Important Plant Area “Petrophytic Steppes of Ulytau with Tanacetum ulutavicum” (Central Kazakhstan): site identification and conservation recommendations

Field surveys conducted in 2025 in the Ulytau low-mountain massif (Ulytau Region, Kazakhstan) support the identification of the Important Plant Area (IPA) “Petrophytic Steppes of Ulytau with Tanacetum ulutavicum.” The site comprises two polygons totaling 1,372 ha (557 and 815 ha), located largely within Ulytau State Na-tional Nature Park, at elevations of 508–1,140 m a.s.l., and includes a mosaic of petrophytic communities on rocky substrates. The primary conservation target is the narrow-range endemic Tanacetum ulutavicum Tzvelev (Red Data Book of Kazakhstan), occurring in discrete population patches of 207–1,200 m² with densities of 0.06–3 individuals per m². Communities supporting this species show high floristic richness (82 vascular plant species) and concentrate multiple taxa of conservation concern, including several rare and regionally significant species. The site meets the Kazakhstan-adapted IPA subcriteria A3 and A4 (endemic and subendemic species) and B2 and B3 (assemblages of high conservation and socio-economic value). Principal threats include grazing pressure, trampling, unregulated recreation, and localized substrate disturbance. Formal boundary delineation, long-term population monitoring, and regulation of grazing and visitor use are recommended to ensure effective conservation management.