Zaamin State Nature Reserve

History

Alexei and Olga Fedchenko explored the area in the 1860s. Forest surveys in 1925–1926 led to the 8,500-hectare Guralash reserve, which operated in 1926–1929 and 1934–1951. Once it was abolished, uncontrolled logging, grazing, fires and poaching put the junipers at risk, so in 1959 the authorities decided to create the Zaamin reserve, officially founded in 1960. In 1978 a people's park, today's Zaamin National Park, was set up alongside it, forming a single protected massif.

Nature

The reserve covers the Kulsoy and Guralashsoy valleys, about 15,500 hectares, of which 11,200 hectares are juniper forest. Zeravshan and black junipers grow lower down, semi-globular juniper higher up and Turkestan juniper near the treeline, and some trees are 180 or even 400 years old. Scientists have recorded 720 plant species, 130 bird species and 37 mammals. The white-clawed bear, Turkestan lynx, bearded vulture and black stork are its flagship species.

Visiting

This is a strictly protected area that can only be entered with a permit and a ranger. The trails of the neighbouring national park are an easier way to see the juniper forests. In 2024 the reserve and the park were jointly added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List as the 'Zomin Mountains'.