Building local and national pride in tulips as one of Kyrgyzstan’s most charismatic species, helping to grow broader support for their long-term conservation. 
  • Increasing knowledge of wild tulip species to inform conservation and management development at a national level. 
  • Engaging members of grazing communities to increase knowledge and actively engage in sustainable pasture planning and management. 

Project timeline

    Tulipa toktogulica growing wild © Brett Wilson

    Tulipa toktogulica © Brett Wilson

    2022

    New tulip species Tulipa toktogulica found and described from mountains in Toktogul district of Kyrgyzstan.

    2022

    53 tulip species from this region added to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

    2022

    Regional wild tulip conservation strategy developed together with tulip specialists from Central Asia. 

    Tulips in Kyrgyzstan © Ormon Sultangaziev / Fauna & Flora

    Tulips in Kyrgyzstan © Ormon Sultangaziev / Fauna & Flora

    2020

    Agreements signed to limit grazing in 550 ha of pasture lands.

    2020

    Five hectares of the most threatened habitat of rare tulips fenced off for recovery.

    Tulip research in Kyrgyzstan © Ormon Sultangaziev / Fauna & Flora

    Tulip research in Kyrgyzstan © Ormon Sultangaziev / Fauna & Flora

    2019

    Fauna & Flora partners with Cambridge University Botanic Gardens and BioResource to begin work at three project sites: Sulukta and Baul (Batken Region) and Shamshy (Chui region).

    2018 - 2019

    500 wild tulip bulbs and 150 grams of seeds collected and planted in a fenced experimental site at Gareev Botanical Garden, National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. 

Project partners

This project is delivered in partnership with Cambridge University Botanic Garden, BioResource, Association of Forest Users and Land Users of Kyrgyzstan (AFLUK), National Academy of Science of Kyrgyz Republic and Gareev Botanical Garden (GBG) 

Donors

We are grateful for the financial support of the Darwin Initiative, The Finnis Scott Foundation, and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. 

© Ormon Sultangaziev / Fauna & Flora

Saving threatened species

We’re working with our partners around the world to protect and restore vital habitats and the threatened species that depend on them. 

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