Kazakhstan plans to legalize the construction
of protective structures in specially protected natural areas, including
mudflow, landslide, and avalanche barriers. The country will also allow the expropriation
of land from national parks and forest reserves, but only for the development of
populated areas. Specifically, this will apply to the construction of social
and engineering infrastructure facilities, such as schools, hospitals, and
power lines. The corresponding draft law on forestry and specially protected
natural areas was approved in the first reading by the Mazhilis, the Lower
House of the Kazakh Parliament. The document was presented by Senate member
Olga Bulavkina, who emphasized that the provisions of the draft law will apply
only to facilities that existed prior to the creation or expansion of specially
protected natural areas. These provisions will be included in the country’s
Forest Code.
«Our common task in the protection and use of
lands of specially protected areas within the forest fund is to achieve a
balance between their development and conservation. The draft law includes
provisions empowering the authorized body to develop and approve regulations on
haymaking, which is allowed to meet the needs of the local population in state
nature reserves,» noted Olga Bulavkina, member of the Senate, the Upper House of
the Kazakh Parliament.
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