Specially protected territories (reserves, nature parks, nature monuments, parks,.e.g)

In Biology and Ecology, a resource is a substance or object in the environment required by an organism for normal growth, maintenance, and reproduction. Resources can be consumed by one organism and, as a result, become unavailable to another organism. For plants key resources are light, nutrients, water, and place to grow. For animals key resources are food, water, and territory.

The 36^th meeting of the commission for biological resources of the Caspian Sea, which includes representatives of five Caspian countries, is being held in Kazakhstan June 21-23, according to a message of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture.

During the meeting, representatives of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan will hear reports on the research carried out in the Caspian Sea in 2014-2015, on the basis of which joint recommendations will be developed for conservation of the Caspian Sea’s biological resources.

The sides will also touch upon the measures taken for artificial reproduction of fish resources and the fight against poaching.

Following the meeting, it is planned to sign a protocol with recommendations on the measures for conservation of the Caspian Sea’s biological resources.

With vast natural resources, including 30 billion barrels of oil reserves and 85 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, Kazakhstan is an increasingly important player in global energy markets. The government relied on hydrocarbons for 39 percent of its revenues in 2010. Kazakhstan exports more than 1.2 million barrels of oil per day and is the world's largest uranium producer; together the mining and petroleum industries accounted for 33 percent of gross domestic product in 2010 and 82 percent of exports in 2009.

 

2. One of the important ways of conservation and restoration of biodiversity is creation of an extensive network of protected natural territories. In this respect, Kazakhstan is far behind from the average world level. Protected territories - reserves and national parks occupy only 13595 sq. km or 0,5 % of the area of the Republic, and together with territories with limited modes of protection (game reserves, monuments of nature) - 2,6 %.

The state nature-reserve stock of the Republic currently includes 8 reserves, 4 national parks, 62 game reserves of the Republican importance, 24 monuments of nature. The existing 8 reserves (area of 0.8 million ha) basically represent standards of mountain ecological systems of Tien-Shan and Altay (Aksu-Jabagly, Alma-Ata, Markakol, West-Altay) and steppe lakes with very small steppe areas (Kurgaljin and Naurzum), in a smaller extent, deserts (Ustyurt and Barsakelmes). Model sandy deserts and ecological systems widespread in Kazakhstan only - cold-moderate deserts (Betpak-Dala, Balkhash) are practically not presented. Only mountain steppes, bushes, fruit forests, fir tree forests and highland ecological systems are partially protected Allocation of protected territories of Kazakhstan based on natural regions.

Reserves of Kazakhstan present: 49% of the flora of superior plants of the Republic, including about 27% of species included into the Red Data Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan; 78,6% of all species diversity of mammals of the Republic (among them 22 “Red Book” species, or 61% of the total number of mammals recorded in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan); 87,4% of a species diversity of birds nested in Kazakhstan (including 39 “Red Book” species or 76,5% of their total number recorded in the Red Data Book); 63,2% of reptiles (including only 3% of their number recorded in the Red Data Book of the Republic), which testifies to the obvious insufficiency of reserves in deserted and semi-deserted zones of Kazakhstan. Currently available reserves, national parks and other protected natural territories do not ensure the conservation of the unique landscape and Biological Diversity.

The reason of improper representation in distribution of the reserve territories, basically was the absence of scientifically substantiated planning of their arrangement. Therefore, on the basis of additional studies, in 1987, the “Schedule of Development and Accommodation of Facilities of nature-reserve stock of the Kazakh SSR for the period till 2005" was developed. However this Schedule, developed in a very short terms, has many defects and it is considerably outdated already, under new social and economic conditions.

The state national nature parks play a crucial role in conservation of unique natural landscapes, are extremely valuable for aesthetic education of the population and can serve as facilities for regulated recreation.

Among the national parks of Kazakhstan, "Bayanaul" and "Kokshetau" have been formed in island territory highland-forest massifs of the Kazakh hillocky area and they include large water areas of fresh lakes. The park "Altyn-Emel", located on the southern slopes of spurs of the Jungar Alatau, is the habitation place of the dzeren gazelle herd (more than 3000 animals), which can be observed, the mountain goat tauke and re-introduced koulan population. The park "Ile-Alatau" is located on the northern slope of the Zailiiski Alatau Ridge, it includes a set of landscapes of the vertical zone, from dry steppes up to alpine meadows and mountain glaciers. The national parks of the Republic are now in the process of their establishment, and many their parameters do not yet correspond to their purposes.

Protected territories with limited (by time or by a set of facilities) mode of protection have considerably larger areas and zonal (landscape) representation in the Kazakhstan territory. The state game reserves and monuments of nature belong to them.

In the structure of game reserves are distinguished: zoological (39), botanical (17), botanic-geological (1), combined (2). The area, occupied by them, in 1994 amounted to 5761sq. km.

Monuments of nature taken under the state protection, are represented by unique objects of both alive and inert nature and, as a rule, they occupy insignificant areas. In total, on the territory of the Republic this status has been assigned to 25 facilities occupying the area of 62 sq. km.

From the above-stated it is evident, that the available protected territories are not capable to fulfill the tasks set for them in the complete volume, and in this connection, in Kazakhstan, the Concept of development of the network of protected natural territories of the Republic of Kazakhstan providing expansion of the set of types of territories through formation of forest and soil genetic reserves and nature parks, has been developed and submitted for review to the Government. With increased quantity of reserves up to 24, game reserves up to 117, national parks up to 8, the total area of protected territories should increase up to 124,8 thousand sq. km.

With the purpose of an increase of the number of specially protected natural territories, optimization of their network and improvement of their state management, prevention of privatization of valuable natural facilities subject to special protection, the following nature protective measures are being carried out.

Adjustment of the state “Schedules of development and accommodation of facilities of nature-reserve stock of the Kazakh SSR for the period till 2005" on the basis of a landscape-zonal and biogeographical zoning of Kazakhstan with the account for priority creation of specially protected territories in the centers of increased biodiversity, endemism and places of intensive economic development.

• Reprinting of the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, volume 2 (invertebrates animals), volume 3 (plants) and publishing of the Green book of Kazakhstan, volume 4 (vegetative communities).
• Development of the Books of the genetic stock with definition of the status of each specie and community, creation and introduction of cadastres of the vegetative and animal world of the Republic of Kazakhstan and separate administrative areas on their basis.

• Development of the unified scientifically substantiated programs and methods of maintenance of the cadastre of specially protected natural territories, their inventory and certification, including reserves, game reserves, national and nature parks, monuments of nature, as well as reserved zones, zoological parks, botanical gardens and arboretums.
• Development of the technique of economic estimation of functioning PNTs in view of their nature protective, educational and enlightening role.
• Development of new approaches to organization of reserved territories, including provision of economic incentives to landowners and land users, whose lands are withdrawn for creation of a reserve, reserved zone or reserve core of a national park.
• Transformation of national nature parks into important nature protective establishments, developing specifications for a rational use of nature in conditions of their region.
• Development of specialized modes of protection, and if necessary, terms of functioning of game reserves for conservation and restoration of populations of separate plant and animal species, which number is subject to significant fluctuations.
• Development of the plan for creation of international regional reserves and biosphere reserves with the purpose of coordination of scientific researches conducted in them, related to conservation of Biological Diversity and their involvement into projects of international cooperation.

 

Lecture 20.