Ecological and economic basis for the effective use of forest resources in Kazakhstan (using the example of Semey Orman)

The study aims to construct an ecological-economic model for sustainable development of the forest resources in the Semirechye region of Kazakhstan. Under a scenario where economic strain and environmental deterioration threaten the very sustenance of these invaluable regions, the present investigation presents a scientific analysis of the scenario and points towards operational solutions to balance conservation and development goals. The satellite imagery interpretation, field studies, and semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders were employed to collect data for the research. The results show that excessive dependence on the revenue from wood (۱۷۶.۷ million tenge a year) together with alarming forest health indicators (۳۵% of pines damaged) and regeneration rates (۸۵ stems/hectare of pines) have made the current model unsustainable. On the other hand, examination of the potential alternatives shows that the production of non-timber forest products (potential income ۲۰.۶ million tenge), ecotourism (۱۲.۵ million tenge), and ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration (۴۵ million tenge) have the potential to increase the overall annual income of the area to ۲۳۶.۱ million tenge. This transformation in the economy would not only improve the ecological resilience of the forest, but also lay the foundation for a more diversified and resilient economic base. The study concludes that sustainable management in Semey-Orman can be achieved by moving beyond the traditional single-product system towards an integrated and multi-purpose one that ensures smart timber production in addition to the development of conservation-oriented economic capabilities.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sustainable forest management ، Green economy ، Non-timber products ، Ecosystem services ، Semey-Orman