A roundtable on the draft National Forest Program of Turkmenistan for 20262030 was held in Ashgabat. The event was organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the UNDP, and the Aral Project. Scientists, members of the Mejlis, and sector experts attended, Turkmenistan’s official media reported Wednesday.
The updated program includes 13 chapters and a concrete action plan. For the first time, it introduces state forest management and strengthens the focus on natural forest restoration, paving the way for a comprehensive forest cadastre.
The document establishes mechanisms for public-private partnerships. Entrepreneurs will be able to lease forest fund plots to grow fruit, oilseed, and medicinal crops, develop ecotourism, and create jobs while maintaining state ownership.
The program also addresses desertification and climate change adaptation. Scientists proposed methods to improve pastures, including planting black saxaul and using local runoff for irrigation, which increases yields and pays off in three to five years. Forests are viewed as carbon sinks, creating opportunities to participate in international carbon credit markets.
Digitalization will be a key tool for implementation. The program plans to use GIS technologies, satellite imagery, and artificial intelligence to monitor forests, particularly in remote areas.
Integration of science and private investment is expected to expand “green belts” and strengthen the country’s ecological resilience.