ATP Breaks Record by Planting One Million Trees in Lori Region

YEREVAN, Armenia—Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has been collaborating with World Wide Fund for Nature Armenian Branch (WWF Armenia) on an unprecedented large-scale reforestation program in the communities of Jrashen and Tsaghkaber in the northern region of Lori.

“Mitigating Impacts of Climate Change through Forest Protection, Management and Restoration in Southern Caucasus” is a project implemented by the consortium of WWF Germany, WWF Caucasus, and WWF Armenia in cooperation with the Ministry of Nature Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture (“Hayantar” Armenian Forest SNCO) of the Republic of Armenia, Armenia Tree Project Foundation, Jrashen and Tsakhkaber communities financed by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) of the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW in the framework of the International Climate Protection Initiative.

The project was initiated in late 2008, and since then ATP has planted 1 million indigenous tree seedlings for the program, which is the largest number of trees planted by the organization in a single year. The planting site covered a total of 400 ha. (1,000 acres) of deforested land in Lori, near the earthquake region of Spitak.

“Climate change is happening globally and Armenia is not an exception. Weather extremes that are so common in Armenia have serious implications for forests. We are proud to collaborate with the German KfW Bank and WWF to make a difference and create a better future for the environment and people,” stated ATP Yerevan director Mher Sadoyan. “We hope we can fight the adverse impacts of the climate change in those territories of Armenia which are most affected, and reforestation is one way to achieve this goal.”

This environmental program has created hundreds of jobs for villagers who are often forced to migrate to earn a living abroad in countries such as Russia. As part of the goal to address the socio-economic status of the communities in the project area, ATP has provided seasonal tree planting jobs for more than 300 people from Tsaghkaber, Jrashen, Margahovit, and neighboring villages.

The tree seedlings for the project were grown in ATP’s Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in Margahovit, as well as by families participating in the Backyard Nursery Micro-Enterprise Program in the Getik River Valley. This new forest was established with oak, pine, ash, maple, and apple seedlings which are indigenous to the region.

“Armenia Tree Project is honored to cooperate with the German KfW Bank and World Wide Fund for Nature. Together we are fighting climate change and creating a green future for future generations of Armenians,” emphasized Sadoyan.

Since 1994, Armenia Tree Project has planted and restored more than 3.5 million trees at over 800 sites around the country and created hundreds of jobs for impoverished Armenians in tree-regeneration programs. The organization’s three tiered initiatives are tree planting, community development to reduce poverty and promote self-sufficiency, and environmental education to protect Armenia’s precious natural resources.

For more information and to support ATP’s mission, visit www.armeniatree.org.