On January 20, 2026, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Erlan Nysanbayev, held a working meeting on the progress of reforestation and land reclamation efforts on the Drained Aral Sea bed (DASB).
Since 2021, systematic afforestation and land stabilization works have been conducted across the DASB. Over this period, 1.0 million hectares have been covered, 3,223.4 tons of saxaul and halophytic shrub seeds have been sown, and 53.2 million saxaul seedlings have been planted.
Following the meeting, the Minister instructed:
the Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry (KazNILKHA) named after A.N. Bokeikhan to provide scientific support for all activities on the DASB;
the Kyzylorda Regional Territorial Inspection of Forestry and Wildlife to oversee planting operations;
the Committee of Forestry and Wildlife to ensure timely and high-quality implementation of works in accordance with Presidential directives.
These initiatives aim to combat desertification, stabilize ecosystems, and protect the regional climate, supporting the sustainable development of the Aral Sea region.
📌 Source: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan
