On 17 October, the Shymbulak resort, part of the Almaty Mountain Cluster, hosted the Shyrshaly environmental campaign, during which 560 Tien Shan spruces were planted. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The event was part of efforts to preserve mountain forests and foster a responsible approach to developing tourism infrastructure in the Almaty Mountain Cluster.
The event was attended by Galiya Tokseitova, head of the Almaty City Tourism Department; Rinat Abdrakhmanov, general director of the Shymbulak resort; Sabina Akzharova, vice-president of the Kazakhstan National Federation of UNESCO Clubs; and representatives of environmental organizations and UNESCO youth clubs.
Speaking at the opening, Galiya Tokseitova emphasized that the development of the Almaty Mountain Cluster must be accompanied by concrete measures to preserve the natural heritage of the Zailiysky Alatau.
«For Almaty, the mountains are a unique natural heritage that we are obliged to preserve for future generations. The development of mountain infrastructure must be accompanied by concrete measures to protect the environment. That is why we support practical initiatives to protect natural ecosystems. Such work has already taken place at Kok-Zhailau; today we are planting spruces at Shymbulak, and on 31 October environmental campaigns will continue in the Butakovka and Kimasar gorges. This is consistent work that unites the efforts of the city, business, the environmental community and young people to preserve the nature of our mountains,» said Galiya Tokseitova.
She also emphasized the importance of involving young people and environmental organizations in conservation initiatives that help foster a responsible attitude toward the environment and unite the efforts of different generations.
For the Almaty Mountain Cluster, preserving the natural environment is one of the important areas of work. A responsible approach to developing mountain areas involves taking environmental requirements into account during design, careful treatment of existing green plantings and practical measures to care for the planted trees.
The event program also included an introduction to youth environmental initiatives, presentations of UNESCO club projects and master classes at an educational site.
The development of the Almaty Mountain Cluster is aimed at expanding opportunities for mountain tourism and outdoor recreation while taking a responsible approach to the natural heritage of the Zailiysky Alatau.