In Kyrgyzstan, landscape restoration has become a tool not only for conserving nature but also for protecting communities from destructive mudflows. Tree planting, slope terracing, and other nature-based solutions help reduce mudflow risks even before they reach populated areas. Gulmira Kalchakeeva, Component 1 Coordinator of the Kyrgyz Republic Resilient Landscape Restoration Project, explains how this approach works and why the country’s experience could serve as an important model for Central Asia.
— Gulmira Asanbekovna, the RESILAND project in Kyrgyzstan began relatively recently. What experience from the country could already be useful for other Central Asian countries?
The key distinguishing feature of project implementation in Kyrgyzstan is that the implementing agency is the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic. In most other countries in the region, similar projects are typically implemented by environmental agencies.
This enables landscape restoration to be addressed not only as an environmental priority, but also as a disaster risk reduction instrument. Such an approach directly links ecosystem restoration with public safety. In my view, this experience could be particularly valuable for other countries in Central Asia.
— What does the implementation of nature-based solutions under the project involve?
The project has identified 21 target sites across four regions of Kyrgyzstan— two in the north and two in the south of the country.
Nature-based solutions include the introduction of so-called “green” measures in mudflow-prone areas. These measures involve planting trees and shrubs, restoring vegetation cover, as well as small-scale engineering interventions such as slope terracing and the construction of small check dams in areas where mudflows originate.
— How do these measures help reduce mudflow hazards?
Vegetation helps stabilize soils and prevent land degradation. It retains moisture and precipitation, thereby reducing surface runoff and the likelihood of mudflow formation.
Slope terracing further reduces the velocity of mudflows. The flow loses energy as it moves through a system of natural and artificial barriers rather than along a continuous slope. As a result, the destructive force of mudflows and the potential damage are significantly reduced.
— What is the key factor in building resilient landscapes?
It is not possible to single out one priority measure. A comprehensive approach is required, including sustainable water resource management, restoration and expansion of forest cover, sustainable pasture management, and prevention of land degradation.
Only the combination of all these measures makes it possible to build truly resilient landscapes.
— The project also operates in transboundary areas. Why is regional cooperation so important for Central Asia?
Central Asian countries face common environmental challenges — land degradation, desertification, and water scarcity. At the same time, environmental processes do not adhere to national borders.
It is therefore essential to develop coordinated regional approaches, exchange knowledge, and apply solutions that have already proven effective. This enables countries in the region to act more efficiently and avoid duplication of efforts.
Interview by Zhanna Khussainova, PR/Communications Consultant/Expert, Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), pr@carececo.org
#RESILANDCA+, #WorldBank, #CAREC, #landscaperestoration, #climatechange, #KGRESILAND