Kyrgyzstan has lost nearly 90 percent of its forests in 50 years

Kyrgyzstan has lost nearly 90 percent of its forests in 50 years

Kyrgyzstan has lost approximately 90 percent of its forest areas over the last 50 years. This information is included in the country's National Adaptation Plan until 2035. The draft document has been released for public discussion.

The authors of the document emphasize that this issue is not just an environmental problem. The reduction of forests directly increases the risk of mudslides and landslides. In addition, it worsens the condition of water basins and increases damage to roads, bridges, and agricultural lands.

The document describes forests and mountain ecosystems as the state's natural infrastructure. They regulate water runoff from the mountains and reduce the destructive impact of heavy rainfall.

By 2035, the government plans to restore or stabilize at least 150,000 hectares of degraded water basins and forest areas. Another goal is to cover at least 60 percent of key water basins with afforestation, slope stabilization, and other nature conservation measures.

In addition, it is recommended to take into account the state of surrounding ecosystems when constructing new facilities in areas with a high risk of mudslides and landslides. New facilities in such areas should not be designed without assessing the ecosystem buffer.

It is also planned to cover at least 80 percent of vulnerable mountain and forest ecosystems with monitoring by 2035. There are plans to establish at least 40 demonstration sites for ecosystem restoration in critical areas.