NATURE IN THE
CAUCASUS

Background and
Bio-Diversity Basics

The Ecoregional
Conservation Plan
 
  • Summary
  • Priority Biomes
  • Targeted Species Overview
  • Focal Species
  • Species of
Special Concern
  • Long-Term Biodiversity Conservation Vision
The Caucasus
Carbon Sink

 

 

 The Caucasus Carbon Sink

The Caucasus contains one of the world’s largest old-growth forests in a temperate zone, providing a valuable carbon-sink in the world’s battle against climate change as well as a refuge for much of the region’s fauna.

Forests are also the most important biome for biodiversity conservation in the Caucasus Ecoregion. Forest ecosystems harbor many endemic and relic species of woody plants and herbs, as well as important habitats for rare and endangered animals, including six of the focal species. Mountain forests, which make up the greater part of the forest biome in the Caucasus Ecoregion, play a critical role in preventing soil erosion and regulating water flow.

Yet intensive logging, illegal timber trade, and collection of firewood for fuel are whittling away at forest ecosystems. Agriculture development has also resulted in a significant decrease in broadleaf forests in the region, which generally occupied land favorable for growing grapes, fruit trees, and other crops. Many forests were also felled to clear land for grazing.
Forest ecosystems cover over 107,000 km2 or 18.5% of the Caucasus Ecoregion. Currently, only about 14% of forests are preserved in protected areas. The most significant forests for biodiversity conservation can be grouped into five primary geographical areas. These are the Greater Caucasus Range, the Lesser Caucasus Mountain Chain, the Talish-Gilan (Guilan) Mountains, the Kura-Araz (Araks) and Iori Basin, and a small area of swamp forests in the Kolkheti Lowlands (Colchic Lowlands).

The ECP calls for these five areas to be the focus of forest conservation activities and targets for creating Econets. In the long-term, the ECP calls for an additional 10% of the forests in the Ecoregion should be granted protection (IUCN I-IV), bringing the area of protected forests to nearly a quarter of the Ecoregion’s forested area.

Continue to the next section and learn about Where and How We Work.


Notes:

- The foregoing is a digest of or excerpt from Part 2 of the ECP The full text of the ECP can be found here

- Descriptions apply to the Ecoregion, and thus include the areas of Russia, Turkey and Iran that form part of the Ecoregion. All of the biomes and almost all of the bio-diversity, however, are strongly represented in the three core countries.