26.06.2013 - FAO and the Kyrgyz Agency for Environment and Forest Protection presented preparations for a project on sustainable management of Kyrgyz high-elevation forests and farmland during a seminar on forest preservation in June. The seminar was attended by representatives of government agencies, donors and international organizations, as well as members of the Mountain Partnership.
The FAO/Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, entitled "Sustainable management of mountainous forest and land resources under of climate change conditions”, aims to introduce innovative practices for restoration and sustainable management of forest and agricultural lands in the country.
"The implementation of the project is of particular importance for Kyrgyzstan, itself a mountainous country,  because mountainous ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change," said Sabirzhan Atadjanov, director of the State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry.
During the workshop, the project team, which includes both national and international consultants and experts, presented the results of the selection of pilot areas, the workplan of the project and the project management structure.
Officials have chosen 12 districts to host pilot projects and allocated USD 22 million (1.1 billion KGS) over a two-year period.