Hirkan National Park ranks first in Azerbaijan in terms of the number of plant species listed in the "Red Book".

This was stated in an interview with AZERTAC by the Vice-President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Director General of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies of the Ministry of Science and Education, Academician Irada Huseynova.

The academician noted that Azerbaijan’s specially protected natural areas play a crucial role in the conservation of ecosystems and rare species. There are certain differences among these areas in terms of plant diversity and the number of species included in the "Red Book". “Research and the analysis of the editions of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s ‘Red Book’ show that Hirkan National Park, Zagatala State Nature Reserve, Ismayilli State Nature Reserve, and Goygol National Park are particularly notable for the number of rare, endemic, and relict species included in all three editions. Among them, Hirkan National Park ranks first. The main reasons for this include the presence of relict flora elements dating back to the Paleogene period, as well as the region’s humid subtropical climate. The park is home to rare plant species included in the ‘Red Book,’ such as Hirkan boxwood, Hirkan hornbeam, Lankaran honeysuckle, black chokeberry, and others,” Irada Huseynova emphasized.