ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 3.
Turkmenistan eyes UNESCO world heritage recognition for Koytendag
and Surkhan reserves, Trend reports via Turkmenistan Information Center.
On January 30, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of
Turkmenistan hosted an online meeting with representatives from
international environmental organizations, including the German
Michael Succow Foundation (MSF) and the American Center for Large
Landscape Conservation (CLLC).
The primary focus of the meeting was the nomination of the Koytendag and Surkhan nature reserves for recognition as a transnational UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The process to include Koytendag Reserve in the UNESCO list began in 2015 with the submission of the "Koytendag Mountain Ecosystem" dossier. After a technical review by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a recommendation was made to create a joint nomination with the Surkhan Reserve to better preserve the ecosystem of the Kugitang Mountains. Experts have since worked on preparing updated recommendations for resubmission.
Additionally, the Koytendag Reserve, established in 1986, spans 27,100 hectares in the Koyten mountain range in the eastern Lebap region. It is home to rare species such as the Burmese horned goat, lynx, brown bear, Persian leopard, and striped hyena. The reserve includes three protected areas: Garlyk (featuring karst lakes and caves), Khojapil (famous for dinosaur tracks), and Khojaburjibelent (known for its pistachio forests), covering a total area of approximately 90,000 hectares.
