CAMP

Project Overview

In the wide mountain valley of Suusamyr, forests and rivers once played a quiet but essential role in shaping the landscape. Today, much of this area is open pasture, where natural forest regeneration is slow and fragile.

This project focuses on a 10-hectare site in the Jaiyl (Zhayyl) district, near the western bank of the Karakol River, where degraded pasture land is being restored with carefully planted willow trees to support natural recovery of river-side forest ecosystems.

Why this project matters

The Suusamyr area lies close to the Suusamyr Botanical Reserve and forms part of a wider ecological corridor along the Karakol River. While forests regenerate naturally in some mountain areas, recovery here is slow due to exposure, water stress and past land use.

Restoring tree cover in this landscape helps to:

Stabilise riverbanks and soils
Improve local water retention and microclimate
Support natural forest regeneration over time
Create a cleaner and healthier environment for nearby communities

In river-dependent landscapes like Suusamyr, even small restoration sites can have outsized ecological benefits.

People and place

Since 2023, the local forestry service has been working to establish eco-forests in the Suusamyr area. This project builds on that effort, strengthening local capacity to manage water, trees and land together.

Although the site is relatively small, its location near rivers, pasture and protected areas means it contributes to broader landscape resilience, supporting downstream ecosystems and land users alike.

What will be done

The project will plant approximately 6,660 willow trees across 10 hectares of pasture land within a larger 113-hectare forestry block. Willow has been selected for its suitability to river-side conditions and its ability to establish quickly, helping to kick-start ecological recovery.

Planting will be supported by improved water management, including drip irrigation and rehabilitation of existing irrigation channels. These measures increase seedling survival and ensure that trees can establish during their critical early years.

Your donation helps forests return along the river

A gift to the Suusamyr forestry project supports hands-on restoration in one of Kyrgyzstan’s mountain valleys.

Your donation can help to:

Plant willow trees that stabilise riverbanks and soils
Improve irrigation systems that protect young seedlings
Restore forest cover where natural regeneration is slow
Support cleaner, healthier landscapes for local communities

Every tree planted helps nature recover step by step, strengthening river ecosystems and the land that depends on them.

By supporting this project, you are helping forests return — quietly, steadily and where they are most needed.

Project Overview

In the wide mountain valley of Suusamyr, forests and rivers once played a quiet but essential role in shaping the landscape.

Today, much of this area is open pasture, where natural forest regeneration is slow and fragile.