Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan can be called a "museum of nature" with its rich flora of green forests and summer pastures.

Amazingly beautiful land of unique natural contrasts, which enjoys nine of the 11 major types of globe climates -- from subtropical to high alpine meadows. At the same time you can watch all four seasons here: lush vegetation of humid subtropical is adjacent to the eternal snows and glaciers of Shakhdag and Murovdag mountains, Gabala forests full of spring aromas, fog with rain over the tea and citrus plantations in the foothills of the Talysh mountain range with warm and gusty winds of Absheron.

The territory of the republic has almost all common types of plants in the world, and
this richness of the diversity of flora and vegetation is related to its physical-geographic and natural-historical conditions of the country.

Azerbaijan is a homeland for the rarest species of trees and shrubs. Plant species existing in the territory of Azerbaijan make up 66 percent of the total number plant growing in the Caucasus.

The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers will determine the standard of gardening of settlements, provided in the changes of the Urban Planning and Construction Code of Azerbaijan, discussed at a joint session of parliamentary committees on agrarian policy and on legal policy and state building held on October 27.

According to the amendments, henceforth gardening standard will be included in the detailed plan of the buildings construction. Measures of protection of trees, shrubs and other greenery also must be considered in construction permits.

Despite strict measures against those who harm the nature, there are still few cases when people violate rules. For the nine months of this year, some 146 people were brought to justice for illegal cutting of trees. Violators were fined by 274.200 manats ($166,000).

Azerbaijan is one of the few countries, which managed not only to stop the deforestation, but also to increase the forest areas, said Firdovsi Aliyev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan during the meeting.

"Azerbaijan currently continues the process of forest planting and gardening. Over the past few years, the forest area in the country increased from 11.4 to 11.8 percent. As a result, our country jumped 31st place among 180 countries in the report by prestigious international research "Environmental Performance Index"," he said.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan plans to toughen punishment for illegal cutting of trees, destruction or damage of forests and green areas.

Illegal cutting of trees or other greenery on specially protected areas, as well as trees and shrubs outside the forest fund, with an injury on a considerable scale (from 1,000 to 7,000 manats), will be fined from 5,000 to 7,000 manats. Previously, the amount of the penalty was from 2,500 to 3,500 manats.

In case of repetition the same cases the fine can be increased up to 9,000 manats.

The size of the penalty for destruction or damage of forests and plantations outside the forest fund, as a result of careless handling of fire or other sources of danger will also be increased to 1,000-2,000 manats (currently 100-500 manats).

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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