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PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0328/01 0521412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 211412Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6734
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1389
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1430
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1419
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1370
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1313
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1386
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1344
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1283
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1189
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0970
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1437
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1472
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0763
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 7849

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, G, USDAFS 
TASHKENT FOR ESTH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EIND SENV TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S NATIONAL PARKS SEEK U.S. COOPERATION 
 
 
DUSHANBE 00000328  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Central Asian Regional Environment, Science, 
Technology and Health Officer (REO), and Environmental 
Specialist and Embassy PolOff, visited the Tigrovaya Balka 
National Reserve February 8.   Officials from State Committee on 
Environmental Protection (SCEP) accompanied EmbOffs.  The 
government has made some efforts to improve the park system and 
recognizes tourism as an alternative means to diversify the 
economy, however the government lacks the money and specialized 
skills needed to upgrade the parks.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Tajikistan's 17 natural reserves and parks are good 
prospects for eco-tourism or extreme-tourism, and could 
potentially generate significant public and private income. 
Already Marco Polo sheep, the Pamir Mountains, and Tajikistan's 
pristine environment, untrampled by Western tourists, draw some 
100 hunters, hikers, and adventurous backpackers who are willing 
to pay thousands of dollars to travel to Tajikistan.   SCEP 
officials are interested in working with the United States 
government, especially the United States Department of 
Agriculture's Forest Service (USDAFS), and have begun 
discussions to improve park management.  Tajikistan is also 
reaching out to its neighbors, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan 
to establish a Peace Park in the Pamirs. 
 
¶3.  Tigrovaya Balka National Reserve is located in southern 
Tajikistan and borders Aghanistan.   During the Tajik civil war, 
Russian and Tajik Government forces were stationed in the 
reserve and refugees from Tajikistan and Afghanistan often 
transited through and hunted in the park, destroying its 
resources.  Tajik Border Guards now patrol the reserve's 
southern border, and SCEP officials assured EmbOffs that drug 
smugglers and terrorists no longer transit the reserve. 
Approximately 30 park employees supervise the nearly 
50,000-hectare reserve. 
 
¶4.  The SCEP recognized that money will help rebuild the park 
system, but they also realize that they need assistance from 
tourism, ecology, and park specialists.  SCEP officials 
explained that with the collapse of the Soviet Union, like other 
fields, specialists left the country, and Tajikistan's current 
education system no longer can supply the scientific and 
technical specialists needed to manage the parks   The SCEP 
realizes new laws need to be added to promote eco-tourism and 
proper park management and is working with the Parliament on a 
draft law revising Soviet-era environmental protection laws. 
 
¶5.  One of the problems afflicting the Tigrovaya Balka Nature 
Reserve, as well as most of Central Asia is salinization.  A 
white layer of salt coats a large part of the reserve. 
Salinization is a common problem throughout Tajikistan and must 
be carefully managed to protect native salt-tolerant species. 
Agricultural practices in most of Central Asia result in the 
kind of salt layers seen in Tigrovaya Balka. 
 
¶6.  Most of Tigrovaya Balka's facilities were destroyed during 
the civil war, and since then, the government has been able to 
do little financially to help the park.  However, SCEP officials 
assured EmbOffs that the government is beginning to fund 
environmental projects and has earmarked 600,000 somoni 
(approximately $187,000) over four years for improvements in the 
park system.  In addition, international donors are also 
assisting in some park improvements.  Last year, the park 
received enough government financing to build a museum at its 
entrance and renovate some rest areas and buildings throughout 
the reserve. 
 
¶7.  COMMENT:  SCEP officials seemed progressive and understand 
the need to modernize laws in order to improve the system. 
However, in many ways, they are still rooted in the Soviet-era 
 
DUSHANBE 00000328  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
approach to park and land management.  Tajikistan's nature parks 
and tourism industry would benefit greatly from cooperation with 
the U.S. National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and other U.S. government agencies active in 
park and forest management, environmental protection, and 
tourism.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND