Management of protected and unprotected areas
In 1992, the World Resources Institute, IUCN – The World Union of Nature Reserves and Conservation Programme UN, together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UNESCO published a Global Strategy for the preservation of natural diversity: the direction of the protection, study and use of biological resources Earth (1992). In the same year, the UN Conference on Environment and Development, more than 160 countries agreed on measures to conserve biological diversity, signed the Convention on Biological diversity. The same conference has developed a document entitled Agenda 21.
These documents recognize that all the mountains, untouched by civilization, require appropriate management. Reserve regime can and should be largely differentiated in terms of natural and human factors. Preservation of the biosphere model, consisting of a central, intermediate and buffer zones, is a model that is increasingly used and are gaining in importance. This model recognizes the need for different levels of protection and, on the other hand, the varying degrees of human activity in each zone of a protected ecosystem.
Complex methods of determination of reasonable values of wildlife in protected areas have been proposed only recently. Such an analysis of revenues and expenses and non-market evaluation methods used to quantify the value of natural diversity. The positive results of this assessment can be clearly seen on the example of the familiar places. Nevertheless, even in the absence of quantitative parameters is quite clear that the vast diversity of organisms, even the seemingly unremarkable is essential to maintain productivity and a variety of benefits provided by all mountain ecosystems.
The system of protected areas in Kyrgyzstan.
The national system of reserves was inherited from the former Soviet Union. Overall, it was established 86 protected areas, covering 777,300 hectares in, or 3.9% of the territory of Kyrgyzstan. There are six nature reserves (strictly protected areas), a national park, five nature reserves, the vast majority of which are located in mountainous areas. In the reserves is prohibited any economic activity. Each of them has specific objects of protection. Other species of conservation areas are protected less strictly. A list of all the protected areas included in the Strategic Action Plan for the conservation of biological diversity in Kyrgyzstan.
Problems of protection of biological diversity in Kyrgyzstan.
The main problem lies in the fact that the protection areas is not carried out effectively and gets little support, which prevents the conservation of biological diversity and, consequently, the well-being. In areas that are not protected, natural diversity is much more dependent on human activities, which puts them at risk of malnutrition in Kyrgyzstan, as a result of hunting, fishing, harvesting and tourism.
With the exception of the biosphere reserve surrounding Lake Issyk-Kul, and reserves of the Western Tien-Shan (receiving support CEF / World Bank programs and projects, TACIS), the management of protected areas there is insufficient application of the concept of buffer zones. This problem is directly related to the issue of insufficient involvement of local people in the case of protected areas planning and management.
Often, attempts to conserve biodiversity fail due to lack of support for the local population. This setback may be reduced by involving all equity participants in all phases of planning of protected areas and decision-making in management. Currently, protected areas in Kyrgyzstan, mostly located in areas subject to less influence of the population. Nevertheless, the involvement of local communities in the management of reserves is a very important aspect.
Currently, protected areas alone generate very little income. In addition, the government has few resources to invest in the management of protected areas. As a result of work of employees of reserves is paid at low rates, with frequent delays, which leads them to abuse their authority.
In the protected and unprotected areas poaching is threatening the extinction of many species of animals, takes place for three main reasons: 1) by the actions of the poor villagers who were forced to earn their livelihood. 2) because of the commercial activities carried out mainly wealthy urban residents, and 3) as a result of hunting activities at the local level.
Poaching for a livelihood is not easy to control as well as employees of reserves often live in the same localities as the offenders, and the need of local people often do not doubt, therefore, the imposition of penalties is complicated.
Low wage workers protected areas, as well as their own needs for livelihoods makes them vulnerable to bribery for allowing unregulated commercial hunting, fishing and gathering fruit. In addition, inefficient legal security environment is not conducive to end these illegal activities.
Lack of awareness of environmental issues also contributes to the depletion of resources. In addition, the insufficient involvement of local people in planning and management of nature reserves and a lack of effective management of other lands and makes a contribution to the depletion of resources.
For the protected and unprotected areas there is an additional risk for the development of new mines for the extraction of ore, as well as the expansion of the tourism industry. The strategy, administration and regulation of new industrial enterprises in environmental terms are inadequate and are not applied consistently. Therefore, short-term economic benefits derived by the entrance of these activities may have negative environmental, economic and social consequences in the long run. Existing mines are also subjected to the ecosystem at risk, since lead to water pollution and depletion of the earth.
Strategy and objectives
The purpose of the protection of biological and landscape diversity is twofold: it consists, first, in the optimal use of and support for protected areas and, secondly, to protect non-protected areas of the depletion of hunting, fishing, gathering fruits and tourism.
There are different types of biological diversity: from the reserve to unprotected areas. But the main goal, which is characteristic for all types of lands, remains the same: to preserve natural resources, including biological diversity and landscape, to be used by the general public or for scientific purposes. In any case, you need not change the nature or the environment, and the consciousness of people using natural resources. Ideally, to optimize the conservation of resources and benefit the person for each ecosystem should be developed individual management system in response to changing both environmental social and economic conditions.
In order to get closer to this ideal, to the extent possible, involve the protection of the environment the local population. The local population knows about the peculiarities of the situation in the area, including natural, economic and social aspects. The government can only regulate the activities of people within the strict limits that do not always meet the requirements of individual areas or ecosystems. In addition, government regulation is not always a significant impact on people's attitudes and their activities. In each case, it depends.
Consequently, local people must be imbued with the idea of environmental protection, informed, trained and involved in it as far as possible, it is necessary to develop a sense of duty and personal responsibility for their
environment and resources, developing their skills in the management of resources, it must effectively
control activities on the use of resources, with the gradual development of the local population management capabilities, he must be given more power and authority.
This frees up state institutions from the obligation to focus on supporting the process and create the appropriate framework conditions, which in itself is a big challenge.
Possible actions
Environmental education and activities to raise public awareness, as indispensable and essential part of the protection of nature, must be the beginning and the object of attention. Such activities can be planned as a local community and be part of the project is directly aimed at protecting the environment or on the effective use of all resources. You can combine all the tools and techniques as they focus on increased community involvement.
This activity should also be part of the protected areas. All participants, including the local population should be involved in planning and decision-making for the protection of the territories. Even within the control and study, they may play a role, or, on the other hand, monitoring and research can be used to make the local population and equity participants indifferent to environmental issues and inform them about these issues. This can already be considered as a first step towards the application of the concept of a buffer zone is much more consistent than at this time. A prerequisite for application of the concept of participation of the buffer zone should be trained kyrgyzskih professionals.
According to the concept of a buffer zone should be aware of the local population to quantify measurable benefits of promoting the management of protected areas. This can be realized through the implementation of effective economic activity in the buffer zones.
On this basis and as a result of this process in order to ensure the biological and landscape diversity, coverage of protected areas should be expanded. According to the Strategic Plan of Action for the conservation of biological diversity in Kyrgyzstan (BSAP) for 2004 should be increased coverage of protected areas from the current 3.9% of the country to 4.8%. This can be achieved connecting a vast network of small protected areas with larger and providing links between them. In planning and creation of new protected areas should cover the ecosystem represented by existing reserves, such as a natural garden of nuts in the Jalal-Abad. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether the planning of protected areas to take into account the conditions of allocation and joint protection. It will automatically become an interstate activity to be undertaken in conjunction with the countries concerned.
To make the right decisions in the field of ecosystem research and monitoring necessary to ensure that new and existing protected areas are properly located, ie in the vast field of biological diversity, covering the entire natural habitat of important species of plants and animals, protect the ecosystem. However, because protected areas are only the core of certain ecosystems, or even just one species, these studies and monitoring should also cover important areas outside protected.
However, protected areas need to survive economically. Foreign donors should help kyrgyzskomu government in investing in the management of protected areas. This includes a financial investment in employee wages of protected areas to prevent corruption and increase in staff who are fighting against poaching. Investments are also needed in tourism in protected areas or around them in order to carry out reinvestment in local communities, the activities aimed at supporting protected areas should be exempted from taxes.
As mentioned in the light of the structural conditions for poverty reduction projects, covering the general population are needed to help reduce the negative effects of poaching activities on natural resources.
Ultimately, an effective legal basis at the local level of private ownership of natural resources or rights to long-term use of them is essential for long-term use of natural resources, environmental, economic and social point of view, both in areas of the buffer zone and outside of protected areas.
The Strategic Plan of Action for the conservation of biological diversity in Kyrgyzstan in order to protect biological and landscape diversity implies improving environmental legislation by 2003. Environmental legislation should be more close to the contemporary needs in order to support measures for the management of protected areas.
Another aspect is the fact that the Kirghiz people have little experience in relationships with foreign tourists and, therefore, is not aimed at providing services to people in other tourist countries. This small experience can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction of tourists.
This situation is reinforced by the lack of positive information about Kyrgyzstan on the international tourism market and is a consequence of the fact that the country became independent recently and, therefore, is only beginning to receive international recognition. Also in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, there is a lack of literature on tourism opportunities. There are few guides to the region in English or other foreign languages and there is no international literature about Kyrgyzstan, that is, its flora, fauna, historical sites and culture. In addition, maps for mountain climbers have become obsolete and difficult to obtain.
Local people do not fully understand the full value of nature in terms of opportunities for recreation and tourism, and therefore shows little initiative to use this potential and does not establish sufficient contacts with travel agencies located in cities, and only partially takes advantage of advertising and opportunities for recreation in Kyrgyzstan.
Commercial hunting is carried out effectively. Inadequate and unreliable control over the current number of animals prevent the issuing of hunting licenses on the basis of reliable information. The situation is complicated by the fact that the organization has control over number of animals at the same time licenses. Involving local people in the commercial hunting activities is minimal and so the locals do not get big revenue from direct involvement, both as a tour guide and host guests, as well as from the sale of licenses. Although the cost of a license to hunt Marco Polo sheep is approximately 25,000, and the hunt for the stone goat – $ 5,000, that is, it brings a substantial income, but the money was not invested back into the conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem protection.