Cold Winter Deserts of Turan

The site has a collaborative framework for stakeholder and rightsholder involvement, focusing on local communities and governmental agencies. This collaboration is coordinated through a Joint Steering Committee (JSC) composed of representatives from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The committee will oversee shared decision-making processes, joint management strategies, public awareness campaigns, and environmental education programs (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2023). In the near future, the Regulation on the Regional Coordination Committee will be developed, as well as the Regional Framework Management Plan for the
transnational site (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2024).

Given the remote location of the component parts, there are reportedly no local communities within the sites, with very few communities within its vicinity. These local communities are afforded the right to information, consultation and consent as well as engagement in decision-making processes through mechanisms established as integral parts of the governance and management planning structure of the component parts. As the component parts are exclusively owned by the respective States Parties, there are no tenure rights within the nominated area, although grazing of livestock and other forms of natural resource use are reportedly permitted within some nominated component parts in certain periods (especially during times of drought), which supports livelihoods and benefit-sharing in times of necessity for surrounding communities through appropriate regulation and management (IUCN, 2023).

It is essential that the JSC formally integrates mechanisms to ensure that traditional and customary governance mechanisms and management practices of local communities are represented and integrated appropriately into the formal governance structures at the appropriate scale (ie. local/national and transboundary).

Overall, these strategies provide a foundation for meaningful stakeholder engagement, but addressing challenges like equitable decision-making and sustained resource allocation is critical for long-term success, in particular in relation to tensions between strict protection regimes and the traditional land-use practices of local communities, which requires careful negotiation and planning.​

The Cold Winter Deserts of Turan World Heritage Site is protected under national environmental laws in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, which establish frameworks for biodiversity conservation and protected area management. Key legislation includes Kazakhstan’s Environmental Code (2021) and Specially Protected Natural Areas Law (2006), Turkmenistan’s Nature Protection Law (1991) and Specially Protected Areas Law (2012), and Uzbekistan’s Protected Natural Territories Law (1993) and Environmental Protection Law (1992). These laws align with international obligations under the World Heritage Convention (as well as other international agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity) (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2023). While the legal frameworks provide a robust foundation, the site's effective protection depends on sufficient engagement of local communities, including mechanisms to resolve issues such as land tenure and rights to natural resources (ie. grazing), which could be strengthened, particularly in the Turkmen components (IUCN, 2023).

Stronger cross-border collaboration and consistent transboundary management frameworks are also crucial to safeguarding the site’s Outstanding Universal Value. The Joint Steering Committee could benefit significantly from the establishment of relevant and appropriate legal bases for its operation. In the near future, the Regulation on the Regional Coordination Committee will be developed, as well as the Regional Framework Management Plan for the transnational site, which will further strengthen the legal framework (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2024). At COP 14 of the CMS in February 2024 in Samarkand Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum on Wildlife Conservation on the Ustyurt Plateau. In August 2024 Turkmenistan joined. In March 2025 the state parties agreed a detailed roadmap under that memorandum on coordination of conservation efforts including transboundary migration.

The governance of the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan is overseen by a transnational Joint Steering Committee (JSC) composed of representatives from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, ensuring coordinated management across the three countries. Work is being carried out to establish a Regional Steering Council for the “Cold Winter Deserts of Turan” property, to which specialists from three countries will be nominated. Once the legitimate basis of this interstate body is established, the allocation of funds for the management of the site will be discussed. In the near future, the Regulation on the Regional Coordination Committee will be developed, as well as the Regional Framework Management Plan for the transnational site, which will further formalise governance arrangements (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2024).
In Kazakhstan, the Committee of Forestry and Wildlife under the Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources oversees site governance, with Altyn-Emel National Park and Barsakelmes State Nature Reserve managed according to national laws. In Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection governs components like Bereketli Garagum, Repetek State Nature Reserve and Gaplangyr, while in Uzbekistan, the State Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection manages sites such as Saigachy and Southern Ustyurt (States Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2023). The JSC aims to facilitate collaboration, monitoring, and compliance with a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding, while individual countries implement site-specific management plans. While decision-making is primarily government-led, stakeholder input is incorporated through consultations and outreach programs, though local community involvement in high-level governance remains limited. Accessible information on natural values, threats, and protected area use is shared through awareness campaigns and research, but mechanisms for resolving grievances and ensuring transparency require strengthening. The system supports adaptive management through monitoring and evaluation, informed by international collaboration and traditional knowledge, though further work is needed to enhance equity and sustainable financing. In 2025 and 2026 the elaboration of a regional Management Plan coordinating the management among the state parties is forseen and shall substantiate the JSC. The process is initiated by a recently startet project of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) "One Health in Nature Conservation – Enhancing landscape resilience to zoonotic disease emergence by consolidating nature conservation systems in Central Asia" (OHCA), led by IUCN.

Integration of the site into local, regional, and national planning systems is achieved through governance and management frameworks defined in the nomination dossier, and corresponding management plans for the respective component protected areas in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Each country implements legally mandated management plans that incorporate socio-economic and environmental considerations. For instance, the Saigachy Reserve Management Plan in Uzbekistan includes mechanisms for assessing socio-economic changes, monitoring activities, and involving local authorities and communities. Similarly, in Turkmenistan, annual and five-year management plans address conservation objectives and sustainable development goals, supported by strategies like the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan​.

Impact assessments for development projects are part of the planning system to mitigate threats to the site's values, with examples like GIS-based modeling in Kazakhstan to evaluate infrastructure impacts. At a broader scale, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) and particularly the Ustyurt memorandum (CMS, 2024) facilitates transboundary cooperation, particularity through the road map on Usyurt conservation (CMS, 2025) and ensures the site’s management aligns with regional conservation priorities while respecting local livelihoods. Education and eco-tourism initiatives provide economic opportunities while raising awareness of the site's significance​.

Despite these frameworks, challenges include balancing strict conservation mandates with local land-use practices and ensuring equitable representation of local communities in governance. Integration with broader landscape management remains a key focus to maintain the site's Outstanding Universal Value, particularly given the recent inscription of the site and the need for adoption of mechanisms across relevant systems (both sectoral and regional​) to ensure the conservation of the site.

The boundaries of the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan are clearly defined and supported by buffer zones in most components to enhance protection. For example, the Barsakelmes cluster in Kazakhstan includes a 52,161-hectare buffer zone that allows controlled activities like eco-tourism and reforestation, regulated by the Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas. Similarly, in Uzbekistan, the Saigachy Reserve has a 219,800-hectare buffer zone where limited sustainable uses, such as livestock grazing and ecotourism, are permitted under strict regulations to prevent adverse impacts. In Turkmenistan, buffer zones like the one around the Repetek Reserve (47,324 hectares) reduce risks from external pressures, although buffer zones are not universally established for all components​
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Boundaries are marked where necessary, and protective measures include passive systems such as signage and active patrols by rangers. These zones are critical in mitigating risks like overgrazing, poaching, and fire hazards, with enforcement supported by national legislation and management plans tailored to the specific needs of each component​. While effective overall, some gaps in the establishment of buffer zones highlight the need for additional measures to ensure consistent protection​.

The site overlaps with the Barakelmes and Altyn Emel Biosphere Reserves in Kazakhstan, and with the Repetek Biosphere Reserve in Turkmenistan. The extent to which management efforts are coordinated is not clear.
In none of the designated Biosphere Reserves the Lima Action plan is implemented as intended. However, it doesn't affect the OUV of the World Heritage site.

The World Heritage Committee requested the State Parties (Decision 45 COM 8B.29) to increase the connectivity between the component parts of the property and with the wider ecosystem, including by removing and mitigating barriers to large mammal migration. By signing the Ustyurt memorandum (CMS, 2024) and adopting the corresponding roadmap (CMS, 2025) that request has been given high priority by all three state parties within the most relevant transboundary region of the World Heritage Site. On designating further buffer zones no further developments have been made to date.

Regarding the request on allocating sufficient funding to the Joint Steering Committee, strengthening the transnational and transboundary management of the property, including through regular exchange and capacity-building and research and monitoring across the 14 component parts of the property, including for transboundary migration patterns: to date international conservation organisations provide funding and capacities and the State Parties provide logistical support and show considerable political will.

The management plans for the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan include provisions to address the impacts of climate change on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site. Each cluster's management plans incorporate scientific research and monitoring programs to track environmental changes, including climate-related effects. For example, Uzbekistan's Saigachy Reserve emphasizes using modern monitoring methods like camera traps and data analysis. Furthermore, Turkmenistan integrates climate adaptation measures through national strategies such as the National Climate Change Strategy (2012), which aligns with global climate action goals​
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While a comprehensive system to measure and monitor the effects of climate change specifically on the OUV is in place, challenges remain in integrating adaptive management across all components. The management plans promote activities supporting global climate action, such as public awareness campaigns, eco-tourism, and sustainable resource management practices​. This is a particularly key aspect of the management of the site, given the OUV linked to climate processes, and the local and regional climatic changes that occurred across some components of the site, linked to the drying of the Aral Sea. It is, therefore, essential that climate action is fully integrated into the management frameworks and plans for the site.

The Cold Winter Deserts of Turan has management plans for its various components, developed and updated regularly to ensure effective governance and conservation. For instance, new management plans for 2021–2025 were approved in 2022 under the Central Asian Desert Initiative (CADI). These plans identify the site's values, key threats, and management objectives, grouped into thematic programs focusing on ecosystem protection, scientific research, public education, and sustainable territorial development​.

Management is guided by planned annual work programs, which include patrolling, biodiversity monitoring, and fire prevention. Adaptive practices, such as updating management strategies based on environmental and socio-economic changes, are a central feature​. Local employment and community wellbeing are promoted through eco-tourism initiatives, education programs, and public engagement efforts. Positive impacts on communities, including awareness-building and economic benefits, are highlighted in the management framework, though challenges remain in fully integrating community participation​.

The Joint Steering Committee plays a critical role in overseeing the site's transboundary management, ensuring joint reporting and monitoring, resource sharing, and international capacity building, while facilitating adaptive management based on priorities identified at both site and international levels​. A Regional Framework Management Plan for the transnational site will be developed soon (2025-2026), which will serve to strengthen the management system overall (State Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, 2024). The process is initiated by a recently startet project of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) "One Health in Nature Conservation – Enhancing landscape resilience to zoonotic disease emergence by consolidating nature conservation systems in Central Asia" (OHCA).

Overall, the management plans are actively used, with objectives such as the conservation of biodiversity and the enhancement of local livelihoods being progressively achieved. However, monitoring and evaluation continue to play a critical role in ensuring the long-term success of these efforts.

Law enforcement mechanisms are guided by national legislation in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. These include regular patrols conducted by rangers, active monitoring of threats such as poaching and fires, and passive measures like the installation of warning signs and billboards. In Turkmenistan's Bereketli Garagum Nature Reserve, for instance, 23 rangers patrol specific zones, supported by equipment and round-the-clock fire posts during hazardous periods​.

Legal frameworks ensure strict regulation of permitted activities within protected areas, such as research and eco-tourism, and establish processes for issuing permits. Efforts are made to respect local community rights, including controlled resource use in buffer zones and engagement through eco-education programs​. However, law enforcement is constrained by limited financial capacity, which affects the availability of resources and personnel needed for comprehensive site protection in some components​.

Specific accountability mechanisms for resolving grievances or disputes with enforcement agencies are not detailed in the nomination dossier. While there is a focus on community engagement through education and outreach, ensuring fair representation and transparent accountability remains an area for improvement​.

In the participating States, all 14 components of the property are fully funded from the State budgets of the respective countries.
Financial resources for management are detailed in the site’s respective component management plans. The plans include cost estimates for activities such as ecosystem protection, scientific research, and community engagement, including how financing is sourced. For example, the Altyn-Emel cluster in Kazakhstan allocated 2,555,158,500 tenge (around 5,073,113.82 USD) for its 2019–2023 management plan, with funding sourced from the state budget (87%), park revenues (13%), and sponsor contributions​.
Funding sources across the three countries include national budgets, income from eco-tourism, fines for environmental violations, grants from international organizations, and voluntary donations. In Turkmenistan, for instance, state nature reserves like Bereketli Garagum are funded through the national budget, fines, and permits, with some resources used to hire seasonal workers and purchase equipment​. Uzbekistan’s Saigachy Reserve management plan highlights international support for capacity-building and equipment​.

Despite these efforts, financial resources are insufficient to fully implement all required management measures, with funding gaps limiting enforcement and monitoring. Salaries are too low in all protected areas, thus don't attract qualified staff and limit motivation at the same time. Measures to address these gaps include diversifying funding streams through partnerships, eco-tourism expansion, and international grants​.

The protected areas representing components of the site employ a mix of full-time and seasonal workers, including rangers and scientific staff, with training provided on biodiversity monitoring, fire safety, eco-tourism management, and wildlife conservation. For example, staff of Reserves in Turkmenistan received regular workshops and field training, supported by initiatives like the CADI project. The components of the site are equipped with necessary infrastructure for monitoring, patrolling, and fire prevention, although limited financial resources sometimes hinder effective implementation of necessary duties. While equipment such as field cameras and vehicles are maintained, staff shortages and lack of specialized departments, like the absence of a scientific team at the Saigachy Reserve in Uzbekistan, remain challenging.

Several education and awareness programs aimed at enhancing the understanding of the site’s values among stakeholders are underway, or have been undertaken in recent years. These programs are a part of broader public relations and environmental education efforts outlined in the site's management plans. The Central Asian Desert Initiative (CADI) has played a key role in supporting joint public awareness campaigns, staff exchanges, and environmental education activities across Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. For example, environmental education activities focus on the ecological significance of the desert ecosystems and their unique species, with efforts to raise awareness about the role of the site in terms of carbon sequestration, alongside general education on the site’s natural values, as well as raising awareness about sustainable resource use. Regulations around the sustainable use of the site’s natural resources are communicated through community engagement, with a particular focus on educating local populations about responsible resource management, particularly around grazing and harvesting of plant species. Local communities are informed about regulations through workshops and awareness campaigns, helping them understand the importance of conserving the desert's biodiversity. Since 2022, an Information Visitor Center equipped with all the necessary equipment for holding seminars, round tables, and other events has
been operating at the Bereketli Garagum Nature Reserve. In 2022-2024, this Visitor Center hosted a total of 6 round tables and seminars with the participation of reserve employees, public associations, and the local population (State Parties of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, 2024).

The remoteness of the site means that tourism visitation is relatively low for the majority of the site's components. However, the components of the site are managed according to local, national, and regional tourism policies, with a focus on eco-tourism and educational outreach. The Altyn-Emel National Park (Kazakhstan), for example, actively promotes its values through its visitor center, which educates visitors about the park’s natural heritage and biodiversity, with over 60% of its visitors being students. There are currently eco-routes in the Barsakelmes cluster (Kazakhstan) and plans for eco-tourism development in the Bereketli Garagum component (Turkmenistan)​. In Saigachy Reserve and Southern Ustyurt National Park the national government plans for development of ecotourism infrastructure in 2025 and 2026. However, the understanding of ecotourism is often a misconception and does not necessarily align with ecological, sustainable and responsible tourism. In this respect sound capacity development is necessary. Considering the overall limited amount of expected tourism the negative impact can anyway considered as low.

Tourism plans exist for several components of the site. For example, the Altyn-Emel National Park has three established tourist routes and offers accommodations like hotels and campsites. In the Barsakelmes State Nature Reserve, visitor access is strictly controlled, with limited group sizes and specific routes. However, plans to develop additional infrastructure like a bird-watching post and a visitor center, which will support conservation while accommodating tourists. In Turkmenistan, the Bereketli Garagum component currently has limited tourism infrastructure, though it holds significant potential for eco-tourism.

Appropriate measures are set out in the tourism management plans to control tourism in order to maintain the values of the site. For instance, Altyn-Emel employs restrictions on vehicle movements during sensitive wildlife periods and redirects tourists from over-visited areas like the Singing Dune. Similarly, visitor impacts are carefully monitored, with limits on visitor numbers and regulated access to particularly valuable areas.

As noted in the threats assessment, natural resource use within the components of the site, including grazing and harvesting of wild plant species is a challenge for the management of the site and the conservation of it's OUV. Mechanisms to regulate resource use in and around the site are outlined in the management plans for the respective components, with direct resource use/extraction confined to buffer zones. Local communities and rightsholders are allowed controlled access to resources such as grazing, haymaking, and plant collection, regulated to prevent overuse and protect the site’s values. For instance, resource use in the Saigachy Reserve (Uzbekistan) is managed through designated plots and rotational grazing systems to minimize ecological impact.

While there is no indication that current resource use significantly threatens conservation, challenges such as illegal grazing or resource extraction exist and are addressed through monitoring, ranger patrols, and fines. However, further assessments and adaptive management strategies as well as formal agreements and/or contracts with herders and other resource users could enhance the regulation and sustainability of resource use across the site.

Monitoring of the attributes conveying the sit's OUV is undertaken through ranger patrols, periodic ecological surveys, and climate data, funded through governmental sources, with support from the Central Asian Desert Initiative (CADI) and other international initiatives. These efforts focus on tracking species populations, habitat conditions, and ecological processes.

Despite this, gaps in monitoring include the lack of a standardized, site-wide protocol to systematically assess the site's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Limited financial and technical resources also hinder consistent data collection, particularly in remote areas of the site. Expanding partnerships with academic institutions and research centers could address these gaps by introducing advanced methodologies, such as remote sensing for habitat monitoring or long-term climate impact studies. Enhancing data sharing between countries and establishing a centralized monitoring database could also improve the comprehensiveness of monitoring efforts.
In several of the sites proteced areas SMART has been introduced in the course of recent years. Both sites in Uzbekistan apply SMART monitoring in the meantime and collection, analysis and adaptation works pretty good. Uzbekistan is about establishing a coordinated SMART unit within the Ministry of Ecology to further strenghten mechanism. With the development of trainings and monitoring guidelines the capabilities of Rangers has been improved in the course of recent years.
Financial limitations to cover costs for petrol and car maintanence for instance limit the ability to regularily monitor the large territories.

Outside of regular monitoring (see above), targeted research programs as part of the adaptive management system for the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan do not appear to be in operation- the lack of scientific staff at Saiagachy is indicative of this. However, research activities are supported through collaboration with initiatives like the Central Asian Desert Initiative (CADI), which has funded biodiversity studies, habitat assessments, and monitoring of species of conservation concern. These efforts rely on partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, and international organizations.

While current knowledge about the site’s biodiversity and ecological processes is sufficient to guide management plans, gaps remain in long-term climate impact studies, socio-economic research, and the integration of traditional and local knowledge. Expanding cooperation with research centers, universities, and local communities could enhance data collection and ensure that management decisions are based on diverse and up-to-date information. This approach would strengthen the adaptive management system and help maintain the site’s values over the long term.

While all component parts of the nominated property meet protection requirements—enhanced by their remote locations, which provide a high level of protection from direct development pressures—some areas have been significantly impacted by the drying of the Aral Sea. This environmental change has led to widespread desiccation and salinization, resulting in the dramatic loss of plant life, fish, and invertebrate fauna. Establishing buffer zones for all site components would be instrumental in mitigating external threats, particularly for those located near industrial activities. Additionally, ensuring transboundary connectivity between components is vital for the recovery of ungulate species, which are key attributes of the site's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Facilitating their migration would strengthen the integrity of this critical behavioral adaptation.

The management system and governance of the site are effective in addressing key threats such as poaching, habitat degradation, and climate change and a coordinating mechanism is in place and will be further strengthened through the Joint Steering Committee. Legal frameworks regulate threats, and adaptive management practices are informed by biodiversity monitoring and ranger patrols. Community engagement through eco-tourism and resource use regulations also contributes to reducing negatives impact. However, challenges include limited financial resources, which hinder full implementation of enforcement measures and regular monitoring. Strengthening financial support, expanding monitoring, and enhancing community involvement could improve the system's overall effectiveness.