Ashgabat, 25 January 2010. Scientific researchers of the Khazar state reserve and National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna of Turkmenistan recently held planned survey of birds, wintering in Turkmen part of the Caspian Sea, which stretches from Kazakhstan border in the north till the border with Iran in the south, with the aim to identify the number of birds and their species variety. The event was held within the framework of "Conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biological diversity in Khazar state reserve on the Caspian sea coast", financed by the Global Environmental Facility and jointly implemented by the UNDP and the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan.

Ashgabat, 19 January 2010 – At the end of December the Khazar project held a seminar on using modern methods of irrigation in small farming agriculture at the coastal area of Caspian Sea for people representing four pilot settlements, namely Chekichler, Garagol, Belek and Gyzylsuw, of Balkan province. The seminar was attended by representatives of regional and local administration and specialists of agriculture.

Ashgabat, 3 December 2009. The UN Development Program’ project «Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Khazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast», being jointly implemented with the Global Environmental Facility and the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan, at the end of November in Belek settlement of Balkan province held training on «Joint planning at the local level».

Ashgabat, 23 November 2009. In the middle of November in coastal area of Turkmen part of Caspian Sea the next national survey of water birds has been carried out. The survey was organized by the specialists of Khazar state reserve with the help of the UNDP project “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Khazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast” being jointly implemented with the Global Environmental Facility and the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan. The main objective of the survey was to find out the number and species variety of birds crossing the territory of Turkmenistan.

Ashgabat, 16 November. UN Development Program Project “Conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biological diversity in Khazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian sea coast” jointly implemented with the Global Environmental Facility and the Ministry of Nature Protection at the beginning of November in Ashgabat held a training seminar on “Training of trainers”.

The objective of the training was to train trainers to modern techniques of teaching such as interactive method which they can apply at the forthcoming trainings for the staff of Khazar state reserve. Development of teaching skills and organization of trainings for the staff of Khazar state reserve is considered as one of the priority tasks of the project.

Ashgabat, 10 November 2009 – Specialists of agricultural sector representing National institute of Desert, Flora and Fauna, Etrek Research Center and local practitioners at the end of October have visited Garagel of Hazar city, Gyzyl suw and Belek settlements of Turkmenbashy region of Balkan province with the aim to conduct practical exercises and consult those representatives of Caspian communities who wish to start their own business on land. This seminar was held within the framework of MNP/GEF/UNDP joint project «Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Khazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast». The seminar was attended by representatives of Khazar city and Turkmenbashy region administration.

Ashgabat, 15 October 2009 – The UNDP Project “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Hazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast” has recently held a four-day seminar in the city of Balkanabat for activists and business-oriented residents of Belek, Garagel, Gyzylsuv and Chekishler settlements located on the Caspian Sea coast to expose them to alternative strategies of small business development in their respective localities. Representatives of administrations of Balkan province, Esenguly and Turkmenbashi districts, Hazar city and specialists of the Hazar Nature Reserve also participated in the seminar.

Esenguly, August 12, 2009. In August 11-12 within the framework of the implementation of the Global Environmental Facility, UNDP Turkmenistan and Ministry of nature protection project “Conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity of international importance in Khazar State Reserve in the coast of the Caspian Sea” the seminar on conduction of small oasis agriculture in the Caspian sea coast took place in Essenguly settlement.