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Overview and Mission
One of only thirty-four “biodiversity hotspots” in the world, the magnificent Caucasus region is teeming with unique life forms that are extremely threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia—South Caucasus countries that were home to some of the world's earliest civilizations—are rapidly modernizing following independence from the Soviet Union. While this change benefits society at large, it threatens the region's pristine nature and is leaving many impoverished rural areas behind.
The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) was established to help conserve the unique flora, fauna and landscapes of this spectacular region for its people, our world and future generations. Our mission is to protect and strengthen the existing network of national parks and nature reserves in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia—so that the region’s people and indigenous species both thrive. Our goal is to assure adequate long-term funding and effective management for these protected areas by 2020—conserving nature, but also providing economic opportunity for neighboring communities.
CNF's symbol is the splendid, but critically endangered Caucasus leopard, which now numbers only 1,500 in the world. Of these, amazingly, about 40 roam on the border of Europe in the South Caucasus.
Your support helps protect nature in one of the world's most uniquely endowed regions and promotes sustainable rural development as it transforms economically.