Central Asia's declining fruit and nut forests

The "red list" of trees of central Asia identifies 44 tree species in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan as globally threatened with extinction Photograph: FFI

A bowl of local fruit and nuts in Kyrgyzstan. Central Asia is home to over 300 wild fruit and nut species, including wild apple, plum, cherry, apricot, walnut and many other important food trees from which domesticated varieties are thought to originate Photograph: Chris Loades/FFI

According to tree experts from Fauna & Flora International, around 90% of the fruit and nut forests of central Asia have been destroyed over the past 50 years alone Photograph: Chris Loades/FFI

Stewed apple and local bread - a harvest time lunch in Kyrgyzstan. It is believed that many of the fruit and nut trees familiar in cultivation today were domesticated from these forests, and were then distributed by people along the Silk Road long ago Photograph: FFI

Local people depend on the dwindling forest resources for their livelihoods. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is helping communities in Kyrgyzstan to protect their forests Photograph: Chris Loades/FFI

Kyrgyz walnuts - one with its green shell and the other once peeled. Owing to the often fragmented, mountainous geography of the landscape, these plants display exceptionally high genetic diversity, which could prove vital in the development of new disease-resistant or climate-tolerant fruit varieties. This could be of huge importance to future food security as the global climate changes Photograph: FFI

A wild cherry species growing in the fruit and nut forests of Kyrgyzstan. Dr Antonia Eastwood, lead author of red list, said: "Central Asia's forests are a vital storehouse for wild fruit and nut trees. If we lose the genetic diversity these forests contain, the future security of these foods could be jeopardised, especially in the face of unknown changes in global climate" Photograph: FFI

Berberis kaschgarica, also known as barberry, is one of the threatened species identified by the red list. The FFI report identifies overexploitation, human development, pests and diseases, overgrazing, desertification and fires as the main threats to the trees and forests in central Asia Photograph: FFI

The striking red-fleshed Niedzwetzky apple is one of world's most threatened tree species, says Fauna & Flora International. Domestic apples are now known to be derived from the wild species Malus sieversii 3, which is native to central Asia and is identified as threatened in the report Photograph: Kayirkul Shalpykov/Bioresource/FFI

Pyrus korshinskyi- a pear species identified as critically endangered. Lack of financial resources and infrastructure since the break-up of the Soviet Union has also had a negative impact on the fruit and nut forests of the region Photograph: Dmitry Milko/FFI

Pistacia vera - a pistachio nut tree identified as near-threatened. Central Asia's fruit and nut forests have an important place in human culture in the region Photograph: Dmitry Milko/FFI

Fauna & Flora International is working with local forest communities to find alternative sources of income, reducing pressure on these threatened forests Photograph: FFI