Hyrcanian forests

Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests
Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests
	Sisangan National Forest, Mazandaran Iran
	Hyrcanian mixed forests (purple)
Ecology
Biome	Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Borders	List Caspian lowland desert; Kopet Dag semi-desert; Kopet Dag woodlands and forest steppe; Elburz Range forest steppe; Eastern Anatolian montane steppe; Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe;
Bird species	296
Mammal species	98
Geography
Area	55,100 km2 (21,300 sq mi)
Countries	Iran; Azerbaijan;
Conservation
Habitat loss	51%
Protected	10.30%
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Hyrcanian Forests
Criteria	Natural: (ix)
Designated	2019 (43rd session)
Reference no.	1584
Region	Western Asia, Caucasus
	Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox designation list with unknown parameter "buffer_zone" Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox designation list with unknown parameter "Year" Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox designation list with unknown parameter "area"

The Hyrcanian forests (Persian: جنگل های هیرکانی; Azerbaijani: Hirkan meşələri) are a zone of lush lowland and montane forests covering about 55,000 square kilometres (21,000 sq mi) near the shores of the Caspian Sea in Iran and Azerbaijan. The forest is named after the ancient region of Hyrcania. The World Wide Fund for Nature refers to the ecoregion as the Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests. Since 5 July 2019, the Hyrcanian Forests have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[2] In September 2023, the heritage site expanded to incorporate portions of the forest located in Azerbaijan.^[3]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hoekstra, J. M.; Molnar, J. L.; Jennings, M.; Revenga, C.; Spalding, M. D.; Boucher, T. M.; Robertson, J. C.; Heibel, T. J.; Ellison, K. (2010). Molnar, J. L. (ed.). The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26256-0.
^ "Iran's Hyrcanian Forests Added to UNESCO World Heritage List". Financial Tribune. 5 July 2019.
^ "Hyrcanian Forests". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 17 September 2023.

[Atlas-1] Hoekstra, J. M.; Molnar, J. L.; Jennings, M.; Revenga, C.; Spalding, M. D.; Boucher, T. M.; Robertson, J. C.; Heibel, T. J.; Ellison, K. (2010). Molnar, J. L. (ed.). The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26256-0.

[2] "Iran's Hyrcanian Forests Added to UNESCO World Heritage List". Financial Tribune. 5 July 2019.

[3] "Hyrcanian Forests". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 17 September 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]