The Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan has issued an annual order to prepare subordinate structures for the fire-prone period and to ensure control over the situation within forest plantations, natural and reserved areas, and to carry out special measures to prevent the occurrence of a fire that adversely affects humans and the ecosystem.
The document approved a plan of specific preventive measures to prevent fire in the wild, as well as response measures for government and public organizations responsible for the season, including fire brigades of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The protection regime for both ecosystems, vegetation cover of foothill and steppe areas, as well as garden plantings and forest plantations begins on May 1 and will last until October 30. At this time, additional employees, volunteers, and security forces are involved in the work in the environmental management system.
One of the points of the order is devoted to fire prevention propaganda among the population, conducting training seminars for specialists of environmental structures. In this regard, a three-day training seminar was held on the basis of the Koytendag State Nature Reserve located in the Lebap velayat, organized by the local branches of the Society for Nature Protection, as well as the Fire Safety Department of the Police. The head of the scientific department of the Koytendag Nature Reserve, Shaniyaz Menliev, tells about this in detail:
– The seminar dealt with preparations for the fire season, coordination of joint interagency response. It was attended by 30 specialists from various organizations. During the meeting, preventive measures, emergency notification issues, and the practice of extinguishing wildfires in off-road conditions, including in mountain forests, were discussed. In Koytendag, juniper woodlands occupy up to 30,000 hectares, which has a high fire hazard category.
Fire, state and public environmentalists, researchers of the reserve made reports. The seminar participants got acquainted with the events held in the protected area. So, today 64 linear kilometers of mineralized fire canopy of plowed land have been prepared eight meters wide, 30 kilometers of mountain roads, which are of firewood, have been repaired. The sections and cordons of the reserve are equipped with fire extinguishing means. Observation posts equipped with operational communication systems are being set up everywhere on the high points of the foothills. Special firecrackers have been prepared to extinguish the fire, and drying is being carried out along the roads. Abundant watering is planned in man-made forest belts. During the fire season, explanatory talks will be held among the rural population, shepherds, tourists, and special lectures will be held in schools and organizations. Memos, booklets and other handouts have been prepared and distributed, which indicate how to behave in case of fire, how to inform operational services, etc.
An excursion to the natural monuments of Koitendag was organized for the participants of the seminar – to the gorges of Kyrkgyz, Daraydere, on the plateau of "dinosaurs", to the Umbardere waterfall and other attractions, where practical classes were held. Environmentalists told about the history of the region, the importance of natural sites, the peculiarities of biodiversity, and the environmental work carried out by the state. There was an exchange of experience, opinions, and practices, because the preservation of the natural heritage depends on each of us.
The participants stressed the importance of making every effort to protect the flora of Koitendag, numbering 1,003 species, of which 18 are narrow–range, and 63 are Pamir–Alai endemics. More than 240 species of unique local plants have medicinal properties, 41 species are wild relatives of cultivated plants, many flora components can be called decorative, 24 species are included in the Red Book of Turkmenistan. Wild animals can also suffer from fires, so nature especially needs care and help during the summer months. In this regard, we urge citizens to be careful, caring, responsible, vigilant and actively involved in fire prevention.
