State reserves of Azerbaijan
State Reserves of Azerbaijan refers to the state reserves in Azerbaijan, which preserve the fauna, flora and their ecosystems. State Reserves bear the status of governmental establishments aimed at environmental protection and scientific researches. They are particularly designed for the protection of typical and rare natural complexes and studying of natural processes and phenomena. The utilization of the lands of State natural reserves, as well as animals and plants, found within their boundaries for industrial purposes is prohibited by the law. Activities in this sector are regulated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic. In total more than 2,5% of Azerbaijan is under protection by the government as state reserve. State Reserves There are 15 state natural parks in Azerbaijan to preserve and protect the fauna, flora and their ecosystems. See below for the list: Basut-Chay State Reserve Eldar Pine State Reserve Gara-Yaz State Reserve Gizil-Agach State Reserve Gobustan State Reserve Ilisu State Reserve Ismailli State Reserve Pirgulu State Reserve Shahbuz State Reserve Shirvan State Reserve Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve Turian-Chay State Reserve Qaragol State Reserve Zagatala State Reserve Basut-Chay State Reserve Basut-Chay State Reserve was established on the area of 1.07 km2 in 1974 for preserving and protecting the rare Oriental plane-tree. The reserve covers the area around the Basut-Chay of the southeastern part of Minor Caucasus. Plane-trees The plane-trees make up 93.5% of Basut-Chay State Reserve area. In average, plane-trees live for 170 years. However, one can come across the plane-trees 1,200–1,500 years of age, 50 meters in height and 4 meters in diameter. The Basut-Chay State Reserve is under the control of de facto Nagorno-Karabakh forces and does not operate at present. Eldar Pine State Reserve The Eldar Pine State Reserve was established on the area of 16.86 km2 of Samuh administrative region on December 16, 2004. The reserve is mainly designed for preserving and protecting of rare and endemic species of Eldar Pine tree. In 1967 the reserve (with the area of 3.92 km2 was transformed into the branch of Goy-Gol State Reserve. Gara-Yaz State Reserve Gara-Yaz State Reserve was established on the area of 48.55 km2 in 1978 for protecting and restoring of riparian woodlands around the Kur. It mainly protects rare and endangered tugai ecological systems, occupying the lands in the mid stream of the Kur. Riparian woodlands includes such types of trees as white poplar, oak, alder-tree and white acacia. Among sharp-clawed animals the most widely spread are wild boar and deer, among birds; pheasant, thrush, dove, etc. The area of Gara-Yaz State Reserve was expanded by 48.03 km2 up to 96.58 km2 on June 2, 2003. Gizil-Agach State Reserve Gizil-Agach State Reserve was established on the area of 884 km2 south-west of the Caspian Sea shore for the purpose of protecting, creating conditions for wintering and nesting of migrant, swamp and wild birds in 1929. The reserve was included of the list of UNESCO Ramseur convention "On internationally important swampy areas as the birds' residing places".