Discussion on Koytendag Nature Reserve's Nomination for UNESCO Listing

Discussion on Koytendag Nature Reserve's Nomination for UNESCO Listing
View from the bottom of the Daraydere Canyon, one of the deepest and greenest canyons in the Koytendag Mountains Nature Reserve, Lebap Velayat, Turkmenistan (Photo: Atamurat Veyisov/largelandscapes.org)

The Ministry of Environment Protection of Turkmenistan held an online meeting on January 30, 2025, with representatives from international environmental organizations, including the Michael Succow Foundation (MSF, Germany) and the Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC, USA). The main topic of discussion was the nomination of the Koytendag and Surhanderya nature reserves as a transnational UNESCO World Heritage site, according to a page dedicated to nature and conservation activities in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan initiated the process to include the Koytendag Nature Reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015 when it submitted the "Koytendag Mountain Ecosystem" dossier. After a technical review by experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they recommended submitting a transnational nomination in collaboration with the Surhanderya Reserve to ensure the integrity of the Kugitang Mountains ecosystem. Experts developed recommendations for further actions and for resubmitting the dossier.

Established in 1986, the Koytendag Nature Reserve is located in the Koyten Mountain range in eastern Lebap Velayat, covering an area of 27,100 hectares. It is home to rare species, including the Burmese ibex, lynx, brown bear, Persian leopard, striped hyena, and 155 bird species.

The reserve consists of three protected areas: Garlyk, Hojapil, and Hojaburjybelent, totaling approximately 90,000 hectares. Garlyk protects karst lakes and caves, Hojaburjybelent is known for its pistachio forests on Koyten Mountain, and Hojapil is recognized for its paleontological sites, including dinosaur footprints.

Photo: Large Landscape Conservation

2022