The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) reports that it has allocated some €330,000 to the Armenian Ministry of Nature Protection as part of a co-financing project to maintain the country’s specially protected areas.

The Khosrov Forest State Reserve will receive €111,000, the Zangezur Biosphere Complex - €92,000, Dilijan National Park - €87,000, Lake Arpi National Park - €40,000.

The money will be used to increase park employee wages and to purchase new equipment and technologies, including monitoring drones.

The funds are the first transfers envisaged for 2019.

The CNF, working in partnership with the national governments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, provides matching grants for operating costs and salary supplements, essential equipment and maintenance. In addition, it supports the development of management plans, biodiversity monitoring systems and ecotourism program that support sustainable development and livelihoods in the local communities.