Western Tien-Shan World Heritage Site (Kyrgyz Part): From Traditional to Modern Management Challenges

The Western Tien-Shan World Heritage Site (WTS WHS) includes sites in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, in Central Asia. The Kyrgyz part of the WTS WHS includes the Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve (also UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), Besh-Aral State Nature Reserve, and Padysha-Ata State Nature Reserve. The Kyrgyz territory protected areas, that are included in the WTS WHS, are subject to existing management plans developed within the framework of the Environmental Law of Kyrgyzstan. Historically established, local, clanbased governance systems, in natural and cultural heritage sites, began to collapse during the Soviet era and, currently, they are either dispossessed or highly deteriorated. Learning from international experiences, the WTS WHS management can be improved with fresh assessments of the natural and cultural values, greater oversight to implement international standards, better promotion of tourism and pilgrimage routes, and by developing effective management at the World Heritage Site