Besh-Tash National Park

Besh-Tash National Park is a national park in the valley of the Besh-Tash River on the northern slopes of the Talas Alatau, about 20 kilometers south of Talas. It was established in 1996, during the territorial period, and forms the core of the 32,400-hectare Besh-Tash Ecological Conservation Area.^[1]

The park extends from juniper and spruce woodland on the lower slopes through alpine meadows to glaciers and the glacial lake of Besh-Tash at the head of the valley. Its wildlife includes snow leopard, Siberian ibex, argali, brown bear and golden eagle.^[1] Since 2007 the Qara-Chik Demarcation Line has crossed the valley: the lower part, with the park entrance and visitor facilities, is administered by the ISEZ, and the upper part, including the lake, lies on the tribal side, where clan wardens patrol it. Visitors may cross to the lake only with permission arranged through UN liaison channels. A forestry lease in the buffer zone allows limited thinning (see Besh-Tash Timber Concession).^[2]

References

^ ISEZ Forestry Service (2022). Forest Management Plan for the Besh-Tash Valley, 2022–2031. Talas.
^ United Nations Mission in Irad (2022). Protected Areas across the Qara-Chik Line. Kara-Oi.