Dinosaur Tracks of Kugitang and the Road to UNESCO: Can Turkmenistan Combine Natural Heritage Protection with Respect for Human Rights?

Dinosaur Tracks of Kugitang and the Road to UNESCO: Can Turkmenistan Combine Natural Heritage Protection with Respect for Human Rights? Turkmenistan continues its efforts to prepare the nomination dossier for the "Karst, Canyons and Caves of Kugitang" for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The joint initiative with Uzbekistan encompasses an exceptional natural landscape that includes karst formations, deep canyons, extensive cave systems, and one of the world's largest concentrations of fossilized dinosaur footprints. A working meeting dedicated to the preparation of the nomination dossier was recently held at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan. Representatives of international scientific organizations, universities, and environmental institutions from both Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the discussions. The experts reviewed the results of joint field expeditions conducted in the spring of 2026 in the Koytendag Nature Reserve of Turkmenistan and the Surkhan Nature Reserve of Uzbekistan. They also discussed the next stages of preparing the nomination dossier and presented research findings on the cave systems and fossilized dinosaur tracks, comparing them with similar sites already included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Under UNESCO's updated procedures, the site must first undergo a Preliminary Assessment before a full nomination dossier can be submitted. This stage evaluates the site's outstanding universal value, management system, conservation measures, and potential threats to its preservation. The project is of considerable importance for the protection of Central Asia's natural heritage. The dinosaur footprints of Kugitang are regarded as some of the best-preserved in the world, while the region's caves and karst landscapes are of exceptional scientific value to geologists, paleontologists, and speleologists. At the same time, the nomination raises a broader question about the relationship between nature conservation, scientific cooperation, and respect for fundamental human rights. UNESCO's principles extend beyond the protection of sites of outstanding universal value; they also promote international cooperation, transparency, and the free exchange of scientific knowledge. In recent years, independent international organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over restrictions on freedom of expression, access to information, and the activities of independent civil society in Turkmenistan. Such restrictions may hinder the meaningful participation of independent researchers, environmental experts, and civil society organizations in discussions concerning the protection and management of natural heritage. The effective conservation of sites of global significance requires open scientific dialogue, unrestricted access for researchers, the publication of research findings, and constructive cooperation between governments, international experts, and civil society. These principles are essential for ensuring the long-term preservation of unique natural landscapes and strengthening international confidence in their protection. The inscription of the Kugitang natural complex on the UNESCO World Heritage List would represent an important achievement not only for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan but for Central Asia as a whole. At the same time, such recognition carries significant responsibilities. It requires states to uphold international standards of site management, promote scientific cooperation, and create conditions in which the protection of natural heritage goes hand in hand with respect for human rights, academic freedom, transparency, and public participation.