On Specially Protected Natural Areas of Western Kazakhstan

Abstract

The purpose is to concentrate the attention of the scientific community and administrative bodies of the West-Kazakhstan region on the need to organize protected areas at the place of distribution of the Steppe landscapes “Sand Market”. Methods and materials. There are 10 objects of the nature reserve fund in the region. Of these, three have the status of state reserves, and seven objects are assigned to protected areas with different natural functions: hydrobiological, botanical, landscape, landscape-biosphere, zoological and complex. In the West-Kazakhstan region, the lands of specially protected natural areas amount to 12.4 thousand hectares. When exploring the “Sand Market” area on an area of about 300-350 thousand hectares, space materials, field expeditionary research, and literature data have been used. Results. The steppe landscape “Sand Market” has significantly been changed over the past 60-70 years under the influence of cattle grazing.