The Caucasus is one of the world’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. The link between human poverty and threats to the environment also is clear and critical.

It’s here where Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) support is enabling the Fund for Biodiversity Conservation of the Armenian Highland to help rebuild economic stability for local communities as part its effort to preserve the environment.

The landscapes in this part of southern Armenia range from semi-desert to mountain steppe and woodland forest to rolling meadow. The geographic diversity supports an equally wide range of plants and animals, many of them unique and endemic to the region.

Many also are globally threatened, including the Armenian mouflon (Ovis ammon) or wild sheep.

However, to date there is only one existing protected area for these species: Shikahogh State Reserve. Two new areas are planned—Arevik and Zangezur—to provide refuge on the slopes of the Meghri Mountain Ridge and Zangezur and Baregushat mountain ridges.

Working with community leaders, the Fund for Biodiversity Conservation of the Armenian Highland is providing financial support to the villages surrounding these areas to launch new, sustainable sources of income. Each village, in turn, plays a key role with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and the government of the Syunik region.

The villages have not always worked together. In fact, they have often competed with one another for critical food and resources. The new plan helps address their needs by sharing resources rather than competing for them.

Artur Karapetyan, director of the Fund, says that helping resolve the economic needs of the villagers is critical.

"Endangered species and their habitats will be better protected by mitigating the conflict between the communities and protected areas and reducing human pressure on natural resources," he says.

For example, in the Shikahogh community next to the State Reserve, one grant will pay for the purchase of a pair of tractors and mechanics shop. Set up as a cooperative, the people will be trained to repair and service the machinery tractors. The tractors will then be shared among the various communities.

Another grant will help establish an apple orchard in Aldara. A tractor will help with harvesting.

In Tsav, the Fund recently supported the provision of 350 rabbits, rabbit farm equipment and food for animals (for 1 year maintenance) as well as a tractor for the farm. The community itself will provide additional necessary equipment, water, and electricity for the farm.

A cheese-making factory is planned for Kajaran, where the Fund’s support recently enabled the purchase of 200 sheep, 30 goats and food for the animals. This will both help establish a livestock farm and a source of milk for the cheese-making. The farm will be fenced and the community will help provide appropriate equipment, water and electricity to the farm.

Nrnadzor is mainly focused on pomegranate production. Usually community members sell the crop—used to produce wine and juice—to companies in the Armenian capitol of Yerevan for less than half market value. Karapetyan says the Fund plans to support the building of a pomegranate processing facility to allow the community to double its income and develop its own capacity.

In the last two months, each of the villages decided to participate in the program. Two of the communities—Kajaran and Shikahogh—have signed memoranda with Shikahogh State Reserve, agreeing to help protect the reserve.

"Kajaran is a special place," says Karapetyan, "Showing people how to better use natural resources helps everyone at the same time."

Helping the villages with the building blocks of new income, it is hoped they, in turn, will serve as guardians for the reserves created around them, helping to preserve one of the most diverse hotspots in the region and also benefiting the people who live there.