On June 14, 2024, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a roundtable for employees of the Amudarya and Kaplankyr Nature Reserves and key experts on biodiversity.

The event aimed to implement the joint project "Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and High Nature Value Ecosystems in the Aral Sea Basin for Multiple Benefits," funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

During the roundtable, the mid-term indicators of the project's implementation were reviewed using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT). Participants also discussed the development of a five-year development plan for the Amudarya Nature Reserve and its Kelif Sanctuary.

Furthermore, based on the results of the inventory of the Amudarya Nature Reserve and within the framework of the establishment of the Pyatnyak Sanctuary, baseline values for the population of key animal and plant species were set, which need to be monitored to assess the overall state of the ecosystem. Species to focus on for population analysis were also identified.

The aforementioned project aims to facilitate achieving a neutral balance of land degradation, restoring and improving the use of land and water resources in the Amudarya basin of the Turkmen Aral Sea region to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. This will be achieved through a multi-purpose strategy involving three interrelated end results.

GEF investments will contribute to sustainable agriculture while effectively conserving vital ecosystem services through the "zero net loss" approach.