Where We Work
There are about 80 existing PAs in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Most already existed in one form or another prior to the demise of the USSR. About 20 of the PAs are major national parks and strict nature reserves. Of these larger PAs, a number have benefited from international donor funds in recent years, including grants from Germany’s BMZ, Norway and the World Bank. These grants, however, typically do not assure long-term funding for ongoing operating and maintenance costs.
The ECP proposes the integration of the existing collection of individual protected areas in the region into an expanded trans-boundary network of PAs and connecting corridors. In the three core countries, various steps to-wards that goal have already been taken, and important forthcoming measures include the creation of at least five new major protected areas over the next four to five years.
Caucasus Protected Areas Primer
The most commonly used classification of protected area is that promulgated by the IUCN (World Conservation Union), which defines six different PA categories, with Category I being the most protected.
Under the different national laws of the three core countries, PAs that will be funded by the CPAF generally fall into one of three broadly similar categories:
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Strict Nature Reserves, managed mainly for scientific study or wilderness protection and conforming generally to IUCN Category I
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National Parks, managed mainly for eco-system protection and recreation and conforming generally to IUCN Category II
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Nature Sanctuaries, a somewhat lower category of protection broadly similar to IUCN Category IV
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How We Work
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The CPAF estimates that by injecting the relatively modest amount of about ¤ 1.75 million per year into the operating budgets of the existing priority protected areas of the three countries, the basic PA conservation functions can be assured.
The environment ministries of each country have agreed in principle to design management plans providing for the basic PA operations and maintenance functions and to submit them to the CPAF. The CPAF will be able to match the funds provided by the governments, potentially doubling the current budgets of existing PAs without any increase in government funds, but assuring at least a 50% government budget contribution. This 50% principle will ensure local “ownership” of the PA programs.
The CPAF is in the process of discussing with the three governments the contractual framework under which it will disburse monies to the protected areas. Ensuring that the funds we disburse are being spent for the approved programs and purposes will be a key challenge for CPAF. We will seek to address that challenge both by imposing strict disbursement conditions and by implementing rigorous reporting and audit procedures.
Learn more about our Current Projects
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CPAF Operations Flowchart |
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