MINISTRY OF NATURE PROTECTION OF TURKMENISTAN Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Turkmenistan ASHGABAT 2002 There are mountains and valleys, the desert and the sea; well-watered rivers flow across the land. This is the land of the Turkmens - the nation that was gifted a favour from Allah – which is without equal anywhere in the world. For thousands of years the Turkmen people have loved and looked after this land and the land has repaid them. There is no doubt that the Turkmen people and this land are inseparable from each other - they form an or- ganic whole. Saparmurat TURKMENBASHI CONTENT Foreword...................................................................................................................................................................7 Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................8 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................11 1. Overall Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1. Global Importance of Biological Diversity .................................................................................................... 12 1.2. Convention on Biological Diversity ............................................................................................................... 13 1.3. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans .......................................................................................................... 14 1.4. Short Review of the Status of Turkmenistan’s Biological Diversity .............................................................. 14 1.5. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Turkmenistan ............................................................................... 15 1.5.1.Ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ................................................................. 15 1.5.2. Development of the BSAP ......................................................................................................................... 15 1.5.3. Preparation Process .................................................................................................................................. 15 1.5.4. Document Structure................................................................................................................................... 16 1.5.5. Intended Audience for the BSAP ............................................................................................................... 16 2. Country Study of Turkmenistan’s Biodiversity ................................................................................................ 17 2.1. Review of the Country Study on the Status of Biodiversity ........................................................................... 17 2.2. Biodiversity Status .......................................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.1. General Characteristics ............................................................................................................................ 17 2.2.2. Species of Key Importance ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.3. Threatened Species .................................................................................................................................... 20 2.2.4. Plant Species of Economic Importance .................................................................................................... 21 2.2.5. Invasive / Alien Species ............................................................................................................................. 22 2.2.6. Agrobiodiversity ........................................................................................................................................ 22 2.2.7. Biodiversity of Ecosystems ........................................................................................................................ 23 2.2.8. Threatened Ecosystems ............................................................................................................................. 28 2.2.9. Threats to Biodiversity .............................................................................................................................. 30 2.3. Existing Programmes on Biodiversity Conservation ...................................................................................... 30 2.3.1. In Situ Conservation.................................................................................................................................. 30 2.3.2. Ex Situ Conservation ................................................................................................................................. 34 2.3.3. Prevention of the introduction of alien species ......................................................................................... 34 2.3.4. Research .................................................................................................................................................... 35 2.3.5. Information Systems .................................................................................................................................. 36 2.3.5. Education and Public Awareness .............................................................................................................. 36 2.3.7. Monitoring System .................................................................................................................................... 36 2.3.8. Incentive Systems ...................................................................................................................................... 37 2.3.8. International Co-operation ....................................................................................................................... 37 2.4. Institutional and Administrative Basis ............................................................................................................ 37 2.5. Research Programmes and Potentials ............................................................................................................. 38 2.6. Legislation and Policy .................................................................................................................................... 39 2.7. Financial Sources for Biodiversity Conservation ........................................................................................... 41 2.8. Socio-Economic Context ................................................................................................................................ 42 4 2.9. Problem Analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 43 2.10. Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 3. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Turkmenistan .................................................................................. 46 3.1. Introduction to the BSAP ............................................................................................................................... 46 3.1.1. The need for a BSAP ................................................................................................................................. 46 3.1.2. BSAP Structure .......................................................................................................................................... 46 3.1.3. Timescale for Action Plan Implementation ............................................................................................... 46 3.2. Biodiversity Strategy for Turkmenistan .......................................................................................................... 48 3.2.1. Overall Aim ............................................................................................................................................... 48 3.2.2. Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 48 3.2.3. Strategic Components ............................................................................................................................... 49 3.3. Biodiversity Action Plan ................................................................................................................................ 51 Biodiversity Action Plan ........................................................................................................................................ 53 3.3.1. Strategic Component А: In situ conservation ........................................................................................... 54 3.3.2. Strategic Component В: Ex situ Conservation ....................................................................................... 59 3.3.3. Strategic Component С: Sustainable use .................................................................................................. 61 3.3.4. Strategic Component D: Institutional strengthening