A community-based environmental zone will be established in the area of 7938 hectares of Pambak consolidated community, Lori Region. On June 17, 2024, a long-term agreement was signed between WWF Armenia, Pambak community and "Koshaqar" community social-environmental NGO regarding the establishment of a new environmental zone. About 263,840 Euros will be provided for the environmental goals of Pambak community and the socio-economic development of the beneficiary settlements.
With the support of WWF Armenia, solar photovoltaic plants have already been installed on the roofs of the administrative centers in three beneficiary settlements of the project, Yeghegnut, Debed and Margahovt, the works to improve the infrastructure of pastures have begun, indigenous tourism, wild gathering and food supply are being developed.
The community-based environment zone will be established within the framework of "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" - Project II funded by the Economic Community of the Federal Republic of Germany by the Ministry of Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Bank. "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" project is funded by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). This project is implemented by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Armenia and the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) as part of the wider Regional Eco-Corridor for the Caucasus (ECF) project.
"It is exciting for us that the Pambak community expressed its desire to join this project. Without the active participation of the community, environmental protection will simply fail," noted Armen Shahbazyan, National Coordinator of Second Phase of "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" project.
Within the framework of the project, mapping and counting of the habitats of the Caucasian leopard, Armenian mouflon, Bezoar goat and brown bear will be carried out. Monitoring and protection of wild animals in communal environmental areas will be carried out by selected guardians, who will be provided with SUVs, equipment and uniforms.
"By building an ecological network, we increase the resilience of nature because animals can move through eco-corridors," said Yerni Streeti, Technical Sdvisor for "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" - Project II.
Out of 7,938-hectare environmental area, 1,776 hectares are in the main zone and 6,162 hectares are in the sustainable management zone, with 1,700 hectares in the area of Koshaqar Mountain in Yeghegnut.
Karen Manvelyan, Director of WWF Armenia, said in his interview with Ecolur: "Economic activities will be restricted in this area and custodians will be appointed to ensure the preservation of biodiversity."
"Caucasian red deer used to live here, it's time to bring them back. We hope that within the framework of this agreement, the first batch will be here in a few months," Aramayis Hakobyan, President of "Koshaqar" NGO, told Ecolur.
LILA Project Coordinator Alla Ghazaryan from "Strategic Development Agency" NGO said: "The overall goal of the project is to improve the living conditions of rural communities, to contribute to the development of local communities, sustainable and inclusive tourism."
Referring to the activities carried out within LILA project, Karen Manvelyan noted: "With this project, we support local communities to be more resilient to the challenges of climate change."
June 20, 2024 at 19:51