Dashman Reserve
Civil activists and ecologists in the country have repeatedly appealed to officials, urging them to take measures to preserve the unique relic nut-fruit forests. "Due to inadequate control, lack of awareness among the local population, and their irresponsible attitude towards environmental protection, the ecosystem of the area - the main habitat of the relic nut-fruit forests has been disrupted, and the condition of plant and animal species, including those listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic, and particularly valuable species of woody and shrub varieties and biodiversity raises special concern today," the government agreed with the ecologists.
In 2012, a decision was made in Kyrgyzstan to establish the Dashman State Natural Reserve. It is located in the Bazar-Korgon district of the Jalal-Abad region. The reserve was established with the aim of preserving the genetic fund of the walnut as a relic and a particularly valuable tree species.
The reserve has been allocated 5158.5 hectares from the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry and 3031.1 hectares from the Arstanbap-Atinsk forestry. Total: 8189.6 hectares (hayfields, pastures, forests, cliffs, screes, alluvial deposits, ravines).
By the decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic dated April 17, 2013, amendments were made to the decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Organization of the Dashman State Natural Reserve" dated July 12, 2012. According to the decree, the total area of the reserve was reduced by 231.5 hectares in favor of the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry, from 8189.6 to 7958.1 hectares.
The boundaries of the Dashman State Natural Reserve:
On the southern side, from the tributaries of the Sary-Tash and Kara-Unkur rivers, the village of Kok-Alma, along the watersheds of Ayry-Tash, with dominant heights of 1530 m and 1982 m to the west, up to the Kyzyl-Suu area.
On the western side, the village of Jaraidar, along the Jaraidar river to the Kök-Tebe mountain, with dominant heights of 2053 m and 2773.9 m along the watersheds of heights 2676.2 m and 2061 m to the Ak-Korgon river.
On the northern side, along the Ak-Korgon river eastward to the tributary of the Kara-Unkur river.
On the eastern side, from the Sary-Tash river north along the right bank of the Kara-Unkur river, the village of Kyzyl-Unkur, the pioneer camp, further along the Arpa-Ortok river, with a dominant height of 1378 m, along the watershed to the tributary of the Kumush-Suu river, with a dominant height of 4441.4 m.
In one of the southern gorges - Kyzyl-Unkur, which is located within the Dashman Reserve, many springs and waterfalls originate, flowing into the Kyzyl-Unkur and Ak-Korgon rivers.
A total of 12 types of forests have been identified in the reserve:
1. Typical short-stalk hazel and short-stalk hazel with untouched and nitrophilous grasses,
2. Typical hazel with additional moisture and with poplar,
3. High-altitude hawthorn hazel,
4. Typical maple-apple hazel, apple hazel, maple hazel.
Apple forests are represented by the following types:
1. Hawthorn apple forest,
2. Maple apple forest.
Maple forests are represented by the following types:
1. Walnut maple forest,
2. Apple maple forest,
3. Watershed and steep slope maple forest.
Hawthorn forests are formed by the following types:
1. Hawthorn on fertile soils,
2. Apple hawthorn,
3. Hawthorn of dry habitats.
Currently, over 60 species of woody and shrub varieties are found in the reserve.
Tree species: Zaravshan juniper, semi-spherical juniper, Turkestan juniper, walnut, common almond, prickly almond, Sivers apple, Nedzvetsky apple, Kyrgyz apple, Sogdian plum, Turkestan hawthorn, Pontic hawthorn, elm, common pear, Korzhinsky pear, mahaleb cherry, Turkestan maple, Semenov maple, Caucasian frame, white poplar, black poplar, pyramidal poplar, white willow, narrow-leaved oleaster, eastern oleaster, sea buckthorn, Turkestan birch, Tian Shan birch, and Sogdian ash.
Shrub species: Abelia, Aflatunia, Spindle, common rosehip, stinking rosehip, Turkestan rosehip, Kokand rosehip, Korzhinsky rosehip, loose rosehip, red-fruited cherry, brush dogwood, black-fruited dogwood, multi-flowered dogwood, Hissar dogwood, remarkable dogwood, three-lobed spiraea, St. John's wort-leaved spiraea, hairy-fruited spiraea, Turkestan rowan, Albert exochorda, Tian Shan exochorda, gray blackberry, laxative buckthorn, black-fruited barberry, elongated barberry, Tatar honeysuckle, Korolkov honeysuckle, Turkestan caragana, ephedra, and eastern clematis.
The list of herbaceous plants also includes more than 40 species.
Above the nut-fruit forest belt at an altitude of 2000-2500 m above sea level, species of juniper grow - Zaravshan juniper, semi-spherical juniper, and Turkestan juniper. The non-forest territory of the reserve, located above 2700-3000 m, belongs to the belt of high-altitude subalpine meadows and is still intensively used as summer pastures. The total area of this category of territory is less than 500 hectares.
In these summer pastures, overgrazing is observed, which has led to an increase in uneaten grasses in the cover and in some places has intensified soil erosion on steep slopes.
Preliminary studies of the fauna of the Dashman Reserve show that the animal world of the reserve is quite poor due to strong anthropogenic pressure - mass collection of mountain fruits, especially nuts, wild apple trees, and berries, which were food for many animals and birds, excessive grazing of livestock and haymaking in the forest, cultivation of agricultural crops in forest areas, collection of medicinal herbs, etc. According to local residents, in Dashman even in the 1990s, it was possible to encounter a fairly large number of wild boars, porcupines, badgers, and even roe deer. The species composition and number of birds inhabiting the nut-fruit forests were also greater than at present. A noticeable relaxation of protective measures by the forestry and hunting supervision has led to a sharp increase in the shooting of wild animals by the local population and a sharp decrease, and sometimes even disappearance of some species in the territory of the Reserve. This indicates the undeniable influence of anthropogenic factors.
The occurrence of birds and animals in the nut-fruit forest belt, particularly in the territory of Dashman, was based on observations, surveys of local residents, and mainly on data from the Institute of Nut and Fruit Crops of the Southern Branch of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of birds and mammals. For example, in the nut-fruit forest belt, only 11 species of mammals and reptiles are found, and only 36 species of birds are observed. Among mammals, wild boar, roe deer, porcupine, and others are disappearing. Among birds, there are fewer songbirds, wild pigeons, partridges, and birds of prey.