Representatives of the UNDP in Uzbekistan, Zoology Institute under the Uzbekistan Science Academy of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Bird Protection Union, Management of Reserves, National Parks and Hunting of the Main Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management discussed expansion and creation of new national protected areas and proposals for including National Protected Areas of Uzbekistan to international lists at the working meeting.

It was noted that recommended expansion of national protected areas will allow to protect 70% of various vertebrates and 90%of rare faunas and threatened species.

Besides, 232 types of plants (71%), included to the Red Book of Uzbekistan, and all typical unions, which have no analogues outside of the country, will be covered with offered national protected areas.

Currently, the work on development of master plan on expansion of national protected areas for short- and long-term perspectives is underway within the project of the UNDP, Global Ecology Fund and the Government of Uzbekistan “Strengthening Sustainability of the National Protected Area System by Focusing on Strictly Protected Areas”. The master plan envisages to expand national protected areas from 2.317 million to 8.114 million hectares.

Recommendations on expanding national protected areas were developed based on scientific criteria and modern practices and experience, accrued within the international and national projects, implemented in Uzbekistan.

The meeting prepared proposals on terms of implementation of recommendations on expanding national protected areas in Uzbekistan, taking into account importance and priority of preserving existing biodiversity.