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JJust recently, it was unimaginable that where the sea once rushed, forest plantings would now emerge or even plants would flourish. The government of Uzbekistan is fully focused on the northern region of Uzbekistan. The environment and living conditions of residents in the Karakalpakstan region on the Aral Sea are among the priority tasks of politics.

Uzbekistan and neighboring Kazakhstan account for around six million hectares of the dry soil of the Aral Sea. On the Uzbek side, there are 3.2 million hectares, of which 2.5 million hectares are designated for reforestation. Saxaul bushes and other sand-binding plants have been planted here for several years using a special technology, without which the plants could not survive in the desert region, which receives only 90 millimeters of rainfall per year.

Progress in reforestation

For example, as part of the implementation of the state program in the Aral Sea region from 2017 to 2021, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan and the State Forestry Committee carried out reforestation on 461,000 hectares of the dried up seabed. A large part of this was achieved through sowing, including air seeding and mechanical methods. Saxaul was planted manually on 61,000 hectares. In 2019—2020, a further 700,000 hectares of reforestation were created. In the years 2020 to 2021, a further 350,000 hectares were planted.

Current status of reforestation

Currently, the area of the forests has already exceeded 1.7 million hectares. Saxaul, tamarisk and other salt-tolerant plants prevent harmful salts and dust particles from being stirred up into the air. They remove excess salt from the soil and make it usable for farmers. Every hectare that is harvested from the desert is the result of the work of hundreds of people — from scientists to ordinary citizens, who travel from all over Uzbekistan to take part in the campaign.

Since the start of the program, forestry workers and local residents have collected 6.4 thousand tons of seeds of salt-tolerant plants. More than 1.3 thousand tons were collected and prepared by the residents of the Muynak district.

In spring 2023, work continued to plant desert bushes, even on hard-to-reach areas. The Karakalpakstan forestry companies and the local population have prepared more than 540 tons of plant seeds, including 447 tons of Saxaul, 7.2 tons of Kandym, 84 tons of Karaburak and 2.7 tons of other desert plant species.

Scientific support

The germination studies of forest plantings are carried out by scientists from the Research Institute of Forestry of Uzbekistan, the Institute of Environmental and Conservation Technologies, soil science and agrochemistry, the airlines “Agro- parvoz” and “Humo air”, the Botany Institute of the Academy of Sciences and the State Scientific and Project Institute “Uzdavyerloyiha”.

In January 2022, a decision was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan “on additional measures to create a “green blanket” - protective forests on the dried soil of the Aral Sea and the Aral Sea area,” reports Uzbek MP from the Environmental Party, Leila Seitova.

According to the document, which was developed in accordance with the concept for the development of Uzbekistan's forest system by 2030, the areas of the protected forests on the dried out seabed of the Aral Sea and the area of the Aral Sea region were to be created in the years 2022-2026, as well as the quantities of seed treatment of desert plants for the installation of protective forests on the dried out approved seabed and the area of the region during that period.

Annual plans

The areas for planting green areas in the Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Navoi and Bukhara regions are determined every year by December 10. It also takes into account scientifically based suggestions for the regions. Representatives of the State Forestry Committee are responsible for monitoring the greenery.

Taking into account the soil composition of the dried Aral Sea soil, it is planned to plant plants adapted to desert and salt soils, including Tamarix and Atriplex.

“My garden on the Aral Sea”

Representatives of the Goethe-Institut in Uzbekistan, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Uzbekistan, international foundations, local companies and entrepreneurs, universities in the Republic and residents of the Aral Sea region took part in the reforestation measures and the creation of the “My Garden on the Aral Sea” project.

More than 800 million sums (60 million euros) were collected via an online platform. This meant that seedlings of 17 types of decorative and fruit trees were purchased.

“My Garden on the Aral Sea” is a project that is being implemented by the International Innovation Center on the Aral Sea at the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan.

Another focus of this project was the planting of over 40,000 seedlings of desert shrubs called Saxaul, Kandym and Teresken on 42 hectares of the dried soil of the Aral Sea. In 2022, the project continued — with support from the European Union. The project achieved international status. The campaign included the planting of a garden with 27,000 trees.

Further reforestation actions

At the end of October last year, representatives of the “Siberian Health” company also carried out the “Hundred Hectares for our Planet” campaign and planted 500 Saxaul seedlings on the dried soil of the Aral Sea. Uzbeks from all over the country, even members of parliament, are taking part in the activities because they see it as their duty to make the garden bloom where the waves of the Aral Sea once rolled.

New Committee on the Aral Sea

In order to strengthen parliamentary control aimed at environmental protection and the use of natural resources, as well as to implement measures on the Aral Sea, a new Committee on the Development of the Aral Sea Region and Environmental Issues was set up in October 2020 in the Senate of Oliy Majlis (Parliament).

Since becoming independent, Uzbekistan has adopted more than thirty laws and 150 normative legal documents for environmental protection. In addition, 15 international conventions have been ratified.

“Experts and members of the committee are working on solving practical tasks and developing innovative technologies in the Aral Sea region,” says Leila Seitova. This includes the use of new agrobiological technologies on saline soils in farms.

One example is the new generation of multi-purpose bacterial fertiliser “Teria”, which can increase agricultural productivity by 25 to 30 percent, save water resources by 20 to 30 percent and increase plant immunity.

Results of the measures

In the past year, the use of this fertilizer on agricultural land in various districts of Karakalpakstan achieved good results. All measures are aimed at improving the climate and creating appropriate living conditions for the population of the Aral Sea region.

(The article is based on information from the Uzbek embassy.)

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