In the Tajik National Park (TNP) – a high-altitude area of nearly 26,000 km2 in Central Asia – past and present human activities visibly contrast with standard conservation requirements for protected areas worldwide. This paper focuses on resource management, and highlights three major processes that threaten both the sustainable use of natural resources and the preservation of nature perse:(i)intensified use of bio mass as a fuel resource, (ii) inappropriate pasture management, and (iii) increased pressure on endangered wildlife. From the analysis of these processes–their historical background, root causes, trends, and interrelationships – options and needs to improve park management are proposed and discussed.
