ATP News

PRESS RELEASE
March 07, 2012

Սեղմե´ք այստեղ` հայերեն լեզվի համար

Armenia Tree Project Hosts Community-Wide Events in Los Angeles Area

PASADENA, CA--On February 7, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) hosted a reception at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum in Mission Hills as part of a three-day visit by ATP Director Jeff Masarjian and Forestry Director Zack Parisa. This first event was an update on ATP’s program accomplishments and plans for 2012. The intimate affair allowed long-time supporters and those not so familiar with ATP to learn about the organization and its important work in Armenia.
 
The following evening, ATP joined forces with the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America (AESA) to co-host a panel discussion on “Armenia’s Environmental Challenges in the 21st Century” at Parsons in Pasadena. The AGBU Young Professionals and Armenian Environmental Network (AEN) were also part of the evening, inviting their membership to attend.

Presenters included Varouj Abkian, Assistant Director with the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, Robert Kurkjian, Principal Scientist, Tetratech and International Environmental Consultant, Zack Parisa and Jeff Masarjian. The topics discussed at the panel included “Environmental Issues Related to Waste Water and Waste Management,” “Water: Armenia’s Abundant Resource,” “Surface Mining: Pathways of Toxicity,” and “Building Resilient Forests and Communities: An Armenian Experience.”

“This was the first of what I hope will be many collaborative efforts on the part of Armenian organizations to inform the Diaspora of critical threats to Armenia’s environmental integrity. We are at a crucial tipping point in history, and the choices made today will have long-term consequences on the quality of air, land, water, and public health in Armenia for generations to come,” noted Masarjian.
 
“In addition to educating the Southern California community on ATP’s activities in Armenia, we wanted to raise awareness about Armenia’s current environmental situation,” said Hermine Mahmouzian, Southern California Development Director. "We hope to organize events such as the one held at Parsons in different areas around Southern California.”
 
Masarjian and Parisa also joined Anahit Gharibyan, Assistant to the Development Director, at the Ararat Charter School (ACS) for a meeting with educators to speak on a continued relationship between the ACS and ATP as part of the Building Bridges environmental education program.

ATP’s mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the need to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP’s three major programs are tree planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.

For more information about upcoming ATP events and how to get involved, please call Hermine Mahmouzian at (310) 990-4371 or email hermine@armeniatree.org.

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