The total forest area in Uzbekistan has now reached 4.7 million hectares. This is a result of the implementation of the “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy, which, among other, includes measures to expand the area under forests and restore degraded lands across the country, according to the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.
The expansion of forests is regarded as one of the key factors in ensuring environmental sustainability, combating desertification, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
This year, forest planting and restoration activities covered 150.7 thousand hectares. The main volume of forest reclamation activities was concentrated on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea and in the Aral Sea region, where 145.2 thousand hectares were afforested. In the Muynak District, forest plantations were established on 90.5 thousand hectares. Significant work was also carried out in a number of districts of the Bukhara Region, as well as in the Navoi and Khorezm regions.
In parallel, systematic work is being carried out to develop nurseries and strengthen the material and technical base of forestry. To ensure sustainable rates of greening, 979 tons of tree and shrub seeds were procured. In all forestry enterprises of the country, modern nurseries have been established on an area of 1,300 hectares, where 123 million saplings and seedlings adapted to local soil and climatic conditions are being grown.
Special attention is paid to preventing land degradation. In desert and foothill areas, protective forest belts were created on an area of 1,390 hectares, reducing soil erosion and wind impact. In mountainous zones, forests were planted on 41 hectares using the terracing method, which makes it possible to effectively strengthen slopes and preserve natural landscapes.
