Connectivity in National Policies: Kyrgyz Republic

The snow leopard was declared the national symbol of the Kyrgyz Republic in December 2023, reflecting the country’s deep commitment to conservation. As a continuing demonstration of these values, in May 2025 the country officially established the Ak Ilbirs (“Snow Leopard”) Ecological Corridor.

Ak Ilbirs Ecological Corridor

Kyrgyz Republic Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs)

The corridor spans approximately 800,000 hectares and links existing protected areas to form a continuous conservation area of 1.2 million hectares. Established by the Kyrgyz Republic with support from the Central Asian Mammals & Climate Adaptation Project (CAMCA), the corridor aims to protect the region’s diverse ecosystems and biodiversity by maintaining ecological connectivity.

This corridor builds upon the previously established Chatkal Ecological Corridor and aims to sustain ecological connectivity throughout Kyrgyz’s mountainous land, which covers nearly 94% of the country. The Ak Ilbirs Ecological Corridor now connects key protected areas of the Kyrgyz Republic including the Khan-Tengri State Nature Park, Sarychat-Eertash Nature Reserve, and the Naryn Nature Reserve.

Kyrgyz_Republic_Ak_Ilbir_Corridor_Camp_Alatoo_Public_Foundation

Map of the Ak IIbirs Ecological Corridor (light green) connecting existing protected areas (blue hatched) and planned protected areas (orange hatched). The corridor overlaps with forested area (brown) and includes buffer zones (yellow hatched). Credit: Camp Alatoo Public Foundation

Through establishment of the corridor, the Kyrgyz Republic is advancing its commitments to international environmental agreements, including implementing the “well-connected” element of Target 3 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, as well as a number of UN- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) including SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 17: Partnerships for goals, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, and SDG 13: Climate action.

The Ak IIbirs Ecological Corridor is regulated under the Kyrgyz Republic’s Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs), first adopted in 1994. The 1994 law was reworked in 2011 and amended to include definitions of wetlands and SPNAs, including “ecological corridors”. Further amendments in 2021 provided a formal procedure for identifying ecological corridors. A 2024 amendment to Article 5 formally recognized ecological corridors as a distinct category of SPNAs. These changes provide the legal foundation for ecological corridors to be an officially recognized under the country’s protected area system, including the Ak Ilbirs Ecological Corridor in 2025.

A translation (unofficial) of the amendment reads:

Article 5 shall be supplemented with the following second and third parts; Specially protected natural areas in the Kyrgyz Republic for the purpose of preserving natural complexes and objects: state nature reserves, state biosphere reserves, biosphere reserves and/or reserves, state natural parks, dendrological and zoological reserves, parks, botanical gardens, state reserves (complex, zoological, botanical, forest, geological and seasonal), state natural monuments, recreational zones, transboundary specially protected natural areas, moguls and snowfields with the status of specially protected natural areas, ecological corridors, geological parks (geoparks), specially protected natural areas of local importance, and micro-reserves will be created.

The adaptations made to recognize ecological corridors as important and official parts of the SPNA mark a significant step forward for the Kyrgyz Republic’s environmental governance. By formally embedding measures for ecological connectivity into legislation, the country has reinforced its commitment to the conservation of habitats and many species, including the snow leopard.

These changes have also provided opportunities for considering additional connections for protected and conserved areas, strengthening overall ecosystem resilience. The Ak Ilbirs Ecological Corridor is a concrete example of how national legal reforms can implement international agreements and translate to conservation on the ground, a compelling model for countries looking to include connectivity into their protected area frameworks.

Please note: This digest is intended to provide up-to-date information on policy development from a neutral, unaffiliated position as it relates to connectivity and corridor science and management.

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

Connecting Science to Conservation

Connectivity in National Policies: Kyrgyz Republic

Ak Ilbirs Ecological Corridor

Kyrgyz Republic Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs)

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About the Author: Wren Murphy

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
Florida	2024	SB1638	Dedicates annual funding to land purchases, conservation easements, and trail maintenance within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	HB1379	Creates annual appropriation to acquire lands that complete certain linkages and are under high population stress within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	SB2500 sec.146	Provides funding to buy Ocala to Osceola (“O2O”) Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2021	SB976	Tasks state agencies with maintaining wildlife connectivity and designates Florida Wildlife Corridor as an existing physical, geographically defined area
Florida	2021	SB2500	Appropriates $300 million to acquire lands to conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2019	SB7068	Creates a "Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program" that includes protection of wildlife corridors as an intended benefit
Florida	2008	SB542	Amends Florida Forever Act statues to include goals of connecting linkage corridors
Florida	2001	SB1468	Amends Florida Forever Act to establish that land acquisitions should include complete landscape linkages and corridors
Florida	1999	S908	Creates Florida Forever Program, with increased protection of lands that protect threatened or endangered species and plans to create a statewide system of connected landscape linkages