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Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia ECE/TIM/DP/72 Forestry and Timber Section, Geneva, Switzerland

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Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia ECE/TIM/DP/72 Forestry and Timber Section, Geneva, Switzerland Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia ECE/TIM/DP/72 Forestry and Timber Section, Geneva, Switzerland GENEVA TIMBER AND FOREST DISCUSSION PAPER 72 Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia Background study for the Ministerial Roundtable on Forest Landscape Restoration and the Bonn Challenge in the Caucasus and Central Asia (21-22 June 2018, Astana, Kazakhstan) New York and Geneva, 2019 2 Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER Copyright© 2019 United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. All rights reserved worldwide. The designations employed in UNECE and FAO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal status of any country; area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. The responsibility for opinions expressed in studies and other contributions rests solely with their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by UNECE or FAO of the opinions expressed. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply their endorsement by UNECE or FAO, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval. This work is copublished by the United Nations (UNECE) and FAO. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was prepared by Dr. Niels Thevs and benefited from the generous sponsorship of Germany and the support of IUCN. For the preparation of this study, the ECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section relied on a wide range of experts in the Caucasus and Central Asia and would like to thank them for their valuable contributions. ABSTRACT This study, focusing primarily on the period from the collapse of the Soviet Union until the present day, identifies the key drivers of forest degradation and the potential for forest landscape restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The study was undertaken to support the preparation of restoration pledges in the eight countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia in the run up to the Ministerial Roundtable on Forest Landscape Restoration and the Bonn Challenge in the Caucasus and Central Asia that took place in June 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan. At this Roundtable Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan committed to restore over 2.5 million ha of forest landscapes by 2030. ECE/TIM/DP/72 UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION Sales No.: E.19.II.E.6 ISBN: 978-92-1-117184-6 e-ISBN: 978-92-1-047569-3 ISSN: 1020-2269 CONTENTS 3 CONTENTS Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations...........................................................................................................................................................................6 Data sources ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 1. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................................................................13 2. FORESTS AND FOREST LANDSCAPES IN COUNTRIES OF THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA ...............................17 3. THE STATUS OF FORESTS IN THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA ..................................................................................21 4. FOREST ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................................................................................................27 5. RESTORATION NEEDS AND POTENTIAL .................................................................................................................................31 6. COUNTRY SITUATIONS ...............................................................................................................................................................33 6.1 Armenia ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 6.1.1 Ongoing projects .....................................................................................................................................................................................................35 6.2 Azerbaijan ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 6.2.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 6.3 Georgia........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 38 6.3.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 40 6.4 Kazakhstan ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41 6.4.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 43 6.5 Kyrgyzstan ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 44 6.5.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46 6.6 Tajikistan ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 6.6.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49 6.7 Turkmenistan ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 6.7.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 6.8 Uzbekistan ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52 6.8.1 Ongoing projects ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 54 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................................................................................55 4 Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia FIGURES FIGURE 1 Map of the Caucasus and Central Asia ............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 FIGURE 2 Distribution of major forest types in the desert zones and mountains of Central Asia ..................................................................... 18 FIGURE 3 Map of Armenia .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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