This year, three key state nature reserves of Turkmenistan, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, celebrate significant anniversaries since their establishment: the Badhyz Reserve celebrates its 85th anniversary (founded in 1941), the Kopetdag Reserve celebrates its 50th anniversary (1976), and the Koytendag Reserve celebrates its 40th anniversary … [Read more...]
Koytendag Caves: a unique natural treasure on the way to World Heritage Status
On 15 February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO Activities. An important international project was discussed at the meeting – the preparation of a joint Turkmen-Uzbek nomination for the Koytendag mountain ecosystem to include this transboundary territory in the UNESCO World Heritage … [Read more...]
Center for Large Landscape Conservation – Exploring the Wonders of Central Asia: Field Expedition in Turkmenistan
On the border with Uzbekistan, and close to the border with Afghanistan, Turkmenistan’s “Mountain Ecosystems of Koytendag” (MEK) make up one of the most distinctive and richly biodiverse landscapes in Central Asia. However, the area faces mounting threats to its conservation, including agricultural expansion, overgrazing, illegal hunting, and unmanaged tourism. As part of our … [Read more...]