Once the fourth largest lake in the world, the Aral Sea has been facing rapid depletion, shrinking to 10% of its original size and splitting into four lakes. Such major water decline led to the formation of a large Aralkum Desert, with its salinized soil becoming the main source of dust and salt storms in Central Asian States (CAS) and beyond. Occupying approximately 6 million ha (2.8 million ha located in Kazakhstan (Kyzylorda Region) and 3.2 million ha in Uzbekistan (Republic of Karakalpak-stan)) the desert generates over 100 million tons of dust and toxic salt annually.

The new desert adversely affects the social-economic activities, as well as causes environmental damages such as desertification, land degradation, sand and salt storms, and droughts in the CAS. Additionally, the dust formed in the Desert is carried by the strong east-west airstream across the Aral Sea Basin, accelerating glacial melt in upstream countries.

CAS have acknowledged the low possibility of recovering the Aral Sea and directed their efforts on mitigation measures. To this end, afforestation of the dried bottom is considered one of the most viable ways to halt desertification and reduce exposed toxic soils and pollutants. Kazakhstan has been putting efforts on afforestation of the Aralkum Desert and has already reached 200,000 ha of afforested area.

In this regard, Saxaul roots are capable of fixing around 4 tons of sand, thereby contending heavy sand and dust storms and accelerating Aral Seabed afforestation. However, the afforestation is progressing slowly due to the low adaptability of saxaul species to arid climate, which demonstrate a survival rate below 40% during their first year of life. Climate change impacts such as the drop in the discharge of the Syrdarya and Amudarya Rivers, the augmenting water mineralization and soil salinity within the dried seabed area, and the anomalous air temperature increase, have also prevented accelerated greening.

Saxaul is an extremely valuable resource for the development of desert ecosystems and economic activities of local communities. The cultivation of tree seedlings using a closed root system is an innovative method to speed up the afforestation and increase the survival rate of saxaul species up to 2-3 times compared to conventional planting techniques. The methodology is proving its effectiveness in providing the necessary resources and higher survival rate of saxaul that will contribute to ecosystem restoration of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea.

The objective of the two saxaul greenhouses along with the shadehouse is to implement the closed root system method of growing saxaul seedlings and increase the survival rate up to 70%. The complex has potential to become a knowledge-hub on new technologies and approaches for afforestation of the complex landscape of Aralkum desert, benefiting the entire Central Asian Region through exchange and replication of knowledge and technical solutions.

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“We are delighted to support Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve the North Aral ecosystem through the Nexus project in line with our Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement”

The planted saxaul seedlings in the closed root system demonstrated the best survival rate compared to other methods (over 50%), being able to wake up after some time and begin to grow from the root. The new methodology has been proving its effectiveness across all Nexus priorities, providing the necessary resources and higher survival rate of saxaul, thereby contributing to ecosystem restoration of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea.

Based on the positive results, a few national saxaul nurseries are considering to apply the closed root system at the massive scale. After the project completion, the greenhouses will remain operational and will continue to be used for the rehabilitation of the Aral Sea ecosystem, improving the living conditions, health and economic situation of the local communities.