Dalverzin State Forestry and Hunting Management Area (20680)
Uzbekistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Dalverzin State Forestry and Hunting Management Area
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.5335, Longitude: 69.1078
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 160 to 240
Area of KBA (km2): 11.19316
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Dalverzin Government Forestry and Hunting Concession is situated in the bottomland of the middle reaches of the Syrdarya river, 120 km south of Tashkent and 20 km north of Bekabad town. The area of the proposed IBA is 6,000 ha, more than 70% (4,200 ha) is tugay (riverside) forest, more than 20% is rice and wheat fields, and 5-7 % is waterbodies (the large Kolgansyr and Krivoye Lakes, both of which freeze in winter, and the Urtokly canal system flowing into the Syrdarya). The site, which is used for game husbandry, has protection status since 2000, and is subject to the regulations relating to the management of nature reserves, national parks and game husbandry areas of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Main species hunted are Lepus (capensis) tolai, Sus scrofa, Canis aureus, Phasianus colchicus and ducks. Food and cover crops are grown to benefit Phasianus colchicus and Sus scrofa. This area is also used as a recreation zone by people from Tashkent and the Bekebad district of Tashkent region. From an ornithological point of view, Dalverzin is interesting in autumn and winter (October – March) when many waterfowl concentrate there. In summer only the biome-restricted species are of interest. Colonies of Ciconia ciconia are situated 3-5 km outside the game husbandry area. These number more than 100 nests and birds feed on the IBA both in the breeding and wintering seasons.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: From an ornithological point of view, Dalverzin is interesting in autumn and winter (October – March) when many waterfowl concentrate there. In summer only the biome-restricted species are of interest. Colonies of Ciconia ciconia are situated 3-5 km outside the game husbandry area. These number more than 100 nests and birds feed on the IBA both in the breeding and wintering seasons. This colony formed 2-3 years ago. Until recently Otis tarda nested at Dalverzin but has now disappeared (Meklenburtsev, 1990). The breeding and hunting of pheasants is one of the main directions of the concession. Non-bird biodiversity: The most important mammals are Canis aureus and Sus scrofa, whose number is rising. It is significant that from Dalverzin a special subspecies of the Great Gerbil - Rhombomys opimus dalversinica - was described. Flora is represented by dense tugay forest along the Syrdarya river, introduced broadleaved trees occur near buildings and along canals, and there are large areas of tamarisk and other bushes.
Delineation rationale: Coordinates and area of this IBA were calculated with ArcGIS.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The area is predominately tugay thickets which used to be cut down until recently. There are also rice and wheat fields. Following protection these crops became foraging places for Greylag Goose, ducks, pigeons and different Passeriformes. Unfrozen sections of the canal provide wintering areas for assemblages of waterfowl in severe winters. Cattle are grazed in small numbers. In spring and autumn the site is used to a small extent by resting migrants.
Land use: agriculture (30%) | fisheries/aquaculture (10%) | forestry (100%) | hunting (100%) | nature conservation and research (100%) | tourism/recreation (30%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 30 | |
| Forest | 30 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 30 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Small scale cattle grazing has little influence on habitats. In spring and autumn disturbance by holidaying people is small. Main threats: From recent time introducing seaweed unknown to us of a species cultivate in various reservoirs of republic as fodder additives for domestic cattle. This seaweed get in internal reservoirs of the hunting husbandry on channels from the river Syr-Darya. Active vegetation of this seaweed results to full cover internal reservoirs and does their unsuitable for a waterfowl.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Only in the past and unlikely to return |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Mitropolskiy M.G. Reports of the counting waterfowls at April 2004 (manuscript) Mitropolskiy M.G. Reports of the counting waterfowls at April 2006 (manuscript) Mitropolskiy M.G., Soldatov V.A., Atakhojaev A.A., Kashkarov R.D. Report of the autumn bird counting, November 2006. (manuscript) Mitropolskiy O.V. , Ayupov A.N., Mitropolskiy M.G., Kashkarov R.D., Soldatov V.A., Atakhojaev A.A. Report of the winter bird counting, January-March & November-December 2006. (manuscript) Mitropolskiy M.G. The Ferruginous Duck in Tashkent region // Materials for given more precise definition to species status in IUCN List. Mitropolskiy M.G., Kashkarov R.D. Greater Spotted Eagle and White-tailed Sea-eagle in Tashkent region //Raptors and their conservation. Nijniy-Novgorod, 2007 (in print) Mitropolskiy O.V. , Mitropolskiy M.G., Kashkarov R.D. Wintering of shorebirds in Tashkent region // Materials of shorebirds in North Eurasia. Moscow, 2007 (in print) Humerology collection of Mitropolskiy family. Results of data analysis from Tashkent region during 1996-2006 period.