Increased extreme snowfalls in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and increasing wild predator populations are impacting livestock herders in the Central Tian Shan, who traditionally have herded sheep and goats. In order to address these issues, a demonstration yak herd has been introduced as a climate-smart alternative to keeping sheep and goats, since yaks are not only more profitable than sheep, but also better adapted to extreme climates and less vulnerable to predation by snow leopards.

A pioneering climate vulnerability assessment was developed for the Central Tian Shan that informed the development of the snow leopard landscape management plan for this GSLEP Priority Landscape.

An innovative watershed management plan was developed for the Chon Kyzyl Suu River basin with the goal of improving water security in this basin.

In conjunction with the demonstration yak herd, a system of increased rate of pasture rotation has been launched in the buffer zone of the Sarychat-Ertash State Nature Reserve that involves leasing large areas of formerly disused highland pastures.

Water security of Ak Shyrak Village near the Sarychat-Ertash reserve has been increased through improvement of the village's water delivery system.

The work done to produce the climate vulnerability assessment and the climate-smart snow leopard landscape management plan for the Central Tian Shan GSLEP Priority Landscape will inform landscape conservation efforts not just in the Kyrgyz Tian Shan but in neighboring snow leopard landscapes elsewhere in Central Asia as well.