Announcement

First National Park Established in Afghanistan

Band-e-Amir Lakes gain legal protection.

Bamyan, Afghanistan | Friday, May 15, 2009

Photo: USAID/Julie Fossler

On April 22, 2009, Band-e-Amir - a series of six lakes in Bamyan Province - was declared Afghanistan's first national park.

In celebration of International Earth Day on April 22, the Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) declared Band-e-Amir as Afghanistan’s first national park. This designation affords legal protection to the lakes and surrounding landscape, and will ensure sustainable environmental management.

A spectacular series of six deep blue lakes separated by natural travertine dams and set against red-rock cliffs and grasslands, Band-e-Amir National Park covers 59,000 hectares of land in Bamyan Province. Since 2006, USAID has been working with the Afghan Government and local communities surrounding Band-e-Amir to establish the national park. To ensure the park’s long-term sustainability, USAID, through its partner the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), founded a local institution to manage the park and helped to prepare a management plan.

The national park designation will encourage economic development in the villages surrounding Band-e-Amir. With help from USAID and its partners, local entrepreneurs are already building small shops, restaurants, and hotels – in accordance with the park’s environmental management plan – to serve the growing number of tourists. These improvements are expected to attract even more tourists over the coming years, contributing to Afghanistan’s economic growth in an environmentally responsible manner.

USAID/Afghanistan Bi-weekly Highlights: 5/1/2009-5/15/2009 5/15/2009

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