Azerbaijan , Baku, Sept.30 / Trend, S.Dadashova /
An international legal consultant of the EU-funded programme ENPI FLEG has visited Azerbaijan for the second time to meet with stakeholders and discuss ways to improve the national forest legislation system, ENPI Info Centre reported.
During the visit, the Legal Team met with representatives of state authorities and municipalities in Baku and other pilot regions, including the Lankaran region. The main aim was to study working methods and law enforcement practices, but also examine shortcomings of the current forest legislation system, which impede the effective management of the State Forest Fund and forest areas.
A series of meetings were also conducted with representatives of the regional branch of the Forest Development Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR), foresters, and local ecological NGOs. During these meetings, stakeholders discussed the particularities of the regional ecosystems and biodiversity, in addition to identifying the main threats and challenges. The information which has been gathered so far is currently being analysed by the Programme's Legal Team, which is expected to deliver relevant proposals and recommendations in the near future.
As for the seminar, it brought together a number of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Forest Development Department of the MENR, the Forestry Research Institute, the Association of Municipalities, in addition to local ecological and legal NGOs.
Participants highlighted the importance of forest rehabilitation and protection activities which have been carried out over the last few years in Azerbaijan, and discussed the specificities of the country's forests.
The €6 million ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) programme supports governments, civil society and the private sector in the development of sound and sustainable forest management practices, including the prevention of illegal forestry activities.