UN: Involvement of local communities is a key for survival of migratory species in Central Asia
2025-02-03 12:00:00 / News
The report “Community Participation and Livelihoods” focuses on 10 key guiding principles for community-led conservation strategies, while the study “Potential for Community-Based Wildlife Management in Central Asia” provides a practical perspective on how initiatives can contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
It is noted that Indigenous peoples and local communities serve as stewards of over a third of the world's most important biodiversity places and play a vital role in conserving migratory species and their habitats. Integrating traditional knowledge and practices with modern wildlife management approaches can lead to effective conservation, sustainable management, and responsible use of wildlife and its habitats.
The principles outlined in the first report were synthesized from an analysis of 78 case studies across 50 countries, covering 82 migratory species (39 terrestrial, 24 avian, and 15 aquatic). These principles include:
• Land and user rights
• Management responsibilities
• Spiritual values and attitudes
• Cooperation among communities along migratory routes
• Intersectional Issues
The report “Potential for Community-Based Wildlife Management in Central Asia” focuses on four migratory species: the Bukhara Deer, Saiga Antelope, Argali Sheep, and Snow Leopard.
“As part of the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Bukhara deer and in close collaboration with other range states, experts and NGOs, we have achieved significant success in conserving one of our flagship species, the Bukhara Deer—endemic to the desert river ecosystems of Central Asia,” said said H.E. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change. “We appreciate the recommendations outlined in the report and we are actively seeking ways to emphasize local knowledge and engage communities in the conservation and management of this species,” he continued.
The study highlights four key recommendations for implementing natural resource management measures in Central Asia: developing a legal framework, promoting community involvement, providing economic incentives and strengthening capacity building.