On the territory of the natural reservation "Ile-Balkhash" in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan, another center for inspectors and researchers of the protected area has been launched. The building in the form of a yurt is built from rounded polystyrene blocks printed on a 3D printer.
The new inspection center, named after the nearby town of Karamergen (IX-XIII centuries), was built at the expense of the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Russia), equipped with solar panels and windmills. It has created conditions for comfortable rest of the operational groups of inspectors and scientific employees: two bedrooms, a shower with a toilet, a kitchen, radio communication with all departments of the reservation.
Now the protected area of ββ356 hectares will be fully protected. "Karamergen" is able to accommodate from six to 10 people at the same time. The new center protects from heat and cold, the building is designed for temperature fluctuations from -50 to +50 degrees. The organizer of the construction, the Ecobioproject Public Foundation, took into account all the features of the construction on the protected land: the house has sufficient strength and at the same time does not have a foundation, because capital construction is not recommended on the territory of the reservation. The technological domed building resembles a large sand-colored Kazakh yurt, which fits perfectly into the steppe landscape with dunes.
βThe opportunity to have a good rest and recuperate is very important for the difficult work of employees and inspectors of the reserve, because the Center is located more than 200 km from the nearest settlement,β emphasized Grigory Mazmanyants, Director of the Central Asian Program of WWF Russia, βIt is here that the ecological corridor between the State Natural Reserve begins "Ile-Balkhash" and the Altyn-Emel National Park, created to preserve the migration routes of goitered gazelle and kulan, listed in the Red Book, in addition, from here you can go to work towards the eastern borders of the reserve.
The restoration of the population of these gazelles and horses is an important stage in the Turanian tiger return program, which WWF Russia is implementing together with the government of Kazakhstan. According to experts, the first tigers will appear in the Balkhash region around 2024. Now it is necessary to work with the population, restore tugai forests, increase the number of ungulates (the basis of the diet of the tiger), continue research and anti-poaching activities, and for this it is important to provide the reserve staff with everything they need. Karamergen is already the second center built by WWF Russia for the Ile-Balkhash reserve. The first was assembled on the basis of typical containers.
The Ile-Balkhash Reserve was created to restore an ecosystem suitable for tiger habitat. striped predator is called upon to bring back the tiger that disappeared here more than half a century ago. WWF Russia has been working for the benefit of Russian nature for 25 years. During this time, the fund has implemented more than a thousand field projects in 47 regions of Russia and Central Asia.
Source: 3dnews.ru