PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Forests NGO
38 Moskovian St., apt. 10
Phone: (374 10) 54-15-29
Fax: (374 10) 58-20-39
E-mail: media@armenianforests.am
E nvironmental Efforts: Sustainable Work Yields Results
News Bulletin
This bulletin is an update of the actions carried out in the period of
May-August 2006 by the Environmental Action Groups of the communities
selected within the USAID-funded "Community Environmental Action
Groups" project that is implemented by Armenian Forests NGO.
This summer characterized itself with hot and dry climate – a direct
challenge for newly planted trees and bushes. With certain difficultly,
our Environmental Action Groups managed to achieve normal survival
rates for the parks- the first in its kind environmental project for
Armenia’s communities.
They even went further to lobby local inert mentality to discard
plastic use through extensive work with local self-management bodies,
creation of films and TV broadcasts. Environmental education was
extended to more than 500 schoolchildren, and forest preservation
works continued with higher pace. Local authorities in several
communities receive decisive demands to work with national government
to receive funds for allocation of waste disposal sites, where waste
separation will be practiced. Details are presented in the news
bulletin below.
Tavush marz
1. Sarigyugh village
The active group takes care and waters the newly grown seedlings from
the seeds sown in early spring. The schoolchildren of the village
have been instructed how to take care of the old yew trees in the
forest – they clean up the soil in the bottom of trees from leaves
and branches, creating better conditions for natural regeneration.
A tour to nearby forests has been organized to acquaint the youth
with forest situation and types of trees growing there. The kids and
adults in the village are being encouraged not to cut trees to use as
fuel for winter, but stick to alternative sources as is cattle manure
or burn dry branches and stumps- which is good both for forest and
villagers.
2. Ijevan town
Local coordinator participated in two round tables at Ijevan Aarhus
center on general environmental issues and forests situation. On July
21 an eco-tour from Ijevan to Achajur and Makaravank monastery took
place, during which young environmentalists cleaned the monastery
area from plastic waste, dry branches and leaves. During tours the
activists hold to strict eco-tourism principles, using no plastic
bottles or throw-away plates and forks for lunch.
>From July 24 to August 13 the Ijevan coordinator and couple of
activists participated in a camp organized by World Vision Armenia
near Dilijan town, during which they held several seminars on
environmental issues for participating schoolchildren aged 10 to 12
and organized tours into nearby forests, explaining the harm of tree
felling and importance of care towards nature. During the visits the
youngsters collected dry branches to be used for camp fire.
3. Gosh village
During the summer the youth group here concentrated on keeping the
Gosh lake area clean, thus supporting the eco-tourism in the area.
The works included weekly cleanings of the area from garbage and
sanitary care of nearby forested area.
The youth patrol groups also controlled the cleanness of the
Goshavank monastery, which had such celebrity guests as singer
Charles Aznavour and president Robert Kocharian this summer. The yew
trees in the nearby forest have also been taken care of, and
irrigation of terraced and planted hill slopes of Goshavank monastery
have been carried out.
Lori marz
4. Lejan village
The local coordinator works with local self-management bodies for
allocating an area for waste disposal of the village, a reasonable
alternative to local habit of throwing garbage into the river gorge.
The local mayor promised to raise the issue at regional authorities’
meetings. The active group organized an environmental tour to nearby
picnic area.
Coppicing of the nearby forest were carried out in May. Evergreen
trees and bushes were planted in the surroundings of the local school
and post office. Poplar trees were planted alongside the road
entering the village. For this purpose AFNGO purchased 200 trees (150
poplar, 50 pine trees) and 2500 bushes. The activists continue the
care and irrigation of greened areas near village school and the post
office.
The team also carried out cleaning and repair works of several
popular picnic areas in the outskirts of the village, repairing the
holding posts of the iron tents there.
5. Stepanavan town
The irrigation and care of the new park has been regularly performed,
and the survival rate of trees and bushes is 90%. The activists had
meetings with municipality representatives to discuss possibilities
of electric lamps location in the park, the decision will be made by
October.
The activists also organized a cleaning of the river gorge of the
town, cleaning the area from plastic bags and bottles.
6. Vanadzor town
The local municipality organized yard camps throughout the town,
during which, among other activities, the Environmental Action Group
members delivered seminars on environmental basic principles to
schoolchildren. Seminars aimed to warn kids from committing
"environmental crimes"- throwing garbage in streets and green areas,
polluting water basins, harmfulness of plastics etc. Overall an
estimated 645 kids participated in these yard-camps from July to
August, some 200 of which participated in environmental classes.
The active group also organized eco-tours for several groups of
schoolchildren to nearby forests, showing them in-situ situation and
problems of forests. The camping areas were cleaned and garbage taken
to city waste disposal.
Kotayk marz
7. Tsakhkadzor town
The activists regularly water the planted trees in community adjacent
forested area with help of a water-truck and a 50m hose – mainly in
those areas that are steep and hard for the truck to enter.
The Kecharis monastery area was cleaned from garbage and plastic bags
by the action group members and local schoolchildren, as were several
other sites in the town. The coordinator now negotiates with the
municipality for allocation of an area to establish a small park near
the Writer’s Union resort house.
Gegharkunik marz
8. Sevan town
In May the rehabilitation works of two city parks were finished, and
watering and care works started. Yet, due to hot and dry summer and
lack of funds for allocating water-truck by the municipality, the
survival rate of the seedlings is 50%. For improving the situation
and avoiding more loss, the active group worked to involve funds for
constructing a fence and irrigation channel for restored parks. The
municipality has agreed to allocate funds for fence construction and
for having a guard at the site, yet the irrigation funds issue still
lingers.
With support of Peace Corps environmental volunteer appointed to
AFNGO’s partner organization, the activists work with municipality
for allocation of waste separation disposal site for city and nearby
villages. The mayor promised to apply to government for the matter.
As part of anti-plastic campaign leaflets informing about the harm of
polyethylene are being prepared to be distributed throughout the
town.
9. Martuni town
The active group was awarded with one computer by the Save the
Children Armenia office. The restored park was watered and taken care
of, yet due to hot summer the survival rate is 60%.
The local "Zangak" TV channel has prepared and broadcast for several
times a 7 minute film on the negative impact of plastics on
environment and people. The creation and airing of the film was
financed by the project (AFNGO has the recorded tape).
Vayots Dzor marz
10. Jermuk town
Although the municipality didn’t allocate the promised 1 ha area for
establishment of a new park, AFNGO specialists and local activists
achieved the permit to restore one part of the city’s big park, and
carried out restoration works in June. In three days, with direct
participation of AFNGO staff and director, more than 500 rose bushes
have been planted in two major alleys of central park, with tourists
and local residents participating in the works.
The local action group takes an intensive care of the restored area
of city park – watering the bushes and flowers with buckets (due to
no irrigation system), which has yielded good survival rates by
end-August. Local schoolchildren also take active part in the care
works.
For questions and more information please contact Mher Sharoyan,
Assistant Project Coordinator, at (374 10) 54-15-29 or e-mail at
media@armenianforests.am