Micro-Reserves: Community-based OECMs and Biodiversity Conservation in the Kyrgyz Mountains

In the mountains of the Kyrgyz Republic, biodiversity conservation is closely linked to the natural resource use practices of local communities, particularly pasture management and hunting. Areas outside formally designated protected areas are especially vulnerable. Despite their ecological importance and economic value to communities, these territories often lack formal protection, systematic monitoring, and adaptive management mechanisms.

Officially designated in 2025, Baiboosun is a specially protected natural area of local significance and one of the first formally recognized community-managed micro-reserves in Kyrgyzstan. What began in 2019 as a voluntary community initiative responding to declining wildlife populations evolved into a legally institutionalized conservation model covering more than 20,000 hectares of high-mountain, subalpine, and alpine ecosystems. Micro-reserves can help support Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to protect 30% of its territory by 2030.

Visit page

Related content

Environmental education and awareness-raising to improve the sustainable use of natural resources and preserve biodiversity in southern Kyrgyzstan

The project “Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction through Community-Based Management of Walnut Forests and Pastures,” funded by BMZ and implemented by GIZ and CAMP Alatoo, promoted sustainable natural resource use in Kyrgyzstan from 2018 to 2023.

A key outcome was strengthening environmental education. In remote mountain areas, biology and ecology were taught mainly in theory, with materials poorly adapted to local realities. To address this, local teachers and the project team developed a teacher’s manual with practical exercises and teaching guidance. Approved by the Kyrgyz Academy of Education, it was introduced in 35 schools, with potential for nationwide use. The project also supported integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into pre-service and in-service teacher training

Participatory development of an action plan for the restoration of the landscape and forests at the headwaters of the Mékrou Watershed

In northern Benin, the decline in vegetation cover is contributing to soil degradation and biodiversity loss. The headwaters of the Mékrou River basin (TBV), covering an area of 36,316 hectares and located in the Atacora department, is severely affected by this phenomenon. Between 2005 and 2020, nearly 95% of the dense forests have disappeared, and 46.6% of the gallery forests are now degraded, thereby weakening ecosystems and the living conditions of local populations. The participatory development of an action plan for landscape and forest restoration (LFR) constitutes a restoration solution that involves all stakeholders, with a focus on local communities and their restoration needs. This process, developed at the Mékrou TBV level, resulted in an RPF action plan validated by all stakeholders, whose shared vision is: to restore and protect the Mékrou forest landscape in order to improve socioeconomic conditions by 2030.

Community-based pasture management to conserve walnut forest and State Forest pastures

The GIZ project ‘Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction through Community Based Nut Forest and Pasture Management’, implemented from 2015 to 2023 in southern Kyrgyzstan, piloted a participatory pasture management approach. Livestock breeding is the main source of income for the local population. The pressure on pastures is increasing annually due to misuse and constant growth of livestock (+3% per year). Intensive grazing also damages the unique walnut forest, which covers an area of 13,000 ha. Due to grazing in the forest, damage to the forest is expressed in the loss of seedlings and ageing of the forest due to lack of regeneration. During the project, a plan for participatory pasture management was developed by involving residents in the state forest fund. A platform for general discussion of pasture issues called District Pasture Commission was also established. During 8 years the platform has shown its high efficiency in solving conflict issues.

The information campaign carried out by CAMP Alatoo PF under the Eco-Education, Forest Management and Value Chain components

Walnut forests in southern Kyrgyzstan are negatively affected by human activities. In the Arstanbap area, where a large proportion of the forest is concentrated, forests serves as the main source of income for the communities. However, there is unsustainable use of natural resources, manifesting itself in the illegal felling of healthy trees, grazing in the forest, and improper harvesting. The residents’ behavior is explained by their high dependence on pasture and forest resources, low or complete lack of knowledge and information about the harms of their actions. The information campaign carried out by CAMP Alatoo PF under the Eco-Education, Forest Management and Value Chain components included in the project “Biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction through community-based management of walnut forests and pastures” aimed at raising people’s awareness and knowledge, changing attitudes and values, providing tools and knowledge necessary for sustainable management and biodiversity conservation.

Inclusive and sustainable nature education at the Limay Geological Site Nature Reserve

The Limay Geological Site Regional Nature Reserve, located on the outskirts of an urbanized area, welcomes a diverse range of visitors year-round to its activities, with the aim of raising awareness of our natural heritage among as many people as possible in the context of climate change. In Limay, these visitors are often local residents rather than tourists.

To ensure everyone has access to nature, the nature reserve team offers inclusive and diverse walks and activities open to all: people with mobility challenges, those with disabilities, seniors, children of all ages, and more—by providing adapted equipment and a variety of educational resources. The focus is on accepting others’ needs, mutual support, and participation according to one’s own abilities.

In addition to energy efficiency and the sustainability and repairability of infrastructure and equipment, the team supports and encourages its visitors in the transition by promoting sustainable transportation to the site and waste reduction.

Green Value Chain Development through Restoration, Dja et Mpomo Model Forest

Cameroon’s forests face pressures from logging, agricultural expansion, population growth, and climate change. These challenges are made worse by inadequate forest management. In response, the Dja and Mpomo Model Forest (FOMOD) in eastern Cameroon developed an agroforestry model across its 1.6 million-hectare Congo Basin landscape. This began in 2011 with two pilot micro-enterprises. The first focused on Moringa cultivation, valued for its ecological co-benefits. This success led to the expansion into four municipal level enterprises. These were later consolidated through the “Eco Agricultural Business for the Adaptation to Changes in Climate (B-ADAPT)” project on eco-agricultural adaptation to climate change. FOMOD has sought to increase institutional visibility, combat endemic poverty, strengthen governance for vulnerable groups (Indigenous peoples, women, and youth), and build financial self-sufficiency through agroforestry and new partnerships. Core to building self-sufficiency is the development of green value chains.

Community Empowerment to Conserve Forests and Water Sources in Cerro San Gil, Puerto Barrios, Izabal, Guatemala

The Motagua River Basin Integrated Environmental Management Project aims to reduce land-based pollution and unintentional emissions of POPs that affect aquatic ecosystems—particularly marine and coastal ecosystems—through integrated watershed management and capacity building in Guatemala and Honduras. Within this framework, a pilot project was implemented to protect and restore water recharge areas in the Cerro San Gil Springs Protected Reserve, Puerto Barrios, Izabal, within the Las Escobas River basin, the municipality’s main water source. Through partnerships between public institutions, conservation organizations, and local communities, ecological restoration efforts, patrols, and conservation agreements were promoted. A total of 85 hectares were restored and 1,800 hectares were protected. The initiative benefited more than 32,000 residents and strengthened local governance for water and ecosystem conservation.

Strengthening the Environmental Public Fund to Finance Biodiversity Projects in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico

Mexico is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, home to rich fauna and flora and considered a biocultural hotspot. However, ecosystem degradation and climate change have threatened biodiversity across the country.

Amid this situation, the Ministry of Environment and Land-use Planning of the state of Guanajuato, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), strengthened the management and mobilization strategy of Guanajuato’s Environmental Public Fund. Following these reforms, the fund’s annual revenue increased by USD 545,110 (MXN 10,000,000), improving its capacity to finance biodiversity-relatedprojects.

This initiative is part of a broad strategy to implement the BIOFIN methodology at the subnational level across 15 state governments in Mexico, enhancing biodiversity finance while adapting to the context and priorities of each state.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSERVATION OF SEA TURTLES

The sea turtle nesting monitoring program in Galápagos National Park began in the early 2000s and has established itself as a long-term practice. It is based on three main pillars: active volunteering, which allows for night patrols and camps throughout the season; stable funding, which guarantees logistics, food, and adequate conditions for participants; and standardized protocols, which facilitate the integration of national and international volunteers and ensure data quality. These conditions have allowed the work to continue for more than two decades and generate valuable information for the region. The exchange of data with other countries amplifies the impact of the practice beyond the Galapagos, positioning it as a sustainable, replicable model with regional relevance.

Building Peace with Nature in the Colombian Amazon

The Colombian Amazon is a biome of extraordinary biocultural richness that provides vital ecosystem services and faces complex socio-environmental pressures. There, traditional practices of Indigenous Peoples coexist with the productive systems of peasant, Afro-Colombian, and peace-signatory communities, as well as extractive activities and armed conflict.

There are also socio-environmental conflicts driven by socioeconomic inequalities among its inhabitants, which contribute to deforestation and affect ecological connectivity. In contrast, there is a tradition of community-led processes that sustainably manage the territory.

This solution presents the results of the Sustainable Amazon for Peace project, which strengthened environmental governance for #PeaceWithNature through conservation practices and the sustainable use of biodiversity in the northwestern Amazon (areas with the highest deforestation rates); supported by public policies formulated by institutions contributing to the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Agreement and climate action.

Building Peace with Nature in the Colombian Amazon

The Colombian Amazon is a biome of extremely high biocultural richness that provides vital ecosystem services while also facing complex socio-environmental pressures. There, traditional uses of Indigenous Peoples, productive systems of peasant, Afro and peace signatory communities, extractive activities and armed conflict coexist.

There are also socio-environmental conflicts driven by the socioeconomic inequalities of its inhabitants, which increase deforestation and affect ecological connectivity. In contrast, there is a tradition of community processes that sustainably manage the territory.

This solution presents the results of the Sustainable Amazon for Peace project, which strengthened environmental governance for #PazConLaNaturaleza, through conservation practices and sustainable use of biodiversity in the northwestern Amazon (where there are high deforestation rates); with the support of public policies formulated by the institutions contributing to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and climate action.

‘Food from Our Ancestors’: A solution to inter-related food, nature and cultural socio-ecological challenges

At !Khwa ttu, an indigenous San heritage centre on 850ha in South Africa’s Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, food tells a story. The team asked: What if our restaurant truly reflected San culture? With guidance from regenerative chef Christiaan Campbell, they redesigned the space, rethought the menu, and embraced the idea: “Serving heritage on every plate.” Meals now carry flavours of the land—wild herbs, seasonal plants, and tastes once used by San hunter-gatherers. While they can’t gather large amounts daily, every dish has at least a touch of the indigenous—a spice, a leaf, a flavour connecting guests to land and people. Visitors can explore further on tours showcasing how the San blend ancient knowledge with modern agroecology to restore plants and wildlife in a changing climate. The menu also builds relationships: !Khwa ttu works with 40+ local producers, grows herbs, blends teas and forages wild foods. Nothing is wasted. Food here is more than a meal—it connects past, land, and community—a recipe for a healthy planet.