Integrating PES and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Kyrgyzstan
“Integrating PES and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Kyrgyzstan“
(2011-2013)
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Donor: Swiss Re
Goal:
To improve sustainability of water supply for the rural community of the Chon-Aksuu river basin by implementing the effective Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme.
Background:
On 5th of December the first agreement on PES was signed. The parties of this agreement are: Issyk-Kul Forestry, Union of Water Users Associations “Suu-Bashi”; Zhayyt Committee OPP Temir A.; association of mushroom pickers; branch office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan.
The water issue in the Chon-Aksuu watershed clearly shows the interdependence between upstream and downstream nature use activities. To link them and address this problem, CAREC has set out to devise a PES scheme where upstream pasture and forest users act as “sellers” of ecosystem services (because by improving their land use they can provide more water-related ecosystems services) while downstream water users and mushroom pickers act as “buyers” (as they benefit from the services provided by the upstream ecosystems).
The payments are agreed to be made in-kind as the people of Kyrgyzstan are skeptical towards cash payments. Water user association downstream will assign 10 man-days to plant trees under the supervision of the forest administration. They will also provide 20 man-days to improve the current state of the pastures (reseeding, weeds removal, etc.) under the supervision of Pasture committees. The mushroom pickers will assign 30 man-days to prepare pastures and forests for tree planting activities under the supervision of the forest administration.
Future steps:
- To improve the present PES scheme – by including other users (medicinal plants pickers, bee keepers, etc), targeting, further research, monitoring and evaluation
- To facilitate the development of national policies and regulations on PES in Kyrgyzstan – complementary PES contracts in Chon Aksuu, involvement of Biosphere Reserve
- Reward for carbon storage – in discussion with the National Agency for Environmental Protection and considering involvement of national industries
Contacts:
- Simon Charré, Project manager
simon.charre@hotmail.fr - Maria Genina, Project coordinator
Tel.: +7 (727) 2785110; mgenina@carec.kz
Project documents and publications:
- Leaflet
- Pilot PES scheme in the Chon-Aksuu watershed, Kyrgyzstan Mariya Genina
- Workshop on piloting the Payment for Ecosystems Services tool in Kyrgyzstan – Pilot project in the Chon-Aksuu watershed Simon Charre
- The Reduction of the Emissions from Deforestation and forests Degradation tool (REDD+)
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
PES contract Forest Adm-Mushroom pickers
PES contract Forest Adm-WUA
PES contract Pasture Committee Temirovka-WUA
PES General Agreement
Report of Demo Tour to the Project Area
Regional Workshop: “Ecosystem services related to water in Central Asia: the creation of incentives to improve water management”
Video:
