Uzbekistan and South Korea partner on forest restoration
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Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change and the Korea Forest Service (KFS) signed an agreement to work together on restoring forests and addressing climate change.
The memorandum of understanding creates a plan for practical cooperation, with a focus on bringing back land damaged in the Aral Sea region, a large, shrinking lake in Central Asia. Uzbekistan and KFS plan to model their work after the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt initiative.
They will also create a detailed plan for cooperation spanning 2027 to 2029 and collaborate with other Korean groups to build 27 botanical and dendrological gardens, gardens devoted to trees and other woody plants, across Uzbekistan. Alongside the KFS agreement, Uzbekistan is also joining the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) and will begin joint projects with them, including the “Green Globe Project Uzbekistan Pine Forest” in the Fergana region, funded by South Korea.
The two groups also intend to apply for funding from the Green Climate Fund to support large-scale restoration in the Aral Sea region and develop projects focusing on nurseries, laboratories, carbon capture, and drought-resistant crops. Uzbekistan and the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) signed a separate agreement to improve protected area management, conserve biodiversity, and promote ecotourism.
As a first step, they will establish a model national park in Uzbekistan, alongside a visitor center, ranger service, and a digital monitoring center for natural areas.
