EcoLur
Within 2012-2014 in the forests of specially protected areas of Armenia (SPA) there were records of illegal deforestation in "Dilijan" and "Sevan" national parks, "Khosrov Forest" and "Shikahogh" state reserves. Aram Aghasyan, Head of Specially Protected Areas and Arboretums Management Division of Nature Protection Ministry of the RA, said about this during the round table entitled “What we lose and what we shall acquire in forest sector in terms of climate change” which took place on July 17 at “EcoLur” press club.
“In 2012 as a result of illegal deforestation 107 trees were cut down, 99 of them were cut down in “Dilijan” national park, 8 of them in “Khosrov” state reserve. In 2013 the number of illegally cut down trees was 160: 149 trees were cut down in “Dilijan” national park, 10 trees in “Sevan” national park and 1 tree in “Shikahogh” state reserve, and in 2014 553 cases of illegal deforestation were recorded, 552 of which were in “Dilijan” national park, 20 of them were in “Sevan” national park and 1 tree in “Khosrov Forest” state reserve. The situation is quite good in “Shikahogh” and “Khosrov Forest” state reserves: 1 case in 2013 and 1 case in 2014”, said Aram Aghasyan and added, “the growth of this tree felling isn’t conditioned by the fact that the trees were cut down in just that year, but it means that inspections were simply done very thoroughly”.
Touching upon the emergent situation of the specially protected areas of nature Aram Aghasyan mentioned that “Khosrov Forest” and “Shikahogh” state reserves are especially vulnerable. “I came back from” Khosrov” 2 days ago, the situation is fire dangerous, the grass is completely dry, the River Azat became shallow, many sources dried up. It is also very dry in the bottom part of the forest in “Shikahogh”. Because of dry weather the sources and streams have dried up, we have to intensify the watch and control. But 3 years ago there was once a case of fire in Meghri, this year there hasn’t been any”, said Aram Aghasyan.
In response to the question of the participant of the round table whether the idea of reforestation works in the specially protected areas, Aram Aghasyan answered, “No, it doesn’t and there is no need to. When deforestation is done in Dilijan, the forest is welcomed to be recovered but if Dilijan doesn’t have any forested natural spaces I am against to reforest it, because the idea of protected areas is preserving biodiversity but not reforesting all the natural ecosystems. In terms of the total biodiversity if in Khosrov, where there are mainly sparse forest ecosystems, we have 1850 species of plants; in Dilijan we have 1100 species.
Aram Aghasyan stated that reforestation is done in the area of “Sevan” national park and in the administrative region of Tsovak community. Reforestation is also done on the land exchanged with the area of “Dilijan” national park for the construction and renovation works of Dilijan International School. Natural regeneration works are also done.
The participants of the round table were as follows: Ruben Petrosyan, Deputy Director, Chief Forester of “Hayantar” (ArmForest) SNCO at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, Aram Gyulkhasyan, Director of “State Forest Monitoring Center” SNCO at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Ghurshudyan, Deputy director of “State Forest Monitoring Center” SNCO at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, Aram Aghasyan, Head of Specially Protected Areas and Arboretums Management Division of Nature Protection Ministry of the RA, Aram Gabrielyan, National Coordinator of UN Focal Point Convention on Climate Change, Andranik Ghulijanyan Director of “Zikatar” State Preserve, Working Group Manager of UNDP «Sustainable Land and Forest Management in Northeastern Armenia” Program, Diana Harutyunyan, Coordinator of Climate Change Project of UNDP, Armen Gevorgyan National Coordinator of Armenian Branch of the Transboundary Joint Secretariat for the South Caucasus, Artur Alaverdyan Forest Programs Coordinator of WWF-Armenia, Nazeli Vardanyan, President of “Armenian Forests” NGO, Hovik Sayadyan, Dr. of Geographic Sciences and Professor, the working team of EcoLur.
The “EcoLur” Informational NGO is organizing series of events aimed at public involvement and awareness raising targeted to the future climate change policy directions and development of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) of the Republic of Armenia under UN Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC).
The material is prepared by 'EcoLur' Informational NGO under UNDP Climate Change Program, within the framework of ARM-002/2015 Contract.The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations, including UNDP, or the UN Member States.
July 27, 2015 at 11:55