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 evolved from a Soviet-era depopulated landscape to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting complex socio-political and environmental transformations. The study reveals that post-perestroika migration in the 1980s allowed Tajik farmers and Kirghiz pastoralists to resettle the region, which was already rich in biodiversity due to decades of restricted human activity. This period marked a turning point for conservation efforts, culminating in the establishment of Tajik National Park in 1992 and its designation as a World Heritage Site in 2013. The research combines field and archival data to trace the global diffusion of protected areas, analyze the biophysical properties of the Pamirs, and assess their potential for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status. The findings highlight the region's suitability for transboundary conservation, aligning with the Man and the Biosphere model.

Cunha, S. F. (2018). Perestroika to Parkland: The Evolution of Land Protection in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Mountains: Physical, Human-Environmental, and Sociocultural Dynamics, 228–242. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315158914-20