Earth Observation Support for Forest Management in Kyrgyzstan
GDA Forest Management in collaboration with the ADB used Earth Observation to map forest conditions, track changes, and provide Kyrgyzstan’s Forest Service with reliable data to strengthen conservation and long‑term land management in the walnut‑fruit forests of the Jalal‑Abad region
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Description
The GDA Forest Management activity has been working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the design of the CARE project in Kyrgyzstan, which focuses on conserving and restoring the walnut‑fruit forests in the Jalal‑Abad region. A series of Earth Observation datasets were delivered in three cycles across an area of approximately 8,558 km² encompassing four State Forest Enterprises (SFEs): Toskool-Ata, Arslanbop-Ata, Kyzyl-Unkur, and Kara-Alma. These include baseline maps of the area, detailed land cover and forest type maps for 2019 and 2024, and land cover and forest change maps for 2019 – 2024.
The mapping shows that the region’s forests, which are home to one of the world’s largest natural walnut ecosystems, remain largely stable, with most changes linked to small human activities or natural events like landslides and riverbank shifts. The products are now being used by national agencies to strengthen forest monitoring, hazard assessment, and long‑term land management planning. As the CARE project moves forward, the datasets will be refined with feedback and integrated into Kyrgyzstan’s National Forest Monitoring System, laying the groundwork for more consistent, evidence‑based forest management across the country.
You can read more about this Case Study here: Conservation and afforestation for resilient ecosystems in Kyrgyzstan with Earth Observation