KGZ17 Kyzyl Unkur Key Biodiversity Area

Area: 48,000 hectares.
KBA category: B1
Species that initiated the designation of KBAs [and other globally threatened species that are present in the KBAs 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].
Availability of protected areas: no
Settlements on the territory of the KBA: -
Adjacent to the territory of the KBA: -




General description: The Kyzyl-Unkur walnut forest is unique in Kyrgyzstan. It provides the local population with nuts, berries, medicinal herbs, pasture lands, haymaking, recreation, and tourism. and is under the control of the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprise*, one of the most important tasks of which is monitoring the state of natural ecosystems and the degree of their preservation.
The maximum length of the forestry territories from north to south is 33 km, from east to west 38 km. The forestry office is located in the village of Kyzyl-Unkur, 64 km from the regional center of the village of Bazar-Korgon and 97 km from the regional center of Jalal-Abad.
The main river Kara-Unkur flows on the territory of the forestry enterprise, 75 km long. to the border with Uzbekistan, with multiple tributaries - Kara-Bulak, Arpa-Otok, Kol-Kamysh, Kosh-Terek, Kyzyl-Unkur and Sary-Tak. The Kyzyl-Unkur River originates on the watersheds of the Isfan-Jailoo ridge.




In the Kyzyl-Unkur gorge, many springs and waterfalls flow into the Kyzyl-Unkur and Ak-Korgon rivers.
The river valley is very picturesque: waterfalls fall from the steep slopes against the backdrop of spectacular cliffs and peaks. The main attractions of the valley are the Kyzyl-Unkur tract in the middle part of the valley and Lake Ken-Kol, surrounded by snowy mountain peaks. The belt of nut-fruit forests is characterized by dense thickets of beautiful spreading trees. Where conditions are most favorable, the trees are especially majestic. Strict spherical crowns covering two-meter trunks reach 30 meters in height.




The climate of the Kara-Unkur river basin is characterized by great diversity, moderately cold winters and hot summers, which is associated with the orographic structure and a sharp change in the relative altitudes of the area. Due to large contrasts, the average annual air temperature varies differently in different places. According to the Arstan-Bap hydrometeorological station, the average annual air temperature in July is +19.1ºС, and in January – 0.2ºС.




By the nature of the flora and vegetation, the Kyzyl-Unkur forest has characteristic parts of the Western Tien Shan and common features with the Pamir-Alai. Large-grass savannoids (Turanian grass-forb steppes) from bulbous barley - Hordeum bulbosum, wheatgrass - Elytrigia trichophora, bearded vulture - Bothriochloa ischaemum, umbellaria (communities of large-grass umbrella species from the genera Prangos and Ferula) - are widely represented here, juniper forests from hemispherical juniper - Juniperus semiglobosa. Kyzyl-Unkur is home to birds associated with forest, mountain and steppe ecosystems. This territory is represented mainly by walnut-fruit forests, with minor areas represented by dry steppe foothills.




According to research data, 80 species were recorded, of which 69 species are nesting, the remaining 11 species were noted during feeding and during the migration period. On the territory of the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprise, the following were noted: short-snake eagle, dwarf eagle, kumai, black vulture, bearded vulture, vulture, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, eagle owl, gray owl and white-winged woodpecker, listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic. From the class of mammals, 16 species were noted on the territory of the Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprise, represented by 3 orders - insectivores, carnivores, lagomorphs and rodents.




Settlements: Kyzyl-Unkur is a village in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan. It is part of the Bazar-Korgon district. In 2021 its population was 500. The road runs from the village southwest down the Kyzyl-Unkur valley 45 km or more to Bazar-Korgon along the main highway near the Uzbek border. From the valley, a branch of the road goes northwest to Arslanbob. The Kyzyl-Unkur gorge is located just two hours from the city of Jalal-Abad.




Ecology: Due to inadequate control, low awareness of the local population, the ecosystem of the area - the main area of origin of relict nut-fruit forests was disturbed, and 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 cause serious fear.




Attractions: The name of the village of Kyzyl-Unkur comes from a cave that used to be at the foot of the red rock, located in the center of the village. Due to the characteristics of the local rock, the stones of the mountain and the cave were red. Now this cave no longer exists, as it was filled with stones. Close to the top of the mountain there is a stone shaped like a heart. From the outside it seems surprising how it stays on the flat side surface of the mountain. There is a legend about this stone among the people.




*Kyzyl-Unkur forestry enterprise is located in the north-eastern part of the Jalal-Abad region on the territory of the Bazar-Korgon (52101.6 hectares) and Suzak (5812.8 hectares) administrative districts. The northern border of the forestry enterprise is the state forest fund of the Toktogul and Nooken districts; from the east, the forestry enterprise borders on the state land fund of the Suzak region; from the south and southeast the state forest fund of the Ortok forestry enterprise; from the west by Arslanbapatinsky forestry enterprise.