Perestroika to Parkland: The Evolution of Land Protection in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan

Tajik National Park, located in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, has undergone significant transformation from a depopulated landscape during Stalin's era to a thriving protected area. The study highlights that the park's establishment in 1992 and its subsequent designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 were driven by a combination of natural resilience and human advocacy. The research, based on field and archival data, traces the evolution of land protection from Soviet restrictions to post-perestroika migration and conservation efforts. It also identifies the park's potential for transboundary conservation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, aligning with the Man and the Biosphere model.

Cunha, S. F. (2016). Perestroika to Parkland: The Evolution of Land Protection in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 107(2), 465–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2016.1248551