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ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armeniatree.org
PRESS RELEASE
January 2, 2013
ATP Plants Another 412,482 Trees Throughout Armenia
-- More than 340,000 trees planted in new forests in Lori region
YEREVAN--Armenia Tree Project (ATP), founded by the philanthropist Carolyn
Mugar, is one of the only organizations dedicated to planting trees in every
region of the country including Artsakh. The organization planted another
412,482 trees in 2012, bringing the total number of trees planted and
rejuvenated to more than 4,225,000 since 1994.
The flagship Community Tree Planting program planted 70,383 fruit and
decorative trees in 2012, while the SEEDS program planted another 342,099
reforestation seedlings in Northern Armenia. ATP launched the program known
as SEEDS, or "Social, Economic, and Environmental Development for
Sustainability," in 2011. It has allowed ATP to build capacity in its
reforestation programs while improving results through a greater emphasis on
community development and investing in social capital in planting areas.
This fall, ATP finished planting new forest sites in the communities of
Ghursali and Arjut in the Lori region. Planting began in these communities
in 2009 with the support of WWF Germany, WWF Caucasus, and WWF Armenia and
the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.
Planting was also completed at a 60 hectare site in the community of
Saratovka and ATP began working on a new forest site in Koghes with the
planting and seeding of a 20 hectare site. The work in Koghes is expected to
be completed in spring 2013 with the addition of several thousand pine
seedlings. The newly planted forests consist of native oak, ash, apple, and
pear trees.
Most of the seedlings come from ATP's Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in
Margahovit. The oak and ash trees were also purchased from rural families
growing trees in backyard nursery micro-enterprises in the Getik River
Valley. "This year, for the first time, ATP used Alpine Maple and Mountain
Ash species for afforestation purposes," explains SEEDS program manager
Vardan Melikyan. "Both are considered endangered in Armenia and if the
survival rate is high, ATP will be planting more of these trees in the
future."
In addition to planting, the SEEDS team installed fencing around a 50
hectare site in Koghes where forests started regenerating naturally in
recent years. "The fence will protect oak, hornbeam, and other trees from
cattle and the risk of being damaged by people," says Melikyan. "We plan to
seed and coppice the site in order to rehabilitate the forest that has been
growing in this area in the past."
All of the forest sites planted by ATP have been maintained by a seasonal
workforce of 60 people, which involved clearing grass around thousands of
seedlings to improve survival rates. Forest sites planted by the SEEDS team
since 2011 have maintained a 61 percent survival rate, which is a rather
high index for such mountainous zones.
"Our seasonal workers were busy for six months with reforestation and
maintenance activities. This provided a substantial seasonal income and, as
a result, many villagers remained in Armenia instead of emigrating for
work," adds Melikyan, "With better tree survival rates, they will have more
work to do during the maintenance period, thus making even more money.
Hence, they're motivated to perform even better to have work for summer."
In September, ATP's nursery, forestry, and SEEDS managers traveled to
Helsinki for a study tour. Most of Finland's forests are privately owned and
the ATP experts got acquainted with European forest management practices
after visiting the Finnish Forest Research Institute and several local
nurseries.
"Although Armenia cannot be compared with Finland in terms of forest cover
and forest management, it is important to learn from such countries to
develop a vision of what is desirable for the future of Armenia's forests,"
notes Melikyan.
As part of its community development initiatives, the SEEDS program
spearheaded the ReGardening of Eden partnership in Margahovit Village with
the Acopian Center for the Environment at American University of Armenia.
Focusing on the importance of trees, the protection of wildlife habitat, and
proper waste management, the partnership is engaging local youth and
community residents in the creation of a new park, environmental education,
trash collection, and recycling programs.
Finally, the SEEDS team is partnering with the Syun NGO on a pilot program
to introduce more efficient wood stoves in the communities of Tatev,
Svarants, Shunuhayr, and Halidzor. The new stoves use 40 percent less
fuelwood than traditional stoves while ensuring an adequate level of heating
in winter. The project will begin with the construction and deployment of 38
energy efficiency wood stoves in the local schools and village
administration buildings.
ATP's mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve
their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the desire
to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and
conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP's three major programs are tree
planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.
For more information, please visit the website www.armeniatree.org.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.armeniatree.org
PRESS RELEASE
January 2, 2013
ATP Plants Another 412,482 Trees Throughout Armenia
-- More than 340,000 trees planted in new forests in Lori region
YEREVAN--Armenia Tree Project (ATP), founded by the philanthropist Carolyn
Mugar, is one of the only organizations dedicated to planting trees in every
region of the country including Artsakh. The organization planted another
412,482 trees in 2012, bringing the total number of trees planted and
rejuvenated to more than 4,225,000 since 1994.
The flagship Community Tree Planting program planted 70,383 fruit and
decorative trees in 2012, while the SEEDS program planted another 342,099
reforestation seedlings in Northern Armenia. ATP launched the program known
as SEEDS, or "Social, Economic, and Environmental Development for
Sustainability," in 2011. It has allowed ATP to build capacity in its
reforestation programs while improving results through a greater emphasis on
community development and investing in social capital in planting areas.
This fall, ATP finished planting new forest sites in the communities of
Ghursali and Arjut in the Lori region. Planting began in these communities
in 2009 with the support of WWF Germany, WWF Caucasus, and WWF Armenia and
the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.
Planting was also completed at a 60 hectare site in the community of
Saratovka and ATP began working on a new forest site in Koghes with the
planting and seeding of a 20 hectare site. The work in Koghes is expected to
be completed in spring 2013 with the addition of several thousand pine
seedlings. The newly planted forests consist of native oak, ash, apple, and
pear trees.
Most of the seedlings come from ATP's Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in
Margahovit. The oak and ash trees were also purchased from rural families
growing trees in backyard nursery micro-enterprises in the Getik River
Valley. "This year, for the first time, ATP used Alpine Maple and Mountain
Ash species for afforestation purposes," explains SEEDS program manager
Vardan Melikyan. "Both are considered endangered in Armenia and if the
survival rate is high, ATP will be planting more of these trees in the
future."
In addition to planting, the SEEDS team installed fencing around a 50
hectare site in Koghes where forests started regenerating naturally in
recent years. "The fence will protect oak, hornbeam, and other trees from
cattle and the risk of being damaged by people," says Melikyan. "We plan to
seed and coppice the site in order to rehabilitate the forest that has been
growing in this area in the past."
All of the forest sites planted by ATP have been maintained by a seasonal
workforce of 60 people, which involved clearing grass around thousands of
seedlings to improve survival rates. Forest sites planted by the SEEDS team
since 2011 have maintained a 61 percent survival rate, which is a rather
high index for such mountainous zones.
"Our seasonal workers were busy for six months with reforestation and
maintenance activities. This provided a substantial seasonal income and, as
a result, many villagers remained in Armenia instead of emigrating for
work," adds Melikyan, "With better tree survival rates, they will have more
work to do during the maintenance period, thus making even more money.
Hence, they're motivated to perform even better to have work for summer."
In September, ATP's nursery, forestry, and SEEDS managers traveled to
Helsinki for a study tour. Most of Finland's forests are privately owned and
the ATP experts got acquainted with European forest management practices
after visiting the Finnish Forest Research Institute and several local
nurseries.
"Although Armenia cannot be compared with Finland in terms of forest cover
and forest management, it is important to learn from such countries to
develop a vision of what is desirable for the future of Armenia's forests,"
notes Melikyan.
As part of its community development initiatives, the SEEDS program
spearheaded the ReGardening of Eden partnership in Margahovit Village with
the Acopian Center for the Environment at American University of Armenia.
Focusing on the importance of trees, the protection of wildlife habitat, and
proper waste management, the partnership is engaging local youth and
community residents in the creation of a new park, environmental education,
trash collection, and recycling programs.
Finally, the SEEDS team is partnering with the Syun NGO on a pilot program
to introduce more efficient wood stoves in the communities of Tatev,
Svarants, Shunuhayr, and Halidzor. The new stoves use 40 percent less
fuelwood than traditional stoves while ensuring an adequate level of heating
in winter. The project will begin with the construction and deployment of 38
energy efficiency wood stoves in the local schools and village
administration buildings.
ATP's mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve
their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the desire
to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and
conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP's three major programs are tree
planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.
For more information, please visit the website www.armeniatree.org.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress