Tugay forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve

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Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve: An Unspoiled Ecosystem in Central Asia

The Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve, situated in southwestern Tajikistan, is home to one of the most significant and intact tugay forest ecosystems in Central Asia. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, this unique reserve spans an area of approximately 460 square kilometers (180 square miles), making it the largest and best-preserved example of its kind globally.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

This property is located between the Vakhsh and Panj rivers in southwestern Tajikistan. The Reserve includes extensive riparian tugay ecosystems, the sandy Kashka-Kum desert, the Buritau peak, as well as the Hodja-Kaziyon mountains. The property is composed of a series of floodplain terraces covered by alluvial soils, comprising tugay riverine forests with very specific biodiversity in the valley. The tugay forests in the reserve represent the largest and most intact tugay forest of this type in Central Asia, and this is the only place in the world where the Asiatic poplar tugay ecosystem has been preserved in its original state over an area of this size.

Encyclopedia Record: Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve

Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Tajikistan located at the confluence of the Vakhsh and Panj Rivers forming the Amu Darya River. It stretches over 40 km (25 mi) from the south-west to the north-east with an area of 460 km2 (180 sq mi).

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