Karakalpakstan - Today, participants of the Aral School stepped off campus and onto the dried seabed of the Aral Sea. Together with experts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan and foresters from the Karauzyak State Forestry Department, they planted saxaul seedlings and other halophyte species across a stretch of one of the world's most challenging landscapes, putting months of shared learning directly into practice.

Today's field activity is the direct result of a growing institutional partnership between Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) and UNDP Uzbekistan, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 5 April 2025 in Nukus by Ms. Gayane Umerova ACDF Chairperson and Ms. Akiko Fujii UNDP Uzbekistan Resident Representative— on the sidelines of the inaugural Aral Culture Summit, where UNDP Assistant Secretary-General Ivana Živković also participated.

Ms. Gayane Umerova, Chairperson, Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF): "The Aral School brings together disciplines that are rarely in the same room: design, ecology, science, culture and local knowledge. That intersection is where new solutions are born. Working alongside UNDP, we are able to connect that vision directly to practice — in the field, with communities, and with the next generation of people who will reframe what restoration means for this region and beyond."

Since January 2026, ACDF, UNDP and the Aral School have been building their partnership through a structured programme of joint activities — from mentorship sessions and knowledge exchanges to today's field work on the dried seabed. Over the past weeks, both teams have engaged on themes central to the Aral Sea region: water governance, climate-resilient agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and community resilience. Today, that shared learning reached the field.

Ms. Akiko Fujii, Resident Representative, UNDP Uzbekistan: "Restoring the Aral Sea region requires more than technical solutions. It requires institutions that share a common belief: that education, science and culture are not separate from ecological restoration, but inseparable from it. This is what unites UNDP and ACDF. When partners align around that goal and act on it together, that is when real change begins."

Aral School participants, UNDP Aral Sea experts and foresters from the Karauzyak State Forestry Department worked side by side on the dried seabed, each bringing distinct expertise to a shared prosperity. The Karauzyak team guided the practical planting process, drawing on years of experience in one of the world's harshest restoration environments. UNDP provided technical context on innovative planting methods. Aral School participants brought curiosity, fresh eyes, and the cross-disciplinary thinking that defines the school's approach.

Together, they planted saxaul (Haloxylon), the primary native species for seabed stabilization, alongside other halophyte species adapted to the extreme conditions of the Aralkum desert: high soil salinity, temperatures ranging from -30°C to +45°C, minimal precipitation, and relentless salt-dust storms.

Saxaul is uniquely suited to this environment. A single mature shrub retains up to four tonnes of migrating sand. Its root system reaches 10 to 15 metres deep, and each hectare of saxaul plantation absorbs over 1,100 kg of CO₂ annually. In 7-year-old saxaul stands, wind speeds near the surface reduce to near zero, directly limiting the toxic dust storms that affect the health of millions across the region. Seedlings were grown in local nurseries of the State Forestry Department, ensuring full adaptation to local conditions.

Five Years of Green Aral Sea — and the Scale of What Remains

Today's planting is part of the Green Aral Sea crowdfunding initiative, launched by UNDP on 11 March 2020. In collaboration with the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) and the Aral School, 90,000 saxaul seedlings and other halophyte species are being planted across 90 hectares of the dried seabed, bringing new life to one of the world's most challenging landscapes.

Yet the dried seabed covers 2.7 million hectares on Uzbekistan's territory alone, the largest share among all Central Asian countries. The scale of what remains underscores why partnerships like the one forged today are not optional, but essential.

One dollar. One saxaul tree. 25 years of protection against desertification. Support the restoration of the Aral Sea: greenaralsea.org

 

About the Partners:

UNDP Uzbekistan has been working in Uzbekistan for over 30 years, supporting the country's sustainable development across four integrated areas: effective governance, inclusive and sustainable growth, environment and climate action, and gender equality. In Karakalpakstan, UNDP maintains a dedicated project office focused on the most pressing challenges of the Aral Sea region, including ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient agriculture, water governance, social infrastructure development, and economic empowerment of women and youth. More: undp.org/uzbekistan

Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), chaired by Gayane Umerova, leads transformational initiatives at the intersection of culture, ecology, and social development. Its flagship projects include the Aral School and the Aral Culture Summit. More: https://acdf.uz/en

Aral School is an ecological education programme in Nukus directed by bioregional designer Jan Boelen. The first pilot course runs January–June 2026. Website: aralschool.uz

Karauzyak State Forestry Department is UNDP's implementing partner for the saxaul and halophyte planting on the dried Aral Sea bed carried out today.

 

Media contacts:

UNDP Uzbekistan,

ACDF / Aral School