Projects will be funded that support or promote the conservation and sustainable use and management of biodiversity in ecosystems (including agro biodiversity and agro ecological systems), and those that identify and help remove the threats to that biodiversity. The operational programms are restricted to in situ conservation activities and the conservation of the genetic variability of wild relatives of domesticated species. The GEF does not support in situ initiatives (for exam1e, in botanical gardens, zoos, or museuns), unless as a component of a larger project that meets focal area criteria.

Projects should be located in areas that contain globally significant biodiversity or focus on removing or reducing threats to biodiversity at risk.

• Is the ecosystem or constituent species threatened or at risk?

• Is it a “hot spot” (areas under threat that have exceptional concentrations of species unique to the area)?

• Is there a significant presence of endemic species?

• Is the site rich in species?

• Does it contain habitats that are important to migratory species?

• Does it fall under international treaties, laws, agreements or conventions such as, amorg others, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, http://www.cites.org), IUCN Red List of threatened species (http://www.redlistorg) Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention, http://www.rarnsar.org), Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (http://whc.unesco.org/index.htm)?

• Remember that under the Convention on Biological Diversity, all biodiversity can be considered important, from micro-organisms to recognized flagship species.
  

• OP1 - Arid and Semi-Arid Ecosystems

• OP13 - Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity Important to Agriculture

• OP2 - Coastal, Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems

• OP3 - Forest Ecosystems

• OP4 - Mountain Ecosystems