Community-Based Wildlife Management in Central Asia

A gathering of wildlife management experts from across the broader Central Asian region was convened in September at Supara Chunkurchak in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan by IUCN CEESP/SSC Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULI), represented by Rosie Cooney (Australia) and Shane Mahoney (Canada), in partnership with Panthera, Hunting and Conservation Alliance of Tajikistan, GIZ, TRAFFIC and the IUCN Eastern Europe & Central Asia Regional Office. The experts and government representatives from central and western Asian countries – Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the Russian Federation were complemented by international experts and representatives of the Wild Sheep Foundation, the SCI Foundation, The Russian Mountain Hunters Club and the US Delegation of the CIC.

The participants agreed that Community-Based Wildlife Management CBWM engages communities to value wild species and landscapes, fosters community wildlife management activities, and generates income streams and other benefits from wild species and healthy landscapes. It was recognized that CBWM is a new approach in the wider Central Asian region – in several countries there are promising initiatives, while it remains almost absent in others – but establishment and growth of CBWM faces many challenges.

The meeting inter alia called on governments, donors, conservation organizations, local communities and other key stakeholders

• to recognize and strengthen the role of CBWM in the region,
• support and promote the development of diverse local livelihood options based on sustainable use of wild resources,
• establish enabling legislative and regulatory frameworks,
• assist CBWM organizations to document their wildlife management practices
• strengthen the understanding of conservation and community dimensions among wildlife user groups including international hunters, and hunting operators and hunting agents/consultants to promote best practice in their decision-making and operations.

The key outcomes of the meeting are encapsulated in the “The Chunkurchak Recommendations on Community-based Wildlife Management in the broader Central Asian region”. Download the Recommendations in English and Russian.