Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
39-43
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
16 December 2024
ACCEPTED
18 January 2025
PUBLISHED
20 February 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue02 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The History of
Environmental Institutions
and Societies Established
in The Turkestan General
Governorate
Ravshan Tursunov
Doctor of Historical Sciences (DSc), Acting Professor, National University
of Uzbekistan Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Abstract:
Under the orders of the Russian Empire,
several administrative institutions and scientific
societies were established in the Turkestan General-
Governorship in the second half of the XIX century and
the early XX century. This article examines the history of
the activities of these environmental institutions and
societies based on historical sources.
Keywords:
Ecology, environment, scientific societies,
animal protection society, scientific expeditions, natural
sciences, flora and fauna, natural resources,
environmental conservation.
Introduction:
With the establishment of the Turkestan
General Governorate, the study of the region's nature,
flora and fauna, geography, water resources, and
agricultural potential became one of the government's
primary goals and tasks. To address these important
issues, the General Governorate relied on the assistance
of natural scientists from the scientific centers of the
Russian Empire. The central authorities, aiming to
strengthen the colonial system and exploit the region's
wealth, gradually established scientific societies and
institutions in Turkestan and kept their activities under
strict control. It is worth noting that if the central
authorities saw benefits from these scientific societies,
they provided them with necessary funds and material-
technical support.
From the second half of the XIX century, a number of
scientific societies and institutions were established in
Turkestan to study environmental and natural
resources, as well as socio-economic issues. In 1867, the
first meteorological station [1] was established in
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Turkestan to study the climate. In 1869, the Central
Asian Society was founded, followed by the Turkestan
branch of the Society of Naturalists, Anthropologists,
and Ethnographers in the 1870s. Other notable
institutions include the Tashkent Chemical Laboratory
(established on December 19, 1869), the Samarkand
branch of the Russian Society for the Protection of
Animals (established on August 20, 1892), the
Turkestan branch of the Imperial Russian Geographical
Society (1895), the Turkestan Agricultural Society
(1895), the Department of Agriculture and State
Properties (1897), the "Locust Committee" under the
Agricultural Society (1898), the Turkestan Medical
Society (1899), the Tashkent Hunting Society (1901),
and the Turkestan Entomological Station (1911),
among others. This article focuses on the activities of
some of these societies and institutions.
One of the first societies established in Tashkent in
1869 under the permission of the Turkestan General
Governorate was the Central Asian Society. This
society was organized by natural scientists led by A.P.
Fedchenko. The society operated from 1869 to early
1872, with the primary goal of comprehensively
studying the Turkestan region, including its
environment and natural resources [2]. The society
had its own charter, museum, library, and archive [3].
There are varying accounts regarding the exact date of
its establishment, but archival documents confirm that
it was founded in 1869. Some studies suggest that the
society was established in 1871, based on the date of
its first open meeting on January 28, 1871[4].
According to archival documents, the society paid
special attention to personnel matters. The
membership included not only natural scientists but
also officials of the General Governorate, such as A.S.
Tatarinov (chairman of the society), K.V. Struve (vice-
president), N.F. Petrovsky (secretary and treasurer),
A.K. Abramov (Major General, head of the Zarafshan
district), and over 10 other officials. Additionally, local
representatives
such
as
Mirzahakim
Dodho,
Saidazimboy Muhammadboyev, and Hoji Yunusov
were also members [5], reflecting the society's diverse
composition. The significant presence of General
Governorate officials in the society indicates that it
primarily served the interests of the Russian Empire.
Researcher A. Nazarov notes that the society's
activities were halted primarily due to insufficient
financial support from the government, the transfer of
most members to the Society of Naturalists,
Anthropologists, and Ethnographers, and the
departure of the society's chairman, A.S. Tatarinov,
from Tashkent in 1873[6].
Despite its short existence, the society managed to
collect valuable information about the region's nature
and natural resources, publishing it in newspapers and
collections. Members of the society also actively
participated in scientific expeditions, contributing
significantly to the development of natural sciences in
the region.
Another important society established in 1870 was the
Society
of
Naturalists,
Anthropologists,
and
Ethnographers [7], which played a significant role in
collecting and scientifically studying important
information about the region's ecological conditions,
natural resources, and socio-economic life. Led by A.P.
Fedchenko, this society organized numerous scientific
expeditions and travels, gathering valuable data on the
region's nature and ecology. However, this society also
did not operate for long.
By the late XIX century, societies were established in
Turkestan to protect animals, particularly vulnerable
species. For example, on August 20, 1892, the
Samarkand branch of the Russian Society for the
Protection of Animals began its activities. According to a
report covering the period from August 27, 1892, to
January 1, 1893, the branch started with 31 founding
members and admitted 10 more members on August
27[8]. By January 1, 1893, an additional 15 members had
joined [9].
The society held four general meetings during this
period and adopted several resolutions [10]. For
example, the first resolution involved an inspection of
the Samarkand city aviary by members Dr. B.U. Beynar,
veterinarian Ye.V. Peplov, and police chief K.M.
Duplitsky, who reported their findings to the military
governor. Other resolutions included admitting local
experts as members, enforcing the Ministry of Internal
Affairs' circular No. 24, dividing the region into sections
with appointed overseers, translating society rules into
local languages for distribution, organizing concerts and
literary evenings to promote animal protection, and
establishing the region's first veterinary hospital [11].
The Turkestan branch of the Imperial Russian
Geographical Society, established on May 20, 1895,
played a crucial role in studying the region's natural
resources, flora and fauna, water resources, and other
potentials. After lengthy discussions, the society was
established under the order of Turkestan General
Governor A.B. Vrevsky and the proposal of Russian
researchers in the region [12]. The society's charter was
approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on
December 26, 1896[13], and the ministry was also
responsible for its funding.
According to archival documents, General Governor
A.B. Vrevsky led and patronized the society, and its first
meeting was held at his residence on February 28,
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1897[14]. The society's first chairman was topographer
S.I. Zhilinsky (1838-1901) [15].
The society's primary goals were to study the natural
and ecological conditions of Turkestan, Bukhara, Khiva,
and adjacent regions, organize geographical and
ethnographic research, support scientific communities
studying the region, and collect and preserve
educational manuals, books, manuscripts, and maps
created as a result of expeditions [16].
The establishment of this society generated positive
reactions among both Russian and local intellectuals.
Consequently, the society's membership grew over the
years. In 1897, the society had 78 members, which
increased to 104 by 1903. However, membership
fluctuated due to various reasons, and by 1912, it had
decreased to 53 members [17].
The society's responsible officials regularly published
reports, research findings, and scientific works based
on expeditions and meetings. These publications were
well-received
by
the
international
scientific
community. Additionally, the society monitored and
assisted foreign researchers and tourists conducting
scientific expeditions in Turkestan, contributing to its
emergence as a major scientific center in the region.
From the early days of the Russian Empire's conquest
of Turkestan, significant attention was paid not only to
cotton production but also to other agricultural
sectors, such as horticulture and vegetable farming.
The empire sent a number of specialists to the region
to address agricultural issues, develop new crop
varieties, and introduce new farming techniques.
In 1885, under the initiative of the Turkestan General
Governor, the Turkestan branch of the Russian
Horticultural Society was established to promote
agricultural development in the region. The society's
charter was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture
and State Properties on January 11, 1885[18]. The
society's management and membership included
prominent natural scientists, General Governorate
officials, and local representatives such as Saidghani
Azimbayev, Akrom Askarov, Orifkhoja Azizkhojayev,
and Mirazim Mirayupov[19]. The society's leadership
consisted of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and
2 to 4 members. On March 5, 1885, the society held its
first meeting, electing N.N. Kosyanov as chairman, D.P.
Patsevich as vice-chairman, N.K. Smirnov as secretary,
and I.I. Krauze, N.A. Mayev, V.F. Oshanin, and N.F.
Ulyanov as members [20]. By the end of 1885, the
society had 100 active members [21], indicating its
effective operation.
The society made significant contributions to the
development of agriculture in the region, particularly
in forestry, horticulture, and vegetable farming. Due to
its broad scope of activities, the Turkestan General
Governorate renamed it the Turkestan Agricultural
Society in 1895[22]. The society conducted effective
scientific research on land and water issues, irrigation
systems, crop cultivation, and the introduction and
adaptation of new plant varieties.
It is important to note that while these societies
contributed to economic growth in agriculture, the
exploitation of new lands, inefficient use of water
resources, and the construction of new irrigation
facilities began to cause significant harm to the region's
environment and ecological conditions. However, the
imperial government showed little concern for these
issues. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the
empire began specializing agriculture in the region,
focusing primarily on cotton production, which was a
crucial raw material for the Russian textile industry. This
shift, coupled with the empire's disregard for natural
laws, gradually led to a deterioration of the region's
ecological conditions.
Societies in Turkestan also played a role in protecting
wildlife, regulating hunting, and enforcing related laws
and regulations. One such society was the Tashkent
Hunting Society, established in 1901. This society
actively participated in the development and
amendment of legal documents related to hunting in
the early 20th century, as confirmed by archival
documents.
An annual report from 1911-1912 of the Tashkent
Hunting Society provides valuable information about its
members and activities. On July 9, 1912, the society held
a meeting where its composition and activities were
discussed. At the beginning of 1912, the society had 196
members, and by July 1, 1912, it had 232 members,
including 3 honorary members [23]. The report also
includes a list of members with their surnames [24].
According to the annual report, the society held four
meetings in 1911, during which 16 issues were discussed
[25]. The most important meeting took place on
October 27, 1911, where new clauses in the lease
agreements for hunting grounds in Toytepa, Gaybat,
Maydontol, and Osmonota volosts were introduced.
Notably, under the new terms, local residents were
prohibited from hunting in areas leased by the Hunting
Society without the society's permission. The new
contracts were signed for 12 years, with an annual fee
of 50 rubles per volost [26]. The society's chairman
signed new contracts with Gaybat, Toytepa, and
Maydontol volosts, while Osmonota volost refused to
lease its hunting grounds to preserve its diverse fauna.
The Tashkent Hunting Society played a significant role in
protecting the region's wildlife, preventing illegal
hunting, and regulating hunting seasons. However,
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despite the development of laws and regulations and
the oversight of responsible organizations and the
Hunting Society, illegal hunting persisted in the region.
This not only caused significant harm to Turkestan's
wildlife but also disrupted natural laws and negatively
impacted the region's ecological conditions.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the ecology-related institutions and
societies established in Turkestan during the second
half of the 19th and early 20th centuries contributed to
the development of natural sciences in the region.
They studied the region's flora and fauna, water
resources, climate, natural disasters, epidemics, and
sanitary conditions, and sought solutions to existing
problems. They also addressed ecological issues and
appealed to the government to ensure environmental
protection. However, challenges such as a lack of
specialists, insufficient funding, and limited positions
hindered the activities of some societies, leading to
their eventual dissolution.
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