Rural Environment Project

closed

The Rural Environment for Azerbaijan aims to improve biodiversity conservation and introduce more sustainable natural resource management and economic activities in two mountainous areas of Azerbaijan, to restore the ecological health and productivity of their natural forests and pastures. The project consists of the following four components: Component 1) will support the establishment of Shah Dag National Park (SDNP) and expanded Ordubad National Park (ONP), and adjacent Protected Areas (Pas). Component 2) will assist residents of 55 villages inside or immediately adjacent to the two national parks and surrounding Pas to shift their traditional agricultural and natural resource, use practices towards more modem and efficient approaches that place less pressure on natural resources and ecosystems. Component 3) aims to stimulate economic diversification in the project areas by assisting local entrepreneurs to start or expand environmentally sustainable small and medium commercial enterprises. Component 4) will support overall project management and administration, including the staffing and operating costs of a central Project Implementation Unit and three field offices (Project Coordination Units, PCU): two in the Shah Dag area, and one in the Ordubad area.