Design in Specially Protected Natural Territories (SPNT)

Projects are implemented within the governmental programs and also with support from international foundations and organizations. The Company has implemented the large scope of works in this direction by tendering, upon request of the government authorized body in the area of SPNT - Forestry and Wildlife Committee at RoK Ministry of Agriculture (RoK MoA FWC) and its subordinate organizations (reserves, national parks, RSE Okhotzooprom, etc.).

Also, similar projects were developed for RoK Presidential Administration (Burabai National Park), relevant divisions of regional and city akimats, including international organizations - UNDP-Kazakhstan, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Association for Conservation of Biological Diversity of Kazakhstan, RoK Ministry of Education and Science.

 The list of projects related to specially protected natural territories includes development and approval of the following documents and materials in the manner prescribed by the legislation:

• Scientific Rationale for creation of new SPNTs or territory expansion of existing SPNTs, including development of SPNT passport, creation of thematic maps for project territory (landscape, ecosystems, soil, vegetation, distribution of rare flora and fauna species, etc.) and procedure of lands reservation for SPNT.
• Feasibility Study for creation of new SPNTs or territory expansion of existing SPNTs, including land management project for land allotment, master plan for infrastructure development and mapping materials (maps of functional zoning of territory, placement of infrastructure facilities, tourist routes, etc.
• Updating of the Feasibility Study in regard to master plan for infrastructure development upon its expiry or for other reasons provided by the legislation of RoK.
• Scientific Rationale for abolition of the state natural sanctuaries and state preserved areas of republican status and reduction of their territories.
• Feasibility Study for transfer of SPNT lands to reserve lands in exceptional cases.
• SPNT management plan.
• Plan for hunting farm management (for national parks and nature reserves).
• Conducting ecological control of air quality in SPNT territory.
   

 During the Company’s operations period (since 1999) we have developed over 100 various projects on SPNTs in Kazakhstan. Under the projects of CRS & GIS “Terra”, the following national naturel parks were created: Altyn-Emel, Charyn, Buiratau, Syrdaria-Turkestan regional park, Altyn-Dala natural wildlife reserve, Kyzylarai-Begazy historical-cultural and natural reserve, Ontustik Altai complex wildlife area, Issyk national dendrology park. The Company has developed master plans for tourism infrastructure development (projects on Feasibility Study Updating) for all 11 national parks of Kazakhstan and 2 nature reserves - Semey Ormany and Ertys Ormany.

 The Company has implemented the projects which helped to considerably expand the area of many SPNTs, particularly, the national parks: Bayanaul, Charyn, Ile-Alatau, Burabai, Barsakelmes and Markakol national natural parks and also Andasai faunal area.

 All documents were prepared for creation of new SPNTs: Tarbagatai and Turkestan national parks; the national forest natural reserves in flood plains of the rivers II, Zhayik and Ertys, and also Aral reserve on the drained bed of the Aral Sea; territory expansion of the Barsakelmes reserve, creation of Kyzylkum nature sanctuary and the national preserve zone in Mangistau oblast.

 Thanks to projects of CRS & GIS “Terra” alone, since 2000 the area of SPNTs in Kazakhstan has increased by 2.3 million hectares. A full package of documents was prepared for creation of new SPNTs to the total area of 7.1 million hectares. This is a substantial contribution of the Company to the nature conservation and biodiversity preservation on a global scale, not only for Kazakhstan.

Upon the initiative of the Company’s specialists, in the process of these works, new methods have been developed which make it possible to perform control over particular species and ecosystems as whole and are used in the works at SPNTs and other territories.

List of Methodologies developed by CRS & GIS “Terra”:

1. Methodology for assessment of tourist recreation capacity and permissible recreation loads on SPNT, tested on the territory of Ile-Alatau and Kolsai kolderi National parks and approved by RoK MoA FWC.
2. Methodology for single-tree inventory of green planting and data organization in GIS, developed along with LLP Kazakhstan Ecology Development, tested in the process of Reconstruction of a Baum Grove National Monument of Nature Project, RoK MoA FHC (2011).
3. Methodology for inventory of woodlands on large areas using remote sensing and GIS technologies, which was successfully tested in Aktubinsk oblast with support of Oblast Akimat.
4. Methodology for assessment of lands desertification and degradation using remote sensing data developed and approved in the context of similar project in Aktyubinsk Oblast with support of Oblast Akimat.
5. Methodology for assessment of pasture grounds degradation using remote sensing data, tested in Raimbek district, Almaty Oblast.
    

CRS and GIS “Terra” also develops projects related to wildlife population and condition assessment. Overall, 34 projects of this type were executed. These include projects for hunting management (27 projects) which resulted in «Hunting Management Plan» and preparation of biological rationale for using wildlife objects. The Company also supports WWF in implementing the Tiger Reintroduction Program for South Balkhash Lake area.

 As the Company experts have academic degrees, all researches are carried out at high level in cooperation with different divisions of the Company, this enables them to develop and introduce new approaches during project implementation, particularly, GIS and remote sensing technologies. This considerably accelerates time of work performance and improves quality. Unlike research institutes operating based on scientific programs and grants which do not bind them to introduce their results in practice, our Company’s scientific developments and innovations are introduced right away without any additional procedures as they are produced in the process of solving specific tasks when implementing operational and other projects.

 The Company specialists provide continued consulting assistance to staff of national parks, reserves and other organizations and also to individuals in regard to nature conservation, biodiversity preservation, methods of scientific researches and uses of modern technologies.