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Overview
The
Caucasus region is rich in natural and cultural resources.
Three countries, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, make
up the Southern Caucasus while the Northern Caucasus
are comprised of several territories and regions of
the Russian Federation. Bordered by the Black Sea to
the west and the Caspian Sea to the east, the Caucasus
are characterized by variable climate and topography.
Diverse ecological landscapes including semi-desert,
grassland steppe, wetlands, shrublands, forests, and
mountain communities coexist within a relatively small
geographic area and are home to important wildlife species.
Due the juxtaposition of temperate and sub-tropical
climates, the Caucasus boast higher biological diversity
than areas of similar latitude, including numerous endemic
and threatened plant and animal species. Two major bird
migration corridors also pass through this region. Forests
cover nearly twenty percent of the Caucasus. Forest
type varies by elevation and climate, from relic forests
along the Caspian Sea to coastal temperate rain forests
on the Black Sea coast of Georgia and from pine forests
on rocky slopes to lowland riparian forests. By percent
area, Georgia is the most highly forested country in
the Caucasus (nearly 40%), while Armenia's forests are
concentrated in the north and south and occupy approximately
10% of the country's territory.
In
addition to being ecologically diverse, the Caucasus
region is a mosaic of cultures, nationalities, ethnicities,
languages, and religions. Political and ethnic conflicts
and struggles over natural resources and territories,
especially in the Northern Caucasus, have affected the
geo-political stability of the region. Despite this
challenge, countries in this region have been working
to ensure that their rich natural resources are sustainably
managed by reforming natural resource agencies and legislation
and increasing protected area systems.
Threats
to the Resource Base
The Caucasus occupy a strategic but vulnerable geographic
location. Caucasian landscapes have been significantly
altered by humans throughout history. Though deforestation
rates are not as acute as in tropical areas, the political
and economic instability that have affected the region
since the early 1990s have intensified threats to the
forests and natural resources, especially near urban
centers and rural communities. Pressures contributing
to resource degradation include increased fuel wood
consumption; encroachment; rural poverty; overgrazing;
illegal logging and export; soil degradation and erosion;
desertification; environmental pollution; and natural
disasters.
Why
Does the USDA Forest Service Work in the Caucasus?
The
Caucasus region is rich in natural resources, which
are under increasing threat by numerous pressures. The
Department
of Agriculture has been working in the region to
provide technical, financial, and marketing assistance
to the agricultural sector through the Armenia
Marketing and Assistance Project (MAP) since 1996
and the Georgia
Rural Development Program (GRDP) since 2003. The
pressures facing forests in the Caucasus indicate that
technical assistance would be beneficial in this sector,
as well. In 2004, USDA Forest Service responded to requests
to conduct a preliminary assessment of the Georgian
and Armenian forestry sectors.
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Armenia
In
October 2004, the USDA Forest Service fielded a team
to Armenia at the request of USDA MAP
Armenia and the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture.
Following a recent government reorganization, the Armenian
Ministry of Agriculture assumed responsibility for the
Forestry Department. The Minister of Agriculture has
expressed interest in revitalizing the institutional
and educational capabilities in the forestry sector
and is consulting with Armenian and international experts
to facilitate this transition. The team conducted a
preliminary assessment of the forestry sector to determine
potential partners and areas of priority. Additionally,
the USDA Forest Service team presented an overview of
the USDA Forest Service and the agency's international
programs at the International Agroforum held in Yerevan
October 28-30, 2004.
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