The organizations representing "Ecological Public Alliance", concerned about the expressions of business interest in "Jrvezh" forest park and the agreements with RA Environment Ministry, apply to Environment Minister Hakob Simidyan with a demand, which says:
"We learned from the announcement spread by the Ministry that without any public discussions, without consulting with professional organizations and experts, you approved the development program of "Jrvezh" city park complex on large-scale infrastructure works in "Jrvezh" forest park, the winner of which was "Global Project" LLC. "Global Project" LLC has already developed its project for the reconstruction of the park and presented it to the ministry during the meeting with you on February 18.
As we learn from the press release, "According to the project, it is planned to build children's playgrounds from ecologically natural raw materials, a racetrack in accordance with the standards of organizing sports events, mini football, basketball and volleyball courts, a skate playground, a parking lot in accordance with modern requirements. Infrastructures for winter recreation, ski routes, skating rinks, skating rinks are planned. There will be greenhouses where plants will be planted and grown, including forest trees. There is also an art zone, a training zone and other thematic corners.”
The business proposal that you approved contains serious risks for the ecosystem of "Jrvezh" forest park. There are 21 red-listed rare and endangered species: oriental plane tree, juniper, Cossack juniper, common juniper and other species, which were brought from different nature conservation areas of the world during the creation of the park. As a result of the described activity, the main function of "Jrvezh" forest park as a specially protected area will be violated, the green lungs of the Yerevan protection zone will be destroyed.
The whole process shows that the basic requirement of the Aarhus Convention on public participation in all stages of projects affecting the environment has been violated.
Reminder: in 2009 RA Government called back resolution 684-N “On Approving Description and Territory Size of “Jrvezh” Forest Park and Amending RA Government Decision N 1046-N dated on 18 July 2002”, which tried to violate the integrity of the forest park.
Interested non-governmental organizations and the public demand not to give the green light to the destructive program for "Jrvezh" forest park and organize a discussion on the further development of "Jrvezh" forest park program with the participation of the ministry and the interested public in a short period of time.
Members of Ecological Public Alliance
EcoLur Informational NGO, President Inga Zarafyan
Tukhmanuk NGO, President Mariam Chakhoyan
Ecological Public Union NGO, President Silva Adamyan
Forests of Armenia NGO, Director Nazeli Vardanyan
Green Armenia NGO, President Tehmine Yenokyan
Dalma-Sona Foundation, President Ruzanna Grigoryan
Oleg Dulgaryan, President of Center for Community Consolidation and Support NGO
Contact person on behalf of civil society: Silva Adamyan, e-mail: Email: [email protected], tel. +37494874070
We call on the civil society to join this statement."
February 25, 2022 at 15:03