Bio-diversity

Out of the other areas of the country Eastern Kazakhstan is really the most prominent in terms of the quantity and diversity of rare, endemic, medicinal and other plants. There are 400 rare and endangered species, 900 medicinal plants, plants used in food industry and for technical purposes. These make 35% and 23% respectfully of the overall species diversity of said plants to be found in Kazakhstan. Medicinal, food and technical plants are widely used in medical, heavy, light, food, pharmaceutical, confectionery industries and are in commercial demand. Growing demand for plant raw materials, high cost and low living standard of local people are the reasons of their intensive use, depletion and extinction. At the same time as a result of drastic shrinkage of habitat earlier big groups of plants have been split in insulate endangered populations. Shrinkage of habitat and depletion of rare and significant plant resources in Ivanovsk mountain range are mainly reasoned by social-economic threats like uncontrolled and unregulated collection of plants by local population for sale and domestic use, mass unauthorized collection of medicinal and technical plants (poaching) and export to foreign countries, mainly Russia and China, lack of protection and rehabilitation activities implemented by governmental agencies and control services for rare and significant plants; collection limits and quotas for plant raw materials are not followed, frequent fires caused mainly by premeditated burning and visitors, low living standard and environmental awareness of local people. This project is focused on the conservation of the ecosystem and the biological resources of the Ivanovskyi mountain range, Eastern Kazakhstan Oblast, through the establishment of a Natural Park and through the introduction of a special regime for the protection and use of natural resources. Local people living in the adjacent areas will have regulated access to the biological resources, which are significant for local livelihoods. Local people will also participate in the conservation and regeneration of such resources. This project will restore and expand the habitat of rare, endemic and significant plants, and will establish the system of collection, storage and trade of medicinal and technical plant raw materials, thus ensuring conservation and reproduction of plant resources. The project will also raise the standard of living of local people and will conserve the ecosystem of the Ivanovsk range by declaring it a specially protected natural territory.

Kazakhstan