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DREAMS OF GANANCH
By Lori Suvajian
Arlington Advocate
http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/fun/ entertainment/arts/x142939556
Jan 31 2008
MA
Arlington, Mass. - I had never fantasized about the color green until I
went to Armenia. During all of my seventeen years living in Arlington,
I never really appreciated the 18,000 public trees that beautify this
town. So, when I visited my father's homeland - Armenia - during the
summer of 2007, I had no idea how different the environment would
be. Getting off the plane was literally the first step of my wake-up
call: the desolate landscape was completely lacking in "gananch"-
green. I soon felt an obligation to help bring it back. Hence came
my involvement with the Armenia Tree Project (ATP).
The ATP is a non-profit organization with bases in Watertown,
Mass., as well as Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It plants trees
and shrubs throughout the country to revive Armenia's devastated
environment. The fall of the Soviet Union, the 1988 earthquake,
and the war with Azerbaijan caused fuel shortages in the country,
leading to major deforestation. And Armenia's poor condition is only
a tiny example of the global environmental crisis.
ATP's goals are simple yet challenging to achieve. Its top priority
is improving Armenia's environment. Basically, the more trees, the
better. Trees attract moisture, so as forests disappear, it rains
less frequently, making the country increasingly hot and dry.
Pollution is a major issue in Armenia, and without trees, there is
less fresh air to keep people healthy. Finally, the trees help support
the ecosystems of local flora and fauna.
In Yerevan, I met with Anahit Gharibyan, the project's community tree
planting manager, who guided me through some of ATP's local planting
sites. We visited the Karin Nursery, where seeds grow into saplings
that are later replanted throughout the area. Once relocated, it takes
continuous care from ATP and local staff to keep the seedlings alive -
and this, of course, takes money.
As you enjoy our tree-lined streets and small forests at Menotomy
Rocks Park, consider sharing this gift with Armenia. A donation of
$15 will buy a seed and ensure that it receives enough care to become
a healthy tree. Donation options are available on ATP's Web site,
www.armeniatree.org, or by calling its main number, (617) 926-8733,
for more information.
Visit Suvajian's photography exhibit "Dreams of Gananch" at the Fox
Branch Library on from February 13-27. Purchase digital reproductions
of this art, on canvas, to help benefit the Armenian Tree Project.
Suvajian is a high school senior who spent the past summer working
for the Armenian Tree Project, I'm a high school senior who lives in
Arlington. A different version of this article originally appeared in
"The Armenian Weekly."
By Lori Suvajian
Arlington Advocate
http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/fun/ entertainment/arts/x142939556
Jan 31 2008
MA
Arlington, Mass. - I had never fantasized about the color green until I
went to Armenia. During all of my seventeen years living in Arlington,
I never really appreciated the 18,000 public trees that beautify this
town. So, when I visited my father's homeland - Armenia - during the
summer of 2007, I had no idea how different the environment would
be. Getting off the plane was literally the first step of my wake-up
call: the desolate landscape was completely lacking in "gananch"-
green. I soon felt an obligation to help bring it back. Hence came
my involvement with the Armenia Tree Project (ATP).
The ATP is a non-profit organization with bases in Watertown,
Mass., as well as Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It plants trees
and shrubs throughout the country to revive Armenia's devastated
environment. The fall of the Soviet Union, the 1988 earthquake,
and the war with Azerbaijan caused fuel shortages in the country,
leading to major deforestation. And Armenia's poor condition is only
a tiny example of the global environmental crisis.
ATP's goals are simple yet challenging to achieve. Its top priority
is improving Armenia's environment. Basically, the more trees, the
better. Trees attract moisture, so as forests disappear, it rains
less frequently, making the country increasingly hot and dry.
Pollution is a major issue in Armenia, and without trees, there is
less fresh air to keep people healthy. Finally, the trees help support
the ecosystems of local flora and fauna.
In Yerevan, I met with Anahit Gharibyan, the project's community tree
planting manager, who guided me through some of ATP's local planting
sites. We visited the Karin Nursery, where seeds grow into saplings
that are later replanted throughout the area. Once relocated, it takes
continuous care from ATP and local staff to keep the seedlings alive -
and this, of course, takes money.
As you enjoy our tree-lined streets and small forests at Menotomy
Rocks Park, consider sharing this gift with Armenia. A donation of
$15 will buy a seed and ensure that it receives enough care to become
a healthy tree. Donation options are available on ATP's Web site,
www.armeniatree.org, or by calling its main number, (617) 926-8733,
for more information.
Visit Suvajian's photography exhibit "Dreams of Gananch" at the Fox
Branch Library on from February 13-27. Purchase digital reproductions
of this art, on canvas, to help benefit the Armenian Tree Project.
Suvajian is a high school senior who spent the past summer working
for the Armenian Tree Project, I'm a high school senior who lives in
Arlington. A different version of this article originally appeared in
"The Armenian Weekly."