Azerbaijan is creating Karabakh National Park on 88,418 hectares of state-owned land across five districts, with more than half of its territory in Aghdara district.
President Ilham Aliyev signed the order establishing the park on Oct. 20. The land is being reclassified as specially protected territory.
Land From Five Districts
The park will include 44,773.79 hectares in Aghdara, 24,597.80 hectares in Khojaly, 13,514.98 hectares in Kalbajar, 5,314.34 hectares in Shusha and 217.09 hectares in Lachin.
Its boundaries are set out in a land-use plan attached to the order. The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to resolve matters related to implementation.
Conservation and Ecotourism
The stated aims include restoring and preserving biodiversity, expanding the network of protected natural areas, supporting sustainable use of natural resources and developing ecotourism.
The order also notes that operations at the Basitchay State Nature Reserve in Zangilan district and the Dashalti State Nature Sanctuary in Shusha and Khojaly districts had previously been restored under the Great Return program.
The document establishes a protected area. It does not specify when the park will open to visitors or the conditions for visiting.
Source: Vesti Baku.