Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity in the Lower Volga Region

The resulting project would assist the Russian Federation to secure the Lower Volga;'s global biodiversity by: (a) strengthening the existing planning and management capacity for wetland management and biodiversity conservation; (b) assessing options and develop alternatives to current land, water, and resource management to foster more adaptive and biodiversity friendly management policies and practices; (c) strengthening the existing legal and regulatory base and enforcement capability to combat local natural resource over-exploitation; (d) improving awareness of wetland conservation issues and biodiversity values among all sectors, including decision makers, industry, NGOs, and the general public; (e) developing alternative livelihoods for segments of the local population to relieve pressure on natural resources; and (f) establishing a sustainable financing mechanism for biodiversity conservation.