Arman Gharibyan, Hetq
During November, there were three incidents of tree pruning and cutting in Yerevan that caught the attention of “Hetq” and the public at large.
We first got word of tree pruning on Gulbenkyan Street that was causing a great deal of concern among environmental circles. The ecological group “Ecolur” went so far as to issue a statement regarding the incident.
“It was a crime what they did. The trees cannot grow normally. The large trunked trees have been deprived of a leaf canopy and the entire biological equilibrium of the sustenance system has been compromised. The question is now whether the trees will be able to overcome the imbalance and somehow survive, or wither away and die,” states Anoush Nersisyan, Senior Researcher at the RoA Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Botany.
We went straight to the Yerevan Municipality for some clarification since it is the Municipality’s Department of Environmental Protection that is responsible for the normal pruning and felling of trees in the city; with the input of the chief dendrologist (tree and shrub specialist).
Municipality responsible for tree maintenance
In a written response to our inquiries on the matter, the Yerevan Municipality’s Press Office stated that, “Tree pruning and shaping is now being conducted along Gulbenkyan and A. Khachatryan Streets by the “Kamar” firm of the Arabkir administrative district with the permission of the Yerevan Municipality’s Department of Environmental Protection (Notice N17/3948; February 27, 2009). It is clearly stated therein that the trees, mostly maples and oaks, should not be heavily pruned. On-site inspections have shown that the work is being carried out in a satisfactory manner and in line with the directives of the Notice.”
“Hetq” also received a call about the felling of trees near the statue of Hayk on Moldova Street. Regarding this incident, we were informed by the Municipality’s Press Office that on October 20, 2009, they had received a letter from Mr., M. Gasbaryan; head of the Nor Nork Administrative District, listing dead and dangerous trees in the area and that included in this list were some rotted out elm trees at the intersection of Gai and Moldova Streets.
The response goes on to state that, “The conclusion of the Municipality’s Department of Environmental Protection regarding the overall list was that “Dead trees are subject to removal on the condition that new saplings be planted in their place. The elms and poplars should be pruned accordingly.”
Tree specialist – We lack the experts to do the right job
Karen Afrikyan, a PhD. Candidate in Biology and a tree specialist visited the site at the Hayk statute and says that the tree never should have been removed. “Our elms give off a gooey sort of sap (must) and oftentimes this leads some to believe that the tree is sick. In Armenia, we don’t do a good job when it comes to tree maintenance and care. This is why the trees often excrete this fluid. But the trees are a hardy stock. I don’t wish to point fingers at anyone, but if the decision were mine, I wouldn’t have cut the tree down.”
When it comes to the felling of trees, The Yerevan Municipality frequently states that it is merely engaged in pruning. Karen Afrikyan explains how one should distinguish between heavy pruning and wholesale felling of trees. “When they cut off the top 50-80 centimeters of the upper branches it is pruning designed to revitalize old trees. They require this type of heavy trimming.”
The arborist is deeply concerned about the shrinking green spaces in Yerevan. In his estimation, the reason is two-fold – illegal tree cutting and lack of expertise when it comes to maintaining what exists.
A layer of toxic air hangs above the ground
“Even without taking these factors into account the condition of the city’s green spaces was precarious. On top of this, you now have people pruning and trimming in every manner imaginable without any knowledge of what damage they are inflicting on the trees. If a branch is in the way or doesn’t look right, they lop it off. But this type of work requires some basic biological standards. There are so few experts in the field nowadays,” laments Mr. Afrikyan.
To underscore the importance of the city’s green spaces he refers to the results of the Ecolo-Neosphere studies. “It turns out that the soil of Yerevan is so polluted with heavy metals that a layer of toxic air sits one meter atop the ground. This means that kids under one meter in height breathe in that toxic air. As a result we should be doing all we can to increase the city’s green spaces, planting little islands of flower gardens here and there,” argues Mr. Afrikyan.
P.S. Just a week ago, “Hetq” received a number of calls from concerned residents in the 2nd district of Davitashen regarding the attempted felling of a tree. Luckily, due to their timely warning, the person doing the cutting wasn’t able to finish the dastardly deed. We informed the Ministry of Nature Protection’s Environmental Inspectorate and they dispatched a group of investigators to the scene. They concluded that while the tree had been badly damaged, it could still survive and grow. Hasmik Mkrtchyan, the Ministry’s Press Secretary, informed “Hetq” that the person responsible had been fined 80,000 AMD.
December 02, 2009