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From: Karen Sarkavagyan <ksarkavagyan@hotmail.com>
Subject: Armenia Tree Project Celebrating 10th Anniversary

Armenia Tree Project office, Yerevan
Tel: 553069 or 569910
E-mail: trees@arminco.com
Web:

Armenia Tree Project Celebrates its 10th Anniversary with an Open Air Gala
Concert at Garni Temple

The Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia
(NCOA) under the direction of Aram Gharabekian are pleased to announce an
Open Air Evening Gala Concert at the historic site of Garni Temple, one of
the oldest historical landmarks in Armenia, built in the 1st Century BC. The
upcoming concert is in celebration of ATP’s 10th Anniversary of regreening
Armenia. President Robert Kocharian, U.S. Ambassador John Ordway and other
high-ranking government officials, ambassadors and foreign officials have
been invited to the event. Representatives from dozens of local and
international organizations who partner with ATP will be present at the
concert.

The Armenia Tree Project was founded in 1994 during Armenia’s darkest and
coldest years with the vision of securing Armenia’s future by protecting
Armenia’s environment. Funded by contributions from Diasporan Armenians,
ATP has planted and rejuvenated 530,000 trees at approximately 500 sites
ranging from Gumri to Goris. Two state-of-the-art nurseries, founded in the
refugee villages of Karin (Ashtarak area) and Khachpar (Masis Area) not only
provide 40,000 – 50,000 trees annually for community tree planting all over
Armenia, but are also a major source of employment for these refugee
villages. Another vast nursery has been established this year for providing
over one million trees annually for reforestation of the devastated
landscape in Vanadzor. Although we have accomplished much since 1994, our
work in protecting and restoring Armenia’s forests has just begun.

In 2003 ATP launched a Sustainable Mountain Development Project in the
refugee village of Aygut in the Getik River Valley in Gegharkounik Marz.. In
this program of mountainous reforestation, ATP is creating a model of
partnering with the villagers and with other international and local
organizations to combat the linked problems of poverty and natural resource
degradation. Among the contributors to date are USDA/MAP, World Food
Program, Heifer International, Project Harmony, ORRAN, Boghosian Education
Center, the Peace Corps and Satsil. ATP is expanding to all 13 villages in
the Getik River Valley, this year including the second village in the
Valley, Dzoravanq. The sub-projects being implemented include the Backyard
Nursery Project, through which villagers generate income by growing
seedlings in their backyards for reforestation, the Milk Collector Project,
Backyard Orchard Rejuvenation and Ecological Education Programs in the
schools.

Never before in history have Armenia’s forests been so close to extinction.
With only 8 % of forest cover left, down from 12% in 1990 and 25% at the
beginning of the 20th century, the World Bank estimates that the last of our
trees will be gone in only 20 years at the current rate of cutting. 81.9%
of Armenia’s land faces the danger of desertification (National Report on
the State of the Environment 2002). The future of Armenia’s forests, climate
and biodiversity rest in our hands. The actions we take now for combating
deforestation will save Armenia from the path it is on toward
desertification. The Armenia Tree Project is energizing the nation’s youth,
educating the Armenian public and the Diaspora about the nature of the
problem and possible solutions and joining forces with like minded
organizations and individuals to meet the common goal of greening Armenia
and reversing the dangerous and destabilizing trend of environmental
degradation.
–Boundary_(ID_rdHFipy0wmh4KtjQioA/pg)–