New Ecology Minister focuses on national parks

The project of establishment of the “Shahdagh” national park to cover a bigger part of the Great Caucasus mountain chains is currently under discussion, minister for ecology and natural resources Hussein Baghirov said Saturday.

The park is expected to encircle preserves located in the area. According to the minister, national parks will be also set up in Nakhchivan, the Small Caucasus and Talysh mountains. H. Baghirov voiced his concerns over per capita ratio of forests in the country and said he had decreed to outlaw wood logging even for timber industry.

Mr. Baghirov said that he would devise a strategy for Azerbaijan’s sustained ecological growth like the one in Australia. Though the conditions differ, Australia has a sophisticated nature preservation system, the minister emphasized.*