Deforestation in south contributing to floods and landslides

The depletion of fir tree forests in southern Kyrgyzstan is contributing to soil degradation, one of the major causes of subsequent floods and landslides, environmental scientists say. "A lack of proper protection of forests, the growing human impact on nature and unlimited livestock grazing have sharply reduced areas covered by these trees and have also worsened their condition," Prof Biymyrza Toktoraliev, a prominent academic and ecologist, told IRIN in Osh, Kyrgyzstan's second largest city. No other trees are being cut down at the same rate as fir trees, Toktoraliev added. Moreover, harmful insects and pests are also said to be affecting the fir plantations. Professors at the technical university in Osh say there has been a sharp reduction in fir plantations in the south of the country. Fir trees covered over 230,000 hectares in the region half a century ago, while they shrunk by 68,000 hectares by the 1980s and halved by 2001, they say. According to the Osh Technical University, deforestation in these areas is creeping up annually by around 1 percent. Although this may not seem dramatic, experts note that the most worrying feature of the story is that fir trees grow extremely slowly - roughly 3 millimetres in height and 1.5 millimetres in width a year. It thus takes almost 1,000 years for a Turkestan fir (Juniperus turkestanica) tree to grow by 3 metres, while often Turkestan fir trees are 18-metres high. Turkestan fir forests cover parts of the Nookat district of Osh province, where the Kyrgyz-Ata National Park was set up, and the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve in the southern Kyrgyz province of Jalal-Abad, as well as other mountainous areas of the region. Environmental specialists emphasise the role of fir trees in building habitat, protecting soil and regulating water. Growing on crevices, steep rocks and hills, evergreen trees enable normal snow melting and serve as a natural protection from avalanches and landslides. The roots of the fir trees are wide, spreading up to 150 metres, and strengthen the surface of the soil, which is vital for mountainous areas. Mountains cover more then 95 percent of Kyrgyzstan's territory. Moreover, these trees are a source of fresh air and their bactericidal effects are well known. Conifer trees of the juniper family growing in Alai, Turkestan and Chatkal mountain ranges can live for up to 5,000 years at altitudes of up to 3,500 metres above sea level. Local environmentalists say it is mainly local inhabitants that chop down fir trees for wood or sell them to vendors, an activity primarily caused by widespread poverty in the area. The average monthly salary in Kyrgyzstan is no more than US $35, while in rural areas that figure is even less.