In Mangistau, the cultivation of saxaul to stabilize the ecological balance continues successfully, the Kazinform agency reports with reference to the regional akimat.
In Mangistau region, systematic work is actively carried out to improve the environmental situation. Since 2004, work to stop sand, which began in the village of Senek, continued in the villages of Ushtagan, Tushchikuduk and Shebir.
The main goal of these projects is to protect villages from advancing sand and restore the ecological balance by growing saxaul.
According to the data, in the village of Ushtagan – since 2007, in Tushchykuduk – since 2012, in Shebir – since 2016, work has been underway to plant saxaul. As a result, in each village by 2021, saxaul was planted on a total of 3,329 hectares.
— In 2022, these areas were transferred to the State Institution “Protection of Forests and Wildlife Beineu” by the decree of the Akim of the Mangistau region. In 2018, a 6-year project for sand protection on an area of 134 hectares was developed in the villages of Zharma, Sazdy and Sauskan of the Mangistau district. At the first stage of the project, from 2022 to 2024, 203,634 saxaul and juniper trees were planted on an area of 60.34 hectares. The germination rate of this period was 85-90%. At the second stage, in 2025-2027, it is planned to plant 248,887 saxaul and juniper trees on the remaining 73.74 hectares. Based on the instructions of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan given during a working visit to the Mangystau region in 2022, projects have been developed to identify the risks of developing dangerous aeolian processes in the settlements of Tazhen, Syngyrlau, Sam, Turysh and Akzhigit of the Beineu district, Senek and Bostan of the Karakiyan district, Zharmysh and Akshymyrau of the Mangystau district, Tauchik of the Tupkaragan district, – noted Deputy Head of the Department for Regulation of Nature Management Khaidar Tuleushov.
72.5 million tenge have been allocated and spent from the local budget. The project will be implemented between 2025 and 2032.
— From 2025, work on growing saxaul against desertification of these villages will be continued in stages. These measures are aimed at improving the environmental situation, increasing land fertility and improving the quality of life of the rural population. The work carried out in the Mangistau region will not only protect the environment, but will also contribute to improving the socio-economic situation of the rural population, — the akimat said in a statement.
It was previously reported that a forest is being planted on the bottom of the dried-up Aral Sea .
