www.ukg.kz In the Mongolian language, "Altai means "golden mountains ". The name conveys both the sense of awe felt by those who named the place, as well as the timeless grandeur of this southern Siberian mountain range.

The Altai extends from Russia into China and Mongolia, and encompasses a significant part of eastern Kazakhstan. The region is truly spectacular, distinguished by the sheer scale of nature and the diversity of life.

This transboundary ecoregion is comprised of a full spectrum of landscape and climatic zones ranging from deserts and steppe to taiga, high alpine meadows, and glaciers. The Altai's varied conditions give way to a large quantity of biodiversity and natural resources Forests, rivers, fish, honey, medicinal plants, and minerals are bountiful in this wild and remote region.

The first European explorers in the Altai likened its scenic vistas to those of the Swiss Alps. Like the Alps, this area of striking beauty entices people in search of adventure. Certainly there is great potential for the development of tourism here. Visitors throughout the Newly Independent States (NIS) as well as from the Baltic Sea countries have been coming to eastern Kazakhstan for the past several years to pursue many outdoor activities in this region mountaineering, rafting, horseback trips, and hiking, to name just a few.

 Bubbling with lenok (Brachymystax lenok), taimen, (Hucho taimen), and grayling (Thymallus arcticus), the rivers in this area are a choice place to fish. Recently an influx or tourists from Europe and North America, primarily fishers and hunters, have arrived here.

 Yet, this place offers more than just recreational opportunities In August 1998, a few hundred followers of the Russian philosopher N. Rerikh made a pilgrimmage to the sacred Belukha Mountain At 4506 m, Belukha is the highest summit in the Altai range and in all of Siberia.

Despite the area's remoteness, the recent increase in human activity in the Altai has begun to leave its mark. The influx of people into the wilderness resulted in a proliferation of fires (in 1997 forest fires ravaged thousands of hectares) and deforestation. In the years following the dissolution of the USSR, the state timber and agriculture enterprises that once flourished here have crumbled. With unemployment higher than ever, poaching in the area has risen greatly.

 In particular, red deer (cervus elaphus), have become highly sought-after for their antlers and meat. In addition, the taking of lenok during spawning periods to extract high-quality caviar has also increased.

The increasing pressure on the Altai' s biological resources necessitated the development of a multi-purpose plan that will help to preserve those resources, while also allowing for the local people' s traditional way of life ( i.e. cattle-raising and apiary activities) and low-impact recreation. We have proposed creating Katon-Karagaisky National Park in the southern Altai region to achieve these goals and integrate other objectives such as scientific research, environmental monitoring, environmental education, and the creation of new jobs.