On May 3, 2021, "EcoLur" Press Club hosted "Forest Problems and Solutions of Armenia Having a Climate Regulatory Role" expert round table. The issues related to forest management, the programs aimed at forest protection in Armenia were discussed, the violations committed in the forest sector and the gaps in the legislative field and the ways of their regulation were presented.
Welcoming the participants of the round table, UNDP Climate Change Program Coordinator Diana Harutyunyan noted that the issue of restoration and improvement of Armenia's forest resources is being used within the framework of the commitments undertaken by Armenia in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. "On April 22, Armenia presented its updated position until 2030 under the Paris Agreement. In this position, it is clear that we are committed to increasing forest-covered areas. It is understandable that we have responsibilities to both the sustainable future of our people and the international community. In our country, the forest is not wood, the forest is biodiversity, it has the function of controlling the flow of water resources, land protection and mitigating emergencies," she said.
Acting Deputy Chair of Forest Committee of RA Environment Ministry Arusyak Siradeghyan made a report on "Forest Management: Problems and Solutions". Irina Ghaplanyan, an expert from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, presented "Armenia's Forest Sustainability: Promoting Green Growth Mitigation and Adaptation in Rural Communities" project.
Mikael Santrosyan, Head of Flora Control Department of Biodiversity Control Department of RA Nature Protection and Mining Inspection Body, referred to the violations discovered by the Inspection in the forest sector, as well as the legislative reforms. Director of "Forests of Armenia" NGO Nazeli Vardanyan made a report "Public Assessment on the State of the Forest".
In her speech, Arusyak Siradeghyan noted that Forest Committee was established in 2018 to make forest management more effective, and currently Forest Code will be amended to create a forest service to separate forest protection from use, and to protect forests more effectively.
The speaker noted that with the financing of the state budget for 2019-2020, reforestation and afforestation works were carried out in 1264 hectares in the "Forestry" branches of "ArmForest" SNCO of Forest Committee, out of which 273 hectares through sowing and planting, 991 hectares through supporting the natural growth of the forest. With the support of the United Nations Development Program, more than 5,000 hectares of reforestation works were carried out in the "Forestry" branches of "ArmForest" SNCO by supporting the natural growth of the forest in 2018-2020.
Arusyak Siradeghyan mentioned that about 2 million seedlings of different forest species were grown in the nurseries of "ArmForest" SNCO. Extensive reforestation and afforestation is planned in the coming years within the framework of "Armenia’s Forest Stability" project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is launching this year.
The speaker noted that with the financing of the state budget, the forest management plans of “Sisian” and “Chambarak" Forestry branches of “ArmForest” SNCO were developed in 2020, which are currently in the stage of environmental impact assessment.
The forest management plan of "Sevqar Forestry" branch is being developed, which will be accomplished in the first half of 2021. Within the frameworks of “Mainstreaming Sustainable Land and Forest Management in Mountain Landscapes of North- Eastern Armenia” project
by UNDP in 2018-2020, the forest management plans of Stepanavan, Tashir, Jiliza, Vanadzor, Ijevan and Noyemberyan branches of “ArmForest” SNCO, which are currently in the stage of environmental impact assessment," she said.
According to Siradeghyan, 15 million AMD will be allocated annually from the state budget from 2019 for the maintenance of the forest cadastre.
As a positive result, Arusyak Siradeghyan mentioned that summer-winter clothes for forest protection workers were purchased in 2019 with the financing of the state budget, and already in 2021 the salaries of the employees of "ArmForest" SNCO and branches were raised by 30% on average.
May 12, 2021 at 17:21