The Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan hosted an international meeting on the preparation of a nomination dossier for the inclusion of the transboundary natural site ‘Karst, Canyons and Caves of Koytendag’ on the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to the online publication Arzuw News.

Experts from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Germany, the USA and Slovakia discussed the findings of the spring 2026 expeditions to the Koytendag and Surkhan nature reserves. Particular attention was paid to the dinosaur footprints in Koytendag, noting their unique state of preservation and scientific value.

The site was included on the UNESCO Tentative List in September 2025. The next step will be to submit a request for a preliminary assessment, following which, subject to a positive recommendation from the IUCN, a final nomination dossier will be prepared.