Countryside Management Association News

Ranger Ulan Naamatbekov, (attendee at IRF Congress in Stirling 2006), reports a serious threat to his park in Kyrgyzstan – the Naryn State Reserve.

Following the breakup of the Soviet republics, Kyrgyzstan like many of the newly formed countries, is facing severe economic problems. Since 2005 the Chinese have been allowed to survey the Naryn State Reserve and other protected areas for potential mining of ferrous metals. They and other foreign companies have now been given permission to exploit certain areas of the Naryn Reserve. This will result in both loss of habitat and ecosystems and will furthermore have a direct impact on endemic and over-wintering “red data book” species such as snow leopard, brown bear, argali sheep, lynx, manul (Pallas’s cat), golden eagle, falcon, ibisbill and lammergeyer. In addition there is extreme concern that the fresh water rivers of the region will become polluted as a result of spoil and other actions of the mining operations. These waters are currently a source of both potable and irrigation waters for a large areas.

Kyrgyzstan is an agricultural country and Naryn Reserve has also been working hard to preserve the endangered Tien Shan maral (wapiti or Siberian Deer). The mining operation will also result in loss of grazing lands associated with this project and other agricultural activities.

Ulan asks for fellow rangers to be aware of this threat to both his Reserve and the aforementioned species and asks for IRF to support his campaign to stop mining in Naryn and other protected areas in Kyrgyzstan.

Submitted by Roger Cole on behalf of Ulan Naamatbekov.