EcoLur
The project establishing “Zangezour” biospheric complex causes concerns with the scientific and environmental societies. The authorities intend to unite several environmental territories with different regime statuses into one complex. The main territory is “Shikahogh” reserve, which has sustainable structure and tough protection regime. Around 8.2 million Euros are planned to be spent on the establishing of the biospheric complex provided by German KfW Bank.
The public supports disclosing information on this extremely disputable project and intends to put it for wide-scale public discussion in mid September.
“So far no public hearings have been held on uniting “Shikahogh” state reserve together with “Arevik” National Park into “Zangezour” biospheric complex, though the problem exists and poses problems for “Shikahogh” reserve.” EcoLur Press Club guests Silva Adamyan, Chairman of Center for Bird Lovers, and Arsen Gasparyan, Chairman of Association of Young Biologists, made this statement on 28 July.
As Silva Adamyan noted, the Public Environmental Alliance has twice applied to Nature Protection Ministry requesting to provide grounds for establishing a bioshperic complex. “The Ministry replied that in the process of discussion the project was submitted to stakeholders and underwent the public hearings in the set procedure. Nevertheless, no announcements were displayed on the website of the ministry, and none of the public was aware of such a project,” Silva Adamyan said.
Under Arsen Gasparyan, it’s known that German KfW Bank allotted 8.2 million Euros for establishing a bioshperic complex. “If to refer to RA Law “On Specially Protected Areas”, both the current law in force and the new draft law don’t contain any clear definitions for a biospheric complex, only 4-5 lines. The project title is inaccurate, either biospheric complex or territory. A question arises: why not to wait for the adoption of a new law to have a clear idea what to establish and what for,” Arsen Gasparyan said. If different types of specially protected areas are combined into one new specially protected area, i.e. Zangezour biospheric complex, which doesn’t have any certain status, any не имеет clear grounds, Shikahogh may become available for activities banned before, as it will lose its protective regime.
Arsen Gasparyan noted that there are around 600 biospheric parks known in the world, where the local communities see their development in the production of environmental products, ecotourism without harming environment. “How can we speak about environmental products in this particular case, if mines are developed all around, both near Arevik National Park and near Zangezour reserve,” he said.
Under the information EcoLur has, the mining companies in Syunik Region have been issued over 50 licenses for mining and prospecting of metallic mines. Some of these mines borders with specially protected areas. Bartzradir gold mine is planned to be developed near Shikahogh reserve. The project hasn’t been issued the opinion of the environmental expertise so far, but it hasn’t been called back. A gold extracting plant owned by AT Metals is constructed next to Arevik National Park. The construction is carried out without any permitting documents. At least four mines are opened near Arevik and another ten mines are prospected and waiting for their turn to be mined. All they bear risks for environmental pollution with heavy metals and radiation risks. Nine SHPPs are constructed on the Mehgri River, which forms microclimate for Arevik National Park and its ecosystem. Another SHPP is constructed in Tsav Village, which borders with Shikahogh reserve funded with the same German KfW Bank, which allots funds for establishing a bioshperic territory.
August 29, 2013 at 12:40