Wildlife conservation
The main role to conserve wildlife of the National Park belongs to inspectors-foresters who live on cordons.
Each inspector has his own established detour to conserve. On foot, by horses and cars, inspectors patrol detours and organize group raids. Checkpoints on some separate spots are posted during specific seasons, for example, maturation of maral’s velvet antlers, groundhog hunting season opening, etc.
Five operations groups have been created and function to perform operational conservation, attached to the branches of the Ile-Alatau park and the Almaty SINR, as well as operational field group from among inspectors of the Department of protection and regeneration of the wildlife of the National Park. These groups are fully provided with duty weapons, riot control weapons, radio and mobile communication, which allows to conduct effective fight against violations of environment-oriented regime of the National Park and its protected zone.
Biotechnical measures
One of the main goals of the National Park is to preserve optimum number of wild animals, and if needed to increase number till necessary volume.
The main biotechnical measures, conducted in the park, include such works as mineral feed of hoofed mammals, winter feed of hoofed mammals and gallinaceous birds with grain forage, hay, woody forage and other fodder concentrates, regulation of number of predators, such as wolves, jackals. Biotechnical works are conducted by inspectors during detours under the direction and control of game managers of branches of the National Park.
Registration works and monitoring
Number of wild animals is an indicator showing the state of population of various animals. The increase of the number shows favourable existence of animals, and the decrease shows the contrary.
As a result of registration works, the park receives not only data about the number of wild animals, but their space location, sex and age structure, concentration points and migration paths as well. Comparative analysis of the received data on actual number of wild animals in relation to the optimum number is performed and the trends in the numbers of animals and population growth rate are revealed. On the basis of registration data, the park has an opportunity to forecast annual population growth, estimate population growth dynamics on an annual basis, monitor the change in the sex and age structure, as well as perform the complex of biotechnical works.
Reafforestation works and forestation in the state forest fund
Forest is the main treasure of the National Park, and that is why special priority is given to preservation and restoration of forests in the park. Reafforestation works are held within the territory of the park in order to prevent erosive processes, improve the environment and increase woodiness, as well as to restore the broken function of forests as a result of technogenic phenomena.
Tree growing shall be performed from indigenous breeds, such as Schrenk’s spruce, apricot tree and Sivers apple tree, thus an introduction of alien species of plants, which damage the main indigenous breeds in the park, is forbidden.
Forest protection measures
Protection of forest against plant pests and diseases is provided through systematic monitoring the condition status, timely recognition of sources of pests and diseases of forest, measures aimed to prevent the formation of source areas, their localization and liquidation. In this regard, current forest pathology researches are conducted by way of reconnaissance observations over growth of forest pests and diseases.
Fire prevention measures and forest fire control
With a view to improving fire safety, training and instruction of wardens have been held annually with regard to fire-fighting management on the National Park territory,
forest fire-fighting in the mountains, as well as occupational health and safety during forest fire-fighting.
Since 2009, all branches and the Almaty State Integrated Nature Reserve have emergency response groups from among park employees in the number of 50 people who maintain constant alert to fight forest fires and liquidate other industrial factors.
Scientific Researches
The main scientific topic of the research and development and mountain diversity department is to monitor ecological systems and separate natural objects under the program of the Nature records.
Botanical research under the program of the Nature records is conducted on monitoring sites. 12 out of 16 of such sites laid by senior scientists A. A. Ivaschenko and R.M. Turekhanova in 2007-2011 are included in forest communities: apple - 5; fir wood - 4; Celtis – 2; apricot and sea buckthorn - 1. The observation results for the most interesting forest types have been partially processed, analyzed and published.
For all monitoring sites the hardy-shrub species have been registered, map charts composed, tree heights, stem diameters and approximate ages measured. The floristic composition of the above mentioned sites has been determined as well. Only at apple sites this is presented with 215 species out of 153 genus and и 51 families. Formal diversity of apple-tree has been studied at all investigated sites. 60 forms differing in size, weight, shape, color and taste of fruit have been identified and specified.
Environmental Awareness Raising
Environmental awareness raising activity of the Ile- Alatau National Park is focused on citizens of Almaty and population of the Talgar, Enbekshi Kazakh and Karasai districts of the Almaty Oblast, as well as on various visitors and tourists visiting the National Park.
Environmental awareness raising includes such basic activities as:
- promotion of environmental knowledge, coverage of the Park’s activity in the mass media;
- organization of a visit-center for visitors, holding of exhibitions and expositions dedicated to the Park’s nature, the history and culture of the region;
- holding of an annual environment action in support of the Park called «March of Parks», organizing ecological camps, introduction practices for students;
- organization of school forestry.
Every year, scientists of the Park are invited to deliver speeches under environmental programs on TV channels such as »Khabar», «Astana», «Kazakhstan- 1», «31 channel» and other channels, and on the Kazakh Radio as well. Materials on environmental topics are published in central and local mass media in Astana, Almaty, Talgar, Kaskelen and Yessyk.