Ministry says forest cover in Kazakhstan on the rise
Kazakhstan is gradually expanding its forest cover while focusing on sustainable management and protection, the country’s Ecology and Natural Resources Deputy Minister Nurlan Kurmalayev said on Thursday, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Since independence, Kazakhstan’s forest fund has expanded by 6.9 million hectares, bringing the total to 31.4 million hectares. Forest-covered land now accounts for 14 million hectares, resulting in a rise in the forest cover rate from 3.8 percent to 5.1 percent.
Fulfilling its international commitments, Kazakhstan aims to grow its forest cover to 14.5 million hectares by 2030.
Under a presidential directive, Kazakhstan is executing a massive reforestation drive targeting two billion trees by 2027, with over 1.6 billion already planted since 2021.
Significant efforts are underway at addressing the situation in the Aral Sea area.
Kurmalayev said Kazakhstan is actively combating salt and dust transport by planting native saxaul, with 1.1 million hectares established since 2021. The deputy minister highlighted this effort as a top solution and expressed strong appreciation for the partnership with Uzbekistan in managing the Aral Sea region's environmental challenges.
Kazakhstan furthered regional environmental efforts by proposing the Green Shield of Central Asia at the Regional Ecological Summit, a resolution designed to establish shelterbelts and green barriers to combat soil erosion, stabilize shifting sands, and enhance the regional microclimate.
Earlier, Qazinform reported up to 100 million tons of dust rise annually from the Aral Sea’s dry bed.
