This hilly "plain" is at a height of bird flight. It is an amazing village - the closer to the tops of the Kopetdag, the more ascend you go up to the hilly plateau, canyons, the more you meet plants. The height of the ridge is about 1500 meters, and therefore relatively equalized hills of different special climatic conditions - mountain, formed an oasis of wild flora, protected on all sides by ridges of hills.
This unique nature spot is called Karayalchi, it is located in the contact zone of the Central and South-West Kopetdag - more precisely, to the west of the village Baharly and south-east of the village Nohur, within the administrative boundaries of Akhal region, in an area bordering with Balkan region. Karayalchi is a natural repository of valuable genetic diversity in mountain vegetation, has the status of a natural monument since 1987 and is under the protection of Kopetdag state nature reserve of the State Committee on Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan environment and land resources. Here, desert species, such as capers and Garman coexist with large woody plants – Esa Caucasian. Natural linking with the local gorge of the Western Kopetdag underlines the presence of an ancient relic Mediterranean flora - walnut. Small grove in his flooded ravines Karayalchi Galanhoz serves as a reminder of the era of its domination over large areas.
The landscape here is extremely picturesque - a hill heavily indented canyon, the bottom in one of which flows a stream Tyrnav, fed by several springs. All secure part of the natural ecosystem occupies a small area - only 20 hectares, but it is one of the most unique corners of the Turkmen nature. Recently, a three-day scientific and practical expedition was organized here, in which was attended by researchers and inspectors of the Kopetdag State Nature Reserve of the State Committee for Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan on environment and land resources, as well as the mass media representatives. During the field visit it was examined the state of biodiversity within the boundaries of this particular ecosystem, and also studied bioecological features of walnut and Turkmen juniper to determine the capacity of these plants to resume in nature.
The location and status of endemic and endangered, rare and valuable, "Red" and medicinal flora are also determined. In parallel, the search was carried out and counting young and over age specimen of juniper and walnut. According to botanists, the local population of the relict walnut over a long period of isolated evolution gained and retained the unique attributes that, on the one hand, emphasize its value as a relic; on the other side it is the preservation of its qualities as a genetic material. The antiquity of the local nut testify paleontological findings from the Upper Cretaceous: it was hard to imagine, but a hundred million years ago, there were growing nut trees, "descendants" of which we are witnessing today.
Among the dry hills, "settled" by drought-tolerant xerophytes are grasses and bushes, on one of the slopes scientists found small clusters of almond paniculate, seemingly very similar to ephedra or ephedra. And as we approach the nature monument start flickering light forests of maple, that with the deepening of the gorge appeared in dense thickets, and then - in an impenetrable thicket. Exterior view of the mountains has changed dramatically - now often come across adult trunks of juniper, many trees, like pine or arborvitae tame in the city park, lined up along the improvised narrow mountain road. Here it is the entire area as a magically covered with turf grass and begins to resemble a semi-savannah, with increasingly common wild rose, barberry with fruits of all three types of shades - Turkmen, Iberian and densely flowering plants.
In the shade of a thick grove of multibarrelled walnut- so called gate keepers of purling springs bent nettles of mint, celery and some horsetail like relic something like stepping in from prehistoric times. The endemic of the local places is a strange tall rose hip with fruit in a size of large pea - rose Beggera, and blue-gray blackberry, which has not as aggressive and powerful thorny bushes, like a blackberry bush in the Central Kopetdag, as well as small delicate berries. It impressed a variety of grassy "dwarf semishrubs" which laid their leaves carving along the ground in a rosette, as well as an abundance of medicinal plants - flowering at this time of St. John's Wort, fragrant thyme - kyaklik herb.
One of the members of the expedition, the chief Germab site of Kopetdag reserve Gulmurat Gulbatyrov simultaneously inspected Karayalchi and the nearest sites to it, talked with the shepherds and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages of the ecological culture, ground rules of the visiting natural sites, fire safety, and conditions of springs’ utilizations.
Gulmurat stressed that the preservation of ecosystems Karayalchi is the responsibility of the Reserve inspectors who conduct biotechnical and ecological restoration activities adjacent to the conservation area territories. So, for the enrichment of biodiversity near the rivers Small and Big Bakhcha this spring were planted 15 hectares, planted with wild fruit trees are grown in nurseries Reserve. Near the ranges and Mirzidag Missinev to increase food resources of birds and increase the number of animals over seeding cereal executed at several sites with a total area of two hectares. The efforts of environmentalists are not in vain, more and more often you can meet animals like Germabe wolf, hyena, civet, manul. Even within Karayalchi it is found the leopard, argali, bezoar goat are feeling comfortably here.
Members of the expedition photographed the flora encountered on small animals, reptiles’ route. It was observed of birds of prey - eagles and kestrel. We managed to capture a few specimen of the pasan, shown in high steep slope with a mass of longitudinal shelves and tracks on which ungulates, for sure, going up and down. Also it was gathered herbarium stuff. To the delight of environmentalists have found five dozen trees of juniper of different ages, and very young, and "adolescents". It is especially pleased germinated seedlings of walnut. The important task for the detection of rare plant species was determined; it was found the tree of the "Red" Persian rowan.
The state of vegetation highlands of Karayalchi traditionally are being researched in spring and autumn, because in many arid climates many plant resumed vegetation with the arrival of autumn. During such visits the analysis of qualitative composition of the vegetation, the yield of wild fruit trees, and it is getting noted the modifications in ecosystems or natural phenomena, which are reflected in the pages of the yearbook "Annals of Nature".
This unique nature spot is called Karayalchi, it is located in the contact zone of the Central and South-West Kopetdag - more precisely, to the west of the village Baharly and south-east of the village Nohur, within the administrative boundaries of Akhal region, in an area bordering with Balkan region. Karayalchi is a natural repository of valuable genetic diversity in mountain vegetation, has the status of a natural monument since 1987 and is under the protection of Kopetdag state nature reserve of the State Committee on Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan environment and land resources. Here, desert species, such as capers and Garman coexist with large woody plants – Esa Caucasian. Natural linking with the local gorge of the Western Kopetdag underlines the presence of an ancient relic Mediterranean flora - walnut. Small grove in his flooded ravines Karayalchi Galanhoz serves as a reminder of the era of its domination over large areas.
The landscape here is extremely picturesque - a hill heavily indented canyon, the bottom in one of which flows a stream Tyrnav, fed by several springs. All secure part of the natural ecosystem occupies a small area - only 20 hectares, but it is one of the most unique corners of the Turkmen nature. Recently, a three-day scientific and practical expedition was organized here, in which was attended by researchers and inspectors of the Kopetdag State Nature Reserve of the State Committee for Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan on environment and land resources, as well as the mass media representatives. During the field visit it was examined the state of biodiversity within the boundaries of this particular ecosystem, and also studied bioecological features of walnut and Turkmen juniper to determine the capacity of these plants to resume in nature.
The location and status of endemic and endangered, rare and valuable, "Red" and medicinal flora are also determined. In parallel, the search was carried out and counting young and over age specimen of juniper and walnut. According to botanists, the local population of the relict walnut over a long period of isolated evolution gained and retained the unique attributes that, on the one hand, emphasize its value as a relic; on the other side it is the preservation of its qualities as a genetic material. The antiquity of the local nut testify paleontological findings from the Upper Cretaceous: it was hard to imagine, but a hundred million years ago, there were growing nut trees, "descendants" of which we are witnessing today.
Among the dry hills, "settled" by drought-tolerant xerophytes are grasses and bushes, on one of the slopes scientists found small clusters of almond paniculate, seemingly very similar to ephedra or ephedra. And as we approach the nature monument start flickering light forests of maple, that with the deepening of the gorge appeared in dense thickets, and then - in an impenetrable thicket. Exterior view of the mountains has changed dramatically - now often come across adult trunks of juniper, many trees, like pine or arborvitae tame in the city park, lined up along the improvised narrow mountain road. Here it is the entire area as a magically covered with turf grass and begins to resemble a semi-savannah, with increasingly common wild rose, barberry with fruits of all three types of shades - Turkmen, Iberian and densely flowering plants.
In the shade of a thick grove of multibarrelled walnut- so called gate keepers of purling springs bent nettles of mint, celery and some horsetail like relic something like stepping in from prehistoric times. The endemic of the local places is a strange tall rose hip with fruit in a size of large pea - rose Beggera, and blue-gray blackberry, which has not as aggressive and powerful thorny bushes, like a blackberry bush in the Central Kopetdag, as well as small delicate berries. It impressed a variety of grassy "dwarf semishrubs" which laid their leaves carving along the ground in a rosette, as well as an abundance of medicinal plants - flowering at this time of St. John's Wort, fragrant thyme - kyaklik herb.
One of the members of the expedition, the chief Germab site of Kopetdag reserve Gulmurat Gulbatyrov simultaneously inspected Karayalchi and the nearest sites to it, talked with the shepherds and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages of the ecological culture, ground rules of the visiting natural sites, fire safety, and conditions of springs’ utilizations.
Gulmurat stressed that the preservation of ecosystems Karayalchi is the responsibility of the Reserve inspectors who conduct biotechnical and ecological restoration activities adjacent to the conservation area territories. So, for the enrichment of biodiversity near the rivers Small and Big Bakhcha this spring were planted 15 hectares, planted with wild fruit trees are grown in nurseries Reserve. Near the ranges and Mirzidag Missinev to increase food resources of birds and increase the number of animals over seeding cereal executed at several sites with a total area of two hectares. The efforts of environmentalists are not in vain, more and more often you can meet animals like Germabe wolf, hyena, civet, manul. Even within Karayalchi it is found the leopard, argali, bezoar goat are feeling comfortably here.
Members of the expedition photographed the flora encountered on small animals, reptiles’ route. It was observed of birds of prey - eagles and kestrel. We managed to capture a few specimen of the pasan, shown in high steep slope with a mass of longitudinal shelves and tracks on which ungulates, for sure, going up and down. Also it was gathered herbarium stuff. To the delight of environmentalists have found five dozen trees of juniper of different ages, and very young, and "adolescents". It is especially pleased germinated seedlings of walnut. The important task for the detection of rare plant species was determined; it was found the tree of the "Red" Persian rowan.
The state of vegetation highlands of Karayalchi traditionally are being researched in spring and autumn, because in many arid climates many plant resumed vegetation with the arrival of autumn. During such visits the analysis of qualitative composition of the vegetation, the yield of wild fruit trees, and it is getting noted the modifications in ecosystems or natural phenomena, which are reflected in the pages of the yearbook "Annals of Nature".
