Altyn-Emel Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2017, in Kazakhstan. This biosphere reserve corresponds to the Altyn Emel State National Nature Park, one of the country’s protected areas and an important site for conserving the region’s biological diversity. It includes a large number of endemic plants. The site comprises deserts, riparian forests and floodplains of the Ili River, deciduous and spruce forests, as well as salt marshes. Residents live mainly from agriculture and cattle rearing, as well as ecotourism and recreational tourism.