KGZ16 Dashman Key Biodiversity Area

Area: 42,000 hectares.
KBA category: IA

Species that initiated the KBA designation [and other globally threatened species that are present in the KBA but have not been confirmed to meet the global KBA criteria]: Acantholimon knorringianum. Astragalus irisuensis. Campanula eugeniae, Chesneya quinata, Elisanthe fedtschenkoana, Exochorda tianschanica, Hedysarum chaitocarpum, Onosma brevipilosa, Oxytropis masarensis, Pseudosedum ferganense. Primula eugeniae. Salvia schmalhausenii, Scutellaria knorringiae, Scutellaria xanthosiphon, Tanacetopsis ferganensis, [Pyrus korshinskyi].
Protected areas: yes
Settlements on the territory of the KBA: -
Adjacent to the territory of the KBA: Gumkhana




General description: In 2012, the Dashman State Nature Reserve was created in the Bazar-Korgon district of the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan.
The reserve was organized on the lands of Arstanbap-Ata and Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprises (forest fund lands), currently its area is 7958.1 hectares. The pastures and hayfields of two forestry enterprises transferred to the reserve formed the buffer zone of the reserve. A specially protected natural area was established on this territory by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR in 1975. The Dashman Nature Reserve was established on July 12, 2012 with the aim of preserving walnut forests and other endemic plants and animals.




5158.5 hectares of the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprise and 3031.1 hectares of the Arstanbap-Ata forestry enterprise were transferred to the reserve. Total: 8189.6 hectares. (hayfields, pastures, forests, rocks, screes, placers, ravines).
By the Decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic dated April 17, 2013, amendments were made to the Decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic “On the organization of the Dashman State Nature Reserve” dated July 12, 2012. According to the resolution, the total territory of the reserve was reduced by 231.5 hectares in favor of the Kyzyl-Unkursky forestry enterprise, from 8189.6 to 7958.1 hectares.
The main goal of creating a specially protected natural area is to preserve unique walnut-fruit forests, preserve the genetic fund of the walnut as a relic and a particularly valuable tree species.




In the reserve grow such relics as walnuts, wild apple trees, wild pears, cherry plums, blood-red hawthorns, wild cherries, bush cherries, pistachios, barberries, creeping juniper, mountain ash, and apricots.

A total of 12 types of forests were identified on the territory of the reserve:
1. Typical short-legged hazel and short-legged hazel with impatiens and nitrophilous herbs,
2. Hazel with additional moisture, typical and with poplar,
3. Highland hazel hazel,
4. Typical maple-apple hazel, apple hazel, maple hazel.

Apple forests are represented by the following types:
1. Hawthorn apple tree,
2.Maple apple tree.

Maple forests are represented by the following types:
1.Nut maple,
2. Apple maple,
3.Maplewood, watersheds and steep slopes.

Hawthorn forests are formed by the following types:
1. Hawthorn on fertile soils,
2. Apple hawthorn,
3. Hawthorn of dry habitats.




Currently, more than 60 species of trees and shrubs are found on the territory of the reserve.
Tree species: Zarafshan juniper, hemispherical juniper, Turkestan juniper, Walnut, common almond, prickly almond, Sivers apple tree, Nedzvetsky apple tree, Kyrgyz apple tree, Sogdian cherry plum, Turkestan hawthorn, Pontic hawthorn, Elm, Common pear, Korzhinsky pear, Magaleb cherry, Turkestan Maple, Semenov Maple, Caucasian Frame, White Poplar, Black Poplar, Pyramidal Poplar, White Willow, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Elaeagnus oriental, Sea Buckthorn, Turkestan Birch, Tianshan Birch, and Sogdian Ash.




Shrub species: Abelia, Aflatunia, Euonymus, Common rose hip, Stinking rose hip, Turkestan rose hip, Kokand rose hip, Korzhinsky rose hip, Loose rose hip, Red-fruited cherry, Cotoneaster racemose, Black-fruited cotoneaster, Multifloral cotoneaster, Gissar cotoneaster, Wonderful cotoneaster , Spiraea three-lobed, Spiraéa hypericifólia, Spiraea pilosa, Turkestan rowan, Exochorda Alberta, Exochorda tianshanskaya, Gray blackberry, Laxative, Aronia barberry, Oblong barberry, Tatarian honeysuckle, Korolkov honeysuckle, Turkestan caragana, Ephedra, Lower comb, and Oriental clematis.




The list of herbaceous plants also represents more than 40 species.
Above the belt of walnut-fruit forests at an altitude of 2000-2500 m above sea level. of the sea, species of juniper grow - Zeravshan juniper, hemispherical and Turkestan. The non-forest territory of the reserve located above 2700-3000m belongs to the belt of high-mountain subalpine meadows and is still an intensively used summer pasture. The total area of this category of territory is less than 500 hectares. These summer pastures are overgrazed, which has led to an increase in undernourished grasses in the cover and, in places, increased soil erosion on steep slopes.




A preliminary study of the fauna of the Dashmansky Reserve shows that the fauna of the reserve is quite poor, due to strong anthropogenic pressure - massive collection of mountain fruits, especially nuts, wild apple trees and berries, which were food for many animals and birds, excessive grazing and haymaking in the forest , cultivating crops in forest areas, collecting medicinal herbs, etc. According to local residents, in Dashman, even in the 90s of the twentieth century, one could find quite a large number of wild boars, porcupines, badgers and even roe deer.




The species composition and number of birds living in walnut-fruit forests was also greater than at this time. A noticeable weakening of protective measures on the part of the forestry department and hunting supervision led to a sharp increase in the shooting of wild animals by the local population and a sharp decrease, and sometimes even the disappearance of some species on the territory of the Reserve. This indicates the undoubted influence of anthropogenic factors.




Source of information: https://open.kg/about-kyrgyzstan/nature/national-parks-and-reserves/33552-dashmanskiy-gosudarstvennyy-prirodnyy-zapovednik.html

Attractions: The famous place Arstanbap is located on the territory of the reserve. Located at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, in the valley of the Babash-Ata ridge on the western slope of the Fergana ridge and the southern slope of the Chatkal ridge, Arstanbap has been keeping its main treasure for more than a thousand years - walnut trees.




Legends about Arstanbap There are many legends about how Arstanbap walnut forests appeared. One of them says that Alexander the Great once led his troops to these lands, returning from his campaign to the East. Leaving this amazing region, he took fruits and nuts from the local forests with him to Greece. This is how Kyrgyz nuts came to Greece, and later spread throughout the world and became known as “walnuts”. Another legend tells that Arstanbap was the name of a hero who, in the 11th century, died near the forests after being betrayed by his wife. It is said that at that very spot one can still see the prints of his hands and feet, as well as traces of blood.




There is another version that tells about a modest and hardworking Man, whom the Prophet Muhammad instructed to find the most beautiful and convenient place for heaven on earth. A man traveled for a long time in distant lands until he came across a picturesque valley with a foaming mountain river, but in which there was not a single tree. He told the Prophet about this place. Inspired by the Man's story about a wonderful valley, the Prophet sent him a bag of seeds of various types of fruit trees, including seeds of a walnut tree. The man climbed to the top of the mountain and scattered the seeds throughout the valley, which eventually turned into a huge garden.




The territory of the reserve is famous for its picturesque springs. In one of the southern gorges, Kyzyl-Unkur, which is located on the territory of the Dashman Nature Reserve, many springs and waterfalls flow into the Kyzyl-Unkur and Ak-Korgon rivers.

Video on the topic: https://youtu.be/ByI2jLiI0zY




Settlements: The village of Gumkhana. The administration of the Dashman nature reserve is located in the center of the village.
There is a legend associated with the name of the village. In the 19th century, the site of the village of Gumkhana was a dense forest, with a large number of Turanian tigers, and through which a path passed to the village of Arstanbap. To get to Arstanbap without running into tigers, people walked in groups, holding a drum-like instrument, making a frightening “hum” sound. The tigers were frightened by these sounds and did not approach people. A little later, a village was formed here with the name Gumkhana.




Ecology: The forests of the Arstanbap Valley are in a critical ecological condition due to high anthropogenic impact, because this valley is the most densely populated place in the walnut forests. Due to excessively high grazing, firewood and fruit collection, the natural growth of forests has stopped, and forests are turning into monoculture (severe reduction in biodiversity). In addition to anthropogenic impact, natural processes also contribute to the deterioration of the condition of forests, such as climate change (spring frosts, summer droughts, early snowfall, etc.), and the outbreak of various plant pests (gypsy moth).




Currently, the reserve faces significant difficulties caused by a lack of funding and disputes over the boundaries of the territory. The reason for this is that when drawing up a map of the reserve, residential buildings of local residents of the settlements Ak-Bulak and Katar-Zhangak were also included in the territory.




The main problem is with the population: since previously the locals used the forests on the basis of forestry: they collected fruits, grazed livestock and cut down trees, now this is already prohibited, since this is a protected area. Of course, people can also be understood; this is the main, sometimes almost the only, way of earning money for local residents. But we must work to preserve the unique relict walnut and fruit forests. Today, the state of flora and fauna species, including those listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic, and especially valuable species of trees and shrubs and biodiversity are of particular concern. Therefore, it is necessary to convey to the population about the importance of preserving the ecosystem of the area.




There have been cases of illegal logging in the reserve, as well as clashes with the local population, who, after the creation of the protected area, are not able to freely collect nuts and berries for subsequent sale.

Many village residents do not have jobs; they live by collecting berries, fruits and nuts. But according to the law, harvesting is prohibited on the territory of the reserve. People are asking to solve this problem, for example, by downgrading the status of the Dashman Nature Reserve to the status of a national park.