The UNESCO-recognized Tiger Gorge Nature Reserve on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan, which received international acclaim last year, is at risk of losing its unique ecosystem due to the construction project of the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant, warn environmentalists.
Several international nature conservation organizations led by the environmental coalition "Rivers without Boundaries" have come forward to defend the Tiger Gorge Reserve.
In a letter addressed to potential investors of the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant project, ecologists highlight that the floodplain ecosystems of the reserve downstream from the construction site of the massive dam are at risk of being affected by changes in the water flow of the Vakhsh River. This could disrupt the ecological balance as they may not receive an adequate volume of floodwaters necessary for their preservation.
According to UNESCO, the floodplain forests of the reserve constitute the largest and most untouched riparian forest of this kind in Central Asia. It is the only place in the world where the ecosystem of riparian forests made up of Asian poplars remains in its pristine state over a vast territory.
Last year's decision to include the site on the UNESCO World Heritage List emphasized that the preservation of the outstanding universal value of the riparian forests in the Tiger Gorge depends primarily on the dynamics of the Vakhsh River flow. Therefore, continuous attention must be given to maintaining a favorable water regime.
