Priority KBA Priority Corridor Other KBA Other Corridor

Mountains of Central Asia

Currently Investing

Regional Implementation Team (RIT)

Fund for the Conservation of Rare Species of Animals and Plants

RIT website

Lizza Protas, RIT Team Leader
lprotas@natureconservation.kz
Anastasiya Mazneva, Small-Grants Manager
amazneva@natureconservation.kz

Investment

2019 to 2024: US$8 million

Eligible Countries

Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Ecosystem Profile

Ecosystem Profile, 2017
- English (PDF - 5.5 MB)
- Russian (PDF - 7 MB)
Ecosystem Profile Summary, 2017
- English (PDF - 1.5 MB)
- Russian (PDF - 2 MB)
Ecosystem Profile Visual Summary, 2017
- English (PDF - 22.2 MB)
- Russian (PDF 21.4 MB)

CEPF’s investment focuses on Key Biodiversity Areas that are in trans-border areas, those that allow for resilience to climate change, and those that allow for linkages across productive landscapes.

At the institutional level, support for capacity building will enhance the professionalism of civil society organizations across the hotspot and will prepare project participants to replicate the efforts and results. This will help conservation practitioners in civil society organizations, the private sector and government integrate a range of biodiversity activities into their organizations.

Priorities

The Mountains of Central Asia Biodiversity Hotspot consists of two of Asia's major mountain ranges, the Pamir and the Tien Shan. Politically, the hotspot’s 860,000 square kilometers include southern Kazakhstan, most of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, eastern Uzbekistan, western China, northeastern Afghanistan, and a small part of Turkmenistan. The hotspot has many mountains above 6,500 meters in elevation, as well as major desert basins.

Central Asia has a long history as a crossroads between East and West. In the past, it was home to the great commercial and cultural centers of the Silk Road. For centuries, the region was a major contributor to the arts, sciences, medicine, and trade. With the mixing of agrarian, nomadic and industrial societies, it is a mosaic of cultures, languages, and political systems. Moreover, only 25 years ago, five of the hotspot countries were part of the Soviet Union, which has added a further layer of complexity and interest to the region.

Species

Threats

Sources