Forests of Azerbaijan

Forest ecosystems are the most valuable and important for the country’s biodiversity.

The diversity of landscapes, climatic zones, and complex relief has contributed to the formation of a diverse and rich flora and fauna. Higher plants found in Azerbaijan’s wild flora number 4,557 species, which is more than 70% of all higher plant species in the natural flora of the Caucasus as a whole and includes 200 national and 950 Caucasian endemics. Forest ecosystems are the most valuable and important for the country’s biodiversity.

Forests are an important natural resource that provides humanity with many material, spiritual, economic, ecological, and sociocultural services, providing food, fuel, cleaning air and water, and ensuring healthy, active recreation. Forests have always been of great significance in a spiritual sense and the formation of people’s worldviews. Many sacred places (known as Pir) include special forested areas or even individual centuries-old trees, which are given special status and protected by local residents.

The territory of the Azerbaijan Republic is 866 thousand square kilometres. Of these, 12,137 thousand hectares (14%) make up the forest fund area. All forests in the country are state-owned and perform water protection, soil protection, and climate-regulating functions. Therefore, they belong to the first group and are protected by the state. Forest management is carried out based on the forest code and environmental protection law. All forest territories are included in the Forest Fund of Azerbaijan, and economic activities are prohibited in them.

Forests cover only 11.8% of the republic’s territory, which is 2–3 times less than the accepted norm in world practice, while in the nineteenth century, this figure was 30–35%. In the twentieth century, the forest area decreased threefold. Forests are unevenly distributed, with 49% of the country’s forest resources in the Greater Caucasus region, 34% in the Lesser Caucasus region, 15% in the Talysh zone, and 2% in the Aran zone (including the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic). Forest cover here ranges from 18 to 43%, while in lowland areas, it is 0.5 to 2%. The diversity of soil and climatic conditions in the country’s territory has led to the spread of forests with a very rich species composition. More than 450 species of woody and shrubby plants grow here, but the overwhelming majority (88%) of the state forest fund’s woody species are hardwood. Softwood and coniferous species make up 22% and 16%, respectively. Eastern beech (Fagus orientalis) plays a significant role in forest formation. Beech is spread over 32% of the entire forested area. Oak (Quercus) is found both in the mountains and lowlands, occupying 31.5%. Hornbeam (Carpinus) grows in the mountains and foothills, covering an area of 22.5%. These three tree species are the main forest-forming species. As of 1 January 2019, the average age of state forest fund forests is 84 years, including conifers (80), hardwoods (88), and softwoods (50 years). Increasing the productivity of forests and forest resources is of great importance for the republic.

Azerbaijan’s forests have 20 diverse forest formations:

• Coniferous forests consisting of hooked pine;
• Hornbeam sparse forests;
• Beech forests of eastern beech;
• Oak forest formation:
• Talysh forests of chestnut-leaved oak;
• Low-mountain forests of Caucasian oak;
• High-mountain forests of eastern oak;
• Plain forests of long-stalked oak;
• Unproductive forests of Aras oak (other oak species, such as golden oak, brownish-yellow oak, variable oak, grey oak, etc., do not form separate forest formations but are part of other species formations);
• Hornbeam forest formation;
• Relict forest formation consisting of ironwood and other relict species of Girkan;
• Maple forest formation;
• Forests of velvet maple;
• Sparse forests of trautfetter linden;
• Persimmon forests;
• Elm forests;
• Forests of common walnut;
• Forests of common chestnut;
• Forests of azadach (Zelkova Spach) - Girkan azadach (Z. hyrcana A. Grossh.);
• Forests of silk acacia;
• Moist forests of pseudo-nut;
• Alder forests;
• Maple forests;
• Poplar forests;
• Tugai forests formed along the riverbeds of the Kura and Aras rivers.

Azerbaijan has gained worldwide popularity for its captivating beauty, abundant natural wealth, and diverse flora and fauna. Azerbaijan’s forests consist mainly of broad-leaved species. In the coniferous forests of the Lesser Caucasus, Goygol, in the pine forests of Tovuz district, in the forests of the villages of Upper Gishlag in the Greater Caucasus, and in the forests of the Gusar district, you can find hooked pine (Pinus Hamata). The most common coniferous species are juniper forests.

95% of Azerbaijan’s forests are located in mountainous areas. Mountain forests are spread across the country’s territory at an altitude of 500 to 2,500 metres. On the northern macroslopes of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus there are forests of Iberian oak (Quercus iberica) with a mix of beech (Carpinus betulus and C. orientalis) in the lower mountain forest zone. Eastern beech (Fagus orientalis) forests are widespread in the middle mountain belt, and in the upper mountain forest belt, eastern oak (Quercus macranthera) forests dominate. Relict forest formations of the tertiary period have been preserved mainly in the Girkan forests. The forest vegetation in mountainous areas is characterized by altitudinal zonation. In the Greater Caucasus and the northern microslopes of the Lesser Caucasus, in the lower mountain forest belt, Iberian oak with a mix of hornbeam is widespread; in the middle mountain belt, eastern beech forests dominate; and in the upper mountain forest belt, eastern oak is prevalent.

In the low-mountain forest belt of the Lankaran region, complex types of ironwood forests with the presence of chestnut-leaved oak, Caucasian hornbeam, and a number of relict species of ironwood are widespread. At an altitude of 600 (900–1000) meters above sea level in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, oak and oak-hornbeam forests are replaced by beech forests. Over 1700–2000 (2100) m above sea level, beech forests are mixed with sparse oak groves of eastern oak. Pure eastern oak forests are mainly found on southern slopes. In the upper mountain forest belt, on less inclined moist slopes, rare park-like birch trautvetter and mountain elm forests are found. In the western and central regions of the Greater Caucasus, the upper forest boundary often ends with low shrubs, short aspens, and bird pears. In the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus (Ismailly, Shamakhinsky, Devechi, Khizi districts) and in the Lesser Caucasus, the upper forest boundary is formed by species of creeping juniper. On the southern slope of the Lesser Caucasus (the Gekari River basin), in the foothill zone, Aras oak, juniper, and gumwood grow in the lower mountain forest belt, arid-type forests of Iberian oak in the upper, and eastern oak in the upper. In the mountain valleys, mixed forests of linden, heart-shaped alder, persimmon, Caucasian birch, and walnut are also found.

Larger areas of dry sparse forests of the arid mountain forest ecosystem are mainly spread at an altitude of 600–1000 m above sea level. The climatic and ecological conditions of these territories correspond to the areas of semi-desert and dry steppe vegetation. In Azerbaijan, remnants of arid-type forests can be found on the Bozgir plateau, in the lower reaches of the Gekari and Aras rivers, in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, in the Eldar basin, partially on the northeastern slope of the Greater Caucasus (in the Gilgilchay, Atachay, Tichay basins), and Gobustan. The distribution area of arid-type forests is very wide. The main components of arid-type forests are juniper (Juniperus sp.), gumwood (Pistacia mutica), jasmine (Jasminium fruticans), and others.

In subalpine forests, you can sometimes find trautvetter or high birch, bear hazel (tree hazel), oleander, gooseberry, plane tree, black currant, rhododendron, and others. In the lower forest zone of the Lankaran region, ironwood forests of a complex type containing chestnut-leaved oak, Caucasian oak, and a number of Girkan relict species are widespread. In the lower forest belt of the Lankaran region, forests are characterised by an abundance of relict and endemic species of the tertiary period (silk acacia, Zelkova Spach - Girkan zelkova (Z. hyrcana A. Grossh.), Caspian gleditsia (Gleditsia caspica), Girkan fig, etc.). Most of the mountain forests are located in the Greater Caucasus (360 thousand hectares). The forest area in the Lesser Caucasus is 250 thousand hectares, and in the Talysh Mountains 134 thousand hectares.

The distribution of forests by age categories is diverse. Young forests make up 11.2% of the forested areas, middle-aged trees 63.3%, growing trees 13.4%, mature and old forests 12.1%.

A distinctive feature of Azerbaijan’s forests is the presence in the undergrowth of wild fruit plants belonging to 150 genera and 1,536 species. They provide thousands of tons of wild fruits (common walnut, apple, pear, cornel, cherry plum, medlar, nut, persimmon, hawthorn, chestnut, blackberry, etc.). 30% of these fruits are commercially important forest products.

Forests are a favourable environment for beekeeping. Currently, more than 700 bee families are kept in these areas. Bees contribute to the pollination of forest and agricultural plants, creating conditions for abundant seed crops and honey production.

Among the diverse forest formations, arid zone forests and unique forests of the Talysh Mountains stand out.

Eldar pine endemic to the Caucasus

Grove of the Caucasus-endemic Eldar pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.). In 1910, the area of the grove, covering 35 thousand hectares, was declared a botanical reserve. To protect the world’s only natural pine forest of Eldar pine in the Samukh district of Azerbaijan, the Eldar Pine State Reserve was established in 1948. Currently, the area of the Eldar Pine Reserve is 1,686 hectares. Eldar pine is a xerothermic and endemic relic of the tertiary period, preserved in its natural form only on the Eldar-Oyugu ridge in Azerbaijan, and is included in the Red Book of the USSR and Azerbaijan. Eldar Pine has created a unique dry forest landscape in Eldar-Oyugu. The forests here mainly consist of trees and shrubs such as Eldar pine, juniper, eucalyptus, murdracha, goggudon, pomegranate, ephedra, blackberry, rabbit apple, and sloe. The age of Eldar Pine in the reserve is 100–120 years, and they measure 2–6 m tall, and 10–28 cm in diameter.

Arid forests of the lower zone of the Caucasian foothills are represented by the dry forest landscape complex of Bozdag, one of the driest forest masses in Azerbaijan and the most important of them.

Semi-desert and steppe vegetation formations are widespread in the area. It has unique dry vegetation. Among the woody and shrubby plants here, juniper and gumwood are the most common, as well as Georgian oak, Georgian maple, sloe, eastern cornel, small-fruited cherry, pistachio, pomegranate, murdracha, sorghum, ephedra, and others. Juniper forests are the most widespread among coniferous species. In the forests of Azerbaijan, Kazakh juniper (Juniperus Salina), oblong juniper (C. Oblonga), dwarf juniper (C. Pugmaca), short juniper (C. Depressa), red juniper (C. Polycarpos) are included in the Red Book of Azerbaijan. The largest area of juniper forests is in Bozdag.

Tugai forests in Azerbaijan occupy a relatively small area. They are mainly spread in the coastal areas of the Kura River in the southeast of the country and in some other places with dry and semi-dry climates. According to estimates, the area of tugai forests in Azerbaijan is about 30 thousand hectares. Due to their unique nature and significance for biodiversity, tugai forests in Azerbaijan are under special attention within the framework of nature conservation and sustainable natural resource management. The coastal tugai forests represent a unique ecosystem complex spread along the coastal areas of the Kura River in the southeast of Azerbaijan, as well as in adjacent areas of Iran. Tugai forests play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and soil conservation. They contribute to the formation of the soil cover of the river bank zone, prevent erosion, and provide shelter for many plant and animal species adapted to living in arid conditions. The vegetation of tugai forests has a pronounced zonation. The first belt is directly adjacent to the water’s edge. It represents a narrow strip of shrub thickets formed by various low-growing willows, blackberry, common sea buckthorn, oak, etc. Immediately behind it begins the belt of tugai forests. These are typical forests where black and white poplars, aspen, white mulberry, and high species of willows grow. Under them grow dense shrubs: tamarisks, blackberry, various types of hawthorn, pomegranate, common dogwood, and privet. Trees and bushes form a continuous wall thanks to lianas. Sometimes tugai forests represent pure poplar stands, and in some areas, on the other hand, well-expressed tiering is observed. In the latter case, the first tier, 20–25 m tall, is formed by poplars, the second, 12–15 m tall, by willow and mulberry, and the third, 7–8 m tall, by Caspian elm, a subspecies of narrow-leaved oleaster, and occasionally by separate mulberries.

After the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence and the ensuing economic crisis, anthropogenic pressure on forest resources significantly increased. The lack of fuel in rural communities led to a sharp increase in tree felling, unregulated livestock grazing in forests reduced natural forest regeneration, and the lack of necessary control, fire protection services, and specialised equipment contributed to forest fires. It is also worth noting the negative impact of the Karabakh conflict, which led to the occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory by Armenian military formations, resulting in almost one million refugees and internally displaced persons. All these factors, combined with climate change, led to forest degradation and significant deforestation of the lower boundary of mountain forests.

As a result of the barbaric exploitation of the occupied territories due to Armenia’s aggression, significant damage was inflicted on the region’s natural wealth and biodiversity. Our forests, rich in valuable tree and shrub species, were deliberately cut down and destroyed. Throughout the years of occupation, Armenians conducted industrial logging and exported timber to Armenia.

The flora of the Karabakh region includes over two thousand higher plant species, representing 42% of Azerbaijan’s flora. About 50 species of fauna and more than 70 species of flora in the region are listed in the Red Books of the world and the Azerbaijan Republic (http://www.redbook.az/). Unfortunately, two years after the liberation of these territories and the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, reliable information on the state of these species could not be obtained because extensive areas are mined, making access difficult. Among the region’s plants, 20 species are endemic to the Azerbaijani range. Seven species of these endemic plants (Karabakh tulip, Karabakh centaurea, Zangilan astragalus, Sakhdag hollyhock, Shusha grab, Shusha sainfoin, and Shusha astragalus) are found only in the Karabakh region. Before the occupation of these lands, especially protected natural areas in Karabakh, such as the Basitchay State Reserve, Garagol State Natural Reserves, Arazboyu Lachin, Gubadli, and Dashalty state natural reserves, as well as the symbol of our Karabakh, the Caucasian ophrys (Xarı bülbül), were protected, along with eastern plane tree, chestnut, Shusha grab, grab-leaved zelkova, yew berry, and other rare tree species. The only area with a grove of naturally growing eastern plane tree in the Basitchay reserve was mercilessly almost completely cut down. As a result of such treatment, 246 thousand hectares of forest were heavily degraded.

The government of Azerbaijan is making significant efforts to improve the ecological situation and preserve the natural environment. The main activities are implemented based on state programmes such as the national strategy for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the Azerbaijan Republic, the Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future development concept, the national programme for Socio-Economic Development, and the national programme for Reforestation and Improvement of Forests in the Azerbaijan Republic. Special attention is given to the creation of specially protected natural areas. Specially protected natural areas consist of natural complexes and objects of special ecological, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, and therapeutic importance, places of rare and endangered plant and animal species, temporarily or completely removed from economic circulation.

The creation of specially protected areas in Azerbaijan can be conditionally divided into three stages:

Stage I – creation of the first specially protected natural area (Eldar Pine Botanical Reserve, 1910);

Stage II – creation of reserves and sanctuaries (Goygol, Kyzylagach in 1925–1936. Zagatala, Girkan, Turyanchay, Shirvan, Aghol, Pirgulu, Ismailly, Ilisu, Garagol reserves in 1958–1993);

Stage III – creation of the first national parks in 2003.

Currently, Azerbaijan has protected natural areas with a total area of 893 thousand hectares (https://eco.gov.az/az/tebii-servetlerimiz/milli-parklar). Ten national parks, ten state nature reserves, and 24 state nature sanctuaries have been established. Overall, specially protected natural areas account for 10.31% of the country’s territory. Separately, national parks cover 4.87%, state nature reserves 1.39%, and state nature sanctuaries 4.05% of the country’s territory. The creation of national parks has made it possible to provide the population with opportunities for active recreation in natural surroundings while minimising anthropogenic impact. It is particularly worth noting that ten state reserves ensure strict protection of practically all major ecosystems in the country, including natural forests of various formations.

The lands of the Forest Fund are protected by the state and managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Within the ministry, a forestry development service (department) has been created, implementing state policy for the protection and restoration of forests. The main activities of this department include:

• prevention of illegal logging and other activities leading to deforestation;
• studying the current state of forests, inventory, and preparation of new forest management projects;
• organising effective use of renewable forest resources (fruit, medicinal, and other technical plants);
• designing and creating fast-growing forest plantations that meet the requirements of the new agricultural system for reforestation;
• determining recreationally significant forest areas and the load capacity to organise the use of tourism-oriented recreational potential;
• determining the phytosanitary condition of forests and carrying out appropriate measures to protect them from various diseases and pests;
• creating new forests in open areas of the forest fund (not covered by forest) and restoring existing forest masses (sparse forests);
• establishing nurseries, supplying tree seeds, and growing seedlings for reforestation activities.

Centres operating under the Forestry Development Service have collected hundreds of tons of seeds and grown 521 million seedlings. Reforestation activities have been implemented over an area of 175,009 hectares, of which 58,585 hectares have been afforested and turned into agro-gardens. For this purpose, 108,146,86 thousand trees of various forest and fruit species have been planted. The successful activities of the forestry development service give us hope that Azerbaijan’s unique forests will be preserved and will delight future generations of Azerbaijanis.