The GEF Small Grants Programme

in Uzbekistan

The work is going on successfully in Zarafshan reserve

The project on preservation of the unique tugai forest in Zarafshan reserve has been started. From 29th August till 2nd September 2009 a group of the Youth Environmental Squad “Yoda”, activists of the Youth Environmental Network (YEN) and the staff of the reserve held the first arrangements within the started project of the GEF SGP “Preservation of ecosystem of the unique tugai forest on the plain of Zarafshan river in the territory of Zarafshan reserve”.

Guys together with the reserve personnel have cleaned the path along the enclosures where Bukhara deer is placed, prepared turanga brooms for feeding deers in winter, cleaned the garbage along the borders of the reserve, where it is planned to build the fence. It was really hard to remove the old observation tower from the existed enclosure, from which it is planned to make a big name plate on the border of the reserve.

There is an interesting detail: as the reserve personnel told us, recently a wild deer-male from tugai forest stole into the enclosure with the deer, and has struck a male from the cage in the fight for the right to extend the deer stock. Unfortunately, the deer-male from the cage died, but the new male from the wild forest, which was more powerful, will leave more sustainable generation of deer. Life in the nature flows normally. Life goes on and finds its way.
More information about the projects can be found on the page of the project and photos can be found in the album of the project.