An update from Central Asia on the International Day of Forests

Tugai Forests: Central Asia’s Hidden Oasis and the Fight for Their Survival

In the heart of Central Asia, where arid deserts and rugged mountains dominate the landscape, a green thread winds along the riverbanks — the tugai forests.

These rare riparian woodlands thrive in the floodplains of rivers like the Syr Darya, Amu Darya, and Ili, creating a biological oasis amid an otherwise harsh climate. The tugai forests are vital ecosystems teeming with life, and they are among the most damaged and vulnerable in the world.

This International Day of Forests, we bring you their story. (Skip directly to Forest Day message)

A Unique Forest Landscape

Unlike the hardy saxaul and other desert shrubs that cling to sandy soils, tugai forests flourish only along rivers in the flat and mountainous regions of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

These narrow emerald strips, often no more than a few dozen meters wide, hug both sides of the riverbanks, sheltering a dense tangle of willows, turanga poplars, oleasters, sea buckthorn, and tamarisks. Vines like clematis, calystegia, and blackberry lianas twist through the undergrowth, while reeds and wild grasses blanket the ground. In the wet, deltaic lower reaches of rivers, riparian forests turn into impassable thickets resembling mangroves.

Tugai forests are a sanctuary for a vast array of wildlife. Waterfowl nest in the reeds, pheasants feast on berries and seeds. Foxes, jackals, wolves and striped hyenas stalk, and tolai hares dart through the trees.

The elusive Bukhara deer roams the underbrush, and wild boars forage along the river’s edge. Once, even the majestic Turanian tiger prowled these corridors, until hunting and habitat loss drove them to extinction by the 1950s.

Wilderness Under Threat

The tugai forests have been disappearing for decades. Since the 1970s, they have been decimated due to land use changes, dam construction, direct exploitation through tree cutting for firewood, and irrigated agriculture development.

Climate change has also taken a large toll. Today, only scattered patches remain, many clinging to existence in protected areas like Zaravshan Nature Reserve near Samarkand in Uzbekistan and Tigrovaya Balka in Tajikistan.

 

Yet, amidst the loss, there is reason for hope. Conservation efforts began in the late 20th century, driven by local communities, wildlife enthusiasts, and international organizations.

Their work in places where tugai forests have been preserved shows that the participation of local communities and engagement with decision-makers are essential for the successful protection of the remaining forests and the restoration of the species that inhabit them.

One inspiring success story is the reintroduction of the Bukhara deer or hangul to Zaravshan National Park — a species that had vanished from the region nearly two centuries ago. It has made a comeback thanks to local efforts.

 

Local Involvement and Global Advocacy

The revival of the tugai forests is very much a community effort. Youth groups, women zoologists, and environmental activists have partnered with local populations to protect what remains and revive these forests.

Their work is focused on protecting trees and biodiversity as well as preserving local ways of life and ensuring these ecosystems continue to provide clean water, fertile land, and spaces for research and recreation.

 

The Global Forest Coalition and its members in the Central Asian region are actively promoting tugai forest conservation initiatives and developing joint projects to implement conservation ideas at the local, national and regional levels.

The Baku Forest Declaration, issued at UN Climate COP29 in Azerbaijan, calls for stronger protections, improved river flow management, and sustainable development practices. Key initiatives include introducing renewable energy solutions to reduce energy poverty, establishing nurseries for sustainable fuelwood harvesting, and ensuring local community involvement in forest management.

GFC’s regional coordinator Andrey Laletin explained, “We can no longer ignore that forests are more than carbon stocks. They are homes, water reservoirs, and lifelines for millions, especially in regions like Central Asia and the Caucasus.”

The fight to save the tugai forests is ongoing, and with each sapling planted and each species reintroduced, hope grows.

These lush riverine corridors are symbols of resilience and a testament to what is possible when people come together to protect nature with focus on community-based, gender-just, and rights-based solutions.

 

This post was prepared by Elena Kreuzberg, Andrey Laletin, and Megan Morrissey on March 21, 2025, on the occasion of the Interational Day of Forests.

 

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Learn more about what the Global Forest Coalition does

On this International Day of Forests, the Global Forest Coalition (GFC) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the world’s forests and defending the rights of the communities and Peoples that depend on and safeguard them, particularly women and girls. Forests are vital for maintaining ecological balance and combating climate change. They also serve as the lifeblood for Indigenous Peoples and local communities that have been their stewards for millennia.

The Multifaceted Importance of Forests

Forests cover over 30% of the world’s land area and are home to over 60,000 tree species, many yet to be identified. Forest ecosystems are complex and interconnected, and they provide essential resources—food, medicine, and livelihoods—to approximately 1.6 billion people globally. Beyond their ecological significance, forests are rich cultural landscapes embodying the traditions and wisdom of countless communities.

Women: The Unsung Guardians of Our Forests

Women play pivotal roles in forest protection, often serving as the primary custodians of traditional knowledge and practices. Despite their significant contributions, they face unique challenges, including limited access to resources and decision-making platforms and exposure to gender-based violence. Recognizing and amplifying women’s voices are crucial for effective forest protection and the well-being of their communities.

GFC’s Holistic Approach to Forest Protection

At GFC, our initiatives are deeply rooted in the principles of gender justice, community forest conservation, and respect for Indigenous rights in the context of forest policies. Our key campaigns include:

• Gender Justice and Forests: Advocating for policies that defend women’s rights, ensuring their active participation in forest conservation, management, and decision-making processes.
• Unsustainable Livestock Production: Addressing the environmental impacts of industrial livestock production, we promote community-led agricultural knowledge practices that harmonize with forest ecosystems.
• Forests and Climate Change: Championing real, rights-based, gender-responsive, and community-led solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises and opposing false solutions like monoculture tree plantations, REDD+, industrial bioenergy, geoengineering, and carbon and biodiversity offsetting.
• Extractive Industries, Tourism, and Infrastructure: Resisting projects that lead to deforestation and the displacement of Indigenous communities, promoting alternatives that prioritize ecological integrity and Mother Earth-centric actions.

Celebrating Our Collective Efforts

Today, we honor the relentless efforts of Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and our member organizations worldwide in safeguarding all types of forests and championing climate justice. Our united actions aim to ensure a just transition to a sustainable future, resisting false solutions to climate change including monoculture tree plantations and striving for an equitable and livable world for generations to come.

Join Us in Making a Difference

On this International Day of Forests, we invite you to stand with us in protecting these vital ecosystems. Together, we can amplify the voices of those who have been guardians of the forests for centuries and ensure that their rights and knowledge are respected and integrated into global and transformative efforts to protect forests and their peoples.

 

21 Mar, 2025
Posted in Forests and Climate Change