Environmental News

Commentary: The Greening of Armenia by Armenian Tree Project
By Moorad Mooradian, PhD

June 25, 2006

I do not know of funds better spent to secure the future of Armenia than taking steps to prevent the better portion of the country from being converted into a desert. Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has an office in Watertown and its counterpart in Yerevan that employ over 70 permanent personnel. They are doing their best to insure that the terrible ongoing desertification process in Armenia is reversed. The desertification is not the figment of the imagination of “tree huggers.” It is an ongoing process that is fully verified by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia, Ms. Consuelo Vidal.

According to expert studies conducted by Ms. Vidal’s office, approximately 82 percent of Armenia is subject to desertification and 26 percent to extreme desertification. It was not always this way. At the beginning of the 20th century, close to 20 percent of the country was covered by forest. But the stupidity of the USSR, its non-concern for Armenia, and the ignorant policies implemented by the government since then has reduced the green areas by 11 percent. To wit: this has lowered the greenery in Armenia to less than 10 percent. Experts contend that deforestation or desertification creates significant problems that impact directly on the social and economic situation in Armenia. Ms. Vidal has said this: “We are appealing to the government, civil society, and mass media to make a concerted effort to combat desertification.”

Burning trees and shrubs to keep warm during the terrible winter of 1992 was an excuse then, but it is no longer valid. The felling of trees has become a nasty habit in Armenia because of numerous reasons. To keep warm is the least dangerous, but even that can be reversed if there is a concerted effort to get gas to the people at a rate that they can afford. Further, the government needs to take a stern stand against the tree robbers that are felling the trees to make furniture.

Well, you say, the people need jobs and making furniture is one method. True enough. But Russia has more trees than it knows how to count. It may cost a little more to make the furniture with imported trees, but that is a viable option to help save the future. It is preferable and politically gutsy but correct to tell the Armenians that in order to save the forests, the people will have to spend a few more dollars when they buy wooden furniture made with Russian oak instead of Armenian oak or pine. The people have to be made to understand that the distressing alternatives are to pay a little more now or make a desert of Armenia.

Can the “oligarchs” be stopped from cutting the trees? Indeed they can, if the government has the will. Armenia needs more trained forest rangers spread into the forests with direct lines to the military so they can stop the poaching and raping of the forests. These ranger positions will create jobs at the same time they help save Armenia from becoming another Sahara Desert. Anyone care to make a tourist visit to a sand dune?

ATP has not been involved in politics in Armenia; it is trying to instill some civic pride in the Armenian people by embarking on an intensive environmental program beginning with the kindergarten, elementary, and middle schools. Eventually, it is hoped to get the program into the high schools and colleges. In the meantime, until the education takes hold, the Diaspora can assist by placing tactful pressure upon the government to take action. There is no reason why Diaspora visitors should not or cannot make complaints directly to the President of the country and the Minister of Nature Protection.

It is not enough for the government to utter nice words—it is time to nail the tree robbers to the wall with heavy fines and yes, jail sentences. If this is not done, they will bring about exactly what the enemies of the country desire—Armenia will become inhabitable. Lake Sevan waters have risen by 1.8 meters this year and that is great. But Lake Sevan’s success does not impact on the loss of trees elsewhere in Armenia.

To reverse the course of events, it takes cooperation between organizations like ATP and the government. Hayantar [the Forestry Department] needs to work very closely with ATP and other like groups to coordinate the purchase of trees at a very reasonable rate and to cooperate and coordinate where ATP and other groups can best assist in planting the trees in a holistic effort.

So far, ATP has planted over 1,000,000 trees and coppiced (rejuvenated) over 150,000. Take a look at the photos and view Khor Virab before ATP went to work on the site, and then look at the way it looks after the green thumbs went to work. This is how your donations are being employed, not only at Khor Virab, but in nearly 600 locations around the country. These are dollars well spent for the future of Armenia.

[Moorad Mooradian is a member of ATP's Executive Committee. This article was published in the July 1, 2006 issue of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator newspaper.]

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