Concept of Development of the Forest Sector in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2040.

Concept of Development of the Forest Sector in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2040 is a nationwide sectoral policy document elaborated for the purpose of ensuring sustainable management of forest ecosystems and rational forest management, including forest conservation and expansion of forest area through improvement of joint forest management system and introduction of digital infrastructure. The goal of the forest sector development until 2040 is sustainable forest management to ensure economic well-being of the people, social welfare, environmental security and a favourable environment for the citizens of Kyrgyz Republic. To achieve the aforesaid goal, priorities have been identified that ensure the sustainable development of forestry in the Republic and reflect all components of sustainability: economy, social relations, environment and institutional frameworks. According to Kyrgyz legislation, all forests and forest funds are under the exclusive ownership of the state and are managed by the state.
The objective of the economic priority of forestry development until 2040 is to increase the contribution of forestry to GDP to 1%. To achieve this objective, the following targets have been defined: (a) to implement a system of ecological and economic accounting (forest inventory); (b) to create conditions for increasing the economic sustainability of forestry; (c) to introduce a value-added chain for forest resources; and (d) to ensure that the recreational potential of forest ecosystems is used sustainably.
The objective of the social priority of forestry until 2040 will be to reduce the poverty rate of rural population living in close proximity to forests or on the territory of the state forest fund by 10%. To achieve this objective, the following targets need to be achieved: (a) ensuring joint management of forests; (b) diversification of income sources; and (c) introduction of integrated natural resources management. In order to reduce dependence on a single income source, local communities and people living directly in or in proximity to forest area can diversify their sources of income, i.e., they can follow a multifunctional approach to forest management. Forests in the same forest area have several functions at the same time and achieve a number of objectives in a certain combination.
In order to create favourable conditions for sustainable forest management and improvement of the efficiency of forest sector, shall be performed institutional reform of forest sector, improvement and introduction of innovative technologies of forest management.