Posted on 12 November 2015
A short video has been prepared to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem of Azerbaijan forests, within “European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program” funded by the European Union (EU).
Forests are considered to be as a source of life - filtering air and water while providing food, medicines and livelihoods.
- Fuel wood is major source of energy for rural areas in Azerbaijan.
- Forested watersheds are the only source of drinking water for the entire population living in mountain regions of Azerbaijan.
- Forested mountain areas are the preferred recreational areas for tourists in Azerbaijan.
1027.30 Thousand ha is covered by forests in Azerbaijan, corresponding 11.8% of the country area.
There is a strong historical evidence that the Tugay forests used to occupy extensive areas along the Kura and Araz rivers. Recently, most of the Tugay forests in Azerbaijan consist of poplar trees. Due to intensive deforestation, most of Tugay forests are swept out or replaced by urbanized lands. Flow regulation in the Kura River has also affected Tugay forests - reducing areas of floodplains.
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