The CEPF niche for investment in the Caucasus hotspot was determined based on the following factors: biological and geographical priorities for biodiversity conservation (species, site and corridor outcomes); threats to biodiversity; socioeconomic framework of the corridors; institutional capacity in the region; and assessment of current investments and funding gaps and opportunities in the corridors.
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biological basis for the CEPF niche is determined by the species outcomes - globally threatened species found in the Caucasus according to the 2002 IUCN Red List. These species are the primary basis for conservation action in the region and the foundation upon which all other priorities—site and corridor outcomes—were determined. It is important to note that investment will be concentrated in the corridors that contain the majority of these species. Additional funding should be sought to cover species located outside of these corridors. Monitoring of populations of globally threatened species over the long term will help ascertain whether or not conservation programs are successful. Over time, the list of globally threatened species for the Caucasus should be updated, as more information on restricted-range and threatened species is gathered in the region.
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geographical basis for the CEPF niche in the Caucasus hotspot was elaborated during the process of determining conservation outcomes. The globally threatened species (species outcomes) were found to be concentrated in 205 sites throughout the hotspot (site outcomes). These sites were grouped where possible into 10 broad corridors (corridor outcomes). Thirty-three sites, that contain globally threatened species, did not fall under any of the corridors and should be targeted individually through additional funding opportunities. Wide-ranging species (landscape species) are not limited to specific corridors and should be targeted separately where necessary. While the corridors are not targeted for protection as entire blocks, they indicate priority areas where precise measures can be taken to complement existing conservation programs.
In order to narrow the geographical niche to account for limited CEPF funding, five priority corridors were delineated from the original 10, taking into account representativeness, level of biodiversity, threats, current investments and other factors. These target corridors are the Greater Caucasus, Caspian, West Lesser Caucasus, East Lesser Caucasus and Hyrcan corridors. The five corridors, covering 14.2 million hectares, account for 68 percent of the total area and 66 percent of the site outcomes of all 10 corridors. Ninety percent (46) of the species outcomes are found in these five corridors, including all six critically endangered species. All 18 landscape species are represented within the five target corridors. Fourteen of the 17 restricted-range species found in all 10 corridors are in the selected five. Over half of the bird congregation areas are concentrated in the five corridors. Nearly 90 percent of the protected areas found in the 10 corridors are located within the five priority corridors. All major habitats are represented in the target corridors.
The threat of habitat degradation and irreversible biodiversity loss is also greatest in the five target corridors. Illegal and unsustainable logging and fuelwood collection threaten habitats in these five corridors, leading to forest degradation, deforestation and species extinctions. Poaching poses serious threats to biodiversity and endangered species in all five corridors. Overgrazing is impacting fragile mountain meadow habitats in the Greater Caucasus and East Lesser Caucasus corridors. Overfishing is wiping out fish populations and related biodiversity in the Caspian, West Lesser Caucasus and Hyrcan corridors. Infrastructure development and poor water management is a problem in three of the corridors. Thus, the five corridors have a representative array of problems to be resolved through investment in conservation programs. The Caspian and Hyrcan corridors in particular have received limited international assistance and government support. All six countries are represented in the target corridors, which is important for ensuring support from each of the national governments. Finally, these five corridors provide unprecedented opportunities for promoting transboundary cooperation, since each of the corridors crosses the boundaries of two or more countries in the hotspot. Additional sources of funding will need to be identified to resolve important conservation issues in the remaining five corridors and sites not covered by corridors.
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thematic basis for the CEPF niche was elaborated as a result of analysis of threats to biodiversity at the species, sites and corridor level. Major threats include overgrazing, poaching, illegal logging, fuel wood harvesting, overfishing and infrastructure development. The thematic niche for CEPF should address the socioeconomic, political and institutional root causes of these threats—lack of awareness, lack of economic opportunities, poor management of protected areas, etc.—while monitoring the status of globally threatened species and their habitats. The thematic niche—CEPF's strategic directions—includes targeted actions led by civil society actors, such as strengthening the protected areas network, for example, by developing management plans for protected areas in target corridors and linking existing protected areas into a continuous network of reserves (Econet). CEPF can support efforts of civil society to promote transboundary cooperation to ensure conservation of transborder ecosystems and threatened species. The thematic niche includes fighting poverty in local communities by implementing model projects on alternative income generation and sustainable resource use, reducing pressures on natural ecosystems. CEPF can play an important role in building capacity of civil society and conservation agencies through training and technical support and in promoting awareness and support of decisionmakers and the general public on biodiversity conservation issues in target corridor areas. Components of the strategic directions should be carried out in the corridors where they will have the greatest impact.
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institutional basis for the CEPF niche was determined as a result of the rapid socioeconomic analysis and assessment of institutional capacity. Legislation supporting nature conservation is generally in place in all the countries, though contradictions exist and enforcement capabilities are less than optimal. Governmental environmental agencies have representative branches in all five target corridors, but these are under funded and can only cover basic operational costs. NGOs are well established in the Greater Caucasus, Caspian and West Lesser Caucasus corridors, but have limited capacity and funding. International NGOs are active in most of the corridors. Protected areas with experienced scientific and administrative staff can serve as the basis for conservation projects related to species conservation and other areas in the target corridors. Target groups for funding-the institutional niche-are NGOs and other parts of civil society (universities, institutes, etc.) that can work with governmental agencies to fill in gaps where state funds fall short, as well as protected areas staff and individuals involved in conservation in the region. Governmental conservation agencies would also benefit from training programs and other capacity building measures facilitated by civil groups.
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funding niche was determined based on analysis of current investments in the Caucasus and taking into consideration that CEPF funds are limited and the timeframe is only five years. CEPF funding can help fill funding gaps in the protected areas system—the foundation—by supporting ongoing efforts to create new reserves and wildlife corridors. Improving reserve management through development and implementation of management plans will help ensure that existing reserves are effective in conserving biodiversity within the target corridors. Promoting transboundary cooperation in the target corridors would help governments realize programs on transboundary conservation set out in bilateral agreements. In order to ensure persistence of the globally threatened species, conservation mechanisms such as international conventions on biodiversity and the IUCN Red List need to be updated and enforced. State conservation agencies would benefit from training and support in implementing conventions. Small grants targeted at conservation of all globally threatened species would ensure that these species receive the attention of the conservation community and serve as indicators for conservation success in the region. Model projects on alternative income generation for local communities and sustainable resource use are good investments that will demonstrate the benefits of sustainable nature use and become self-financing in the long run.
To reiterate, the CEPF niche for investment was formulated based on five major parameters: evaluation of the most important biological factors, determination of priority geographical areas, potential impact of thematic directions, assessment of available institutional capacity and analysis of current funding gaps and opportunities. The outcome of this evaluation is that CEPF investment should be focused on conserving globally threatened species, the majority of which are found in five target corridors: Greater Caucasus, Caspian, West Lesser Caucasus, East Lesser Caucasus and Hyrcan. The main threats to biodiversity and species in these target corridors stem from illegal logging, overgrazing, poaching, overfishing and infrastructure development. Thus CEPF funding should focus primarily on mediating the root causes of these threats in the five corridors—lack of economic opportunities, lack of transboundary cooperation, lack of awareness, poor protected area management and others. Existing civil society institutions, protected areas and conservation agencies should be the target groups for CEPF funding, as they have the greatest potential to realize projects for mitigating threats and halting biodiversity loss in the Caucasus hotspot.
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