TREE CANADA TO VISIT ARMENIA

Marketwire (previously known as CCN Matthews)
October 2, 2008 Thursday

Building International Bridges for Forestry Futures Enters Phase 2

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 2, 2008) – Tree Canada President
Michael Rosen and Tree Canada Associate, Adrina Bardekjian Ambrosii
will be in Armenia from October 11-25 to share their forestry
expertise to help combat desertification. The two-week trip is the
second phase of the Building International Bridges for Forest Futures
project. In April 2008, Tree Canada sponsored two Armenian foresters,
Alla Berberyan and Gagik Amiryan, to learn about sustainable forestry
and conservation practices by touring urban and rural forests in
south/central Ontario. Project travel is financed by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA).

Armenia is a small country with limited resources. Only 8% of Armenia’s
forests remain intact. Conservationists fear that the country will
become a desert within 20 years if deforestation is not stopped. They
see education as a key component in promoting the benefits of healthy
forests for the social and economic well-being of Armenians. After
the visit by Tree Canada staff, both organizations will identify and
implement practical projects that can be developed collaboratively
in the future.

Tree Canada will be visiting (amongst others):

Minister of Environment, Mr. Harutyunyan

Director, Sevan National Park, Mr. Ziroyan

Director, Gugark Forestry Agency, Gagik Amiryan

Dean Sayadyan, Agricultural University of Armenia

K. Menvelyen, Director World Wildlife Fund, Armenia and

Nazeli Vardanyan, Director, Armenian Forests (NGO)

Phase 3 of the project will consist of how Tree Canada and Armenian
officials will be able to work together to help restore that nation’s
forest cover.

nationalbridges.htm

Tree Canada is a not-for-profit charitable organization established
to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in urban and
rural environments. A winner of the Canadian Environmental Award
(2007), Tree Canada engages Canadian companies, government agencies
and individuals to support the planting of trees, the greening of
schoolyards, and other efforts to sensitize Canadians to the benefits
of planting and maintaining trees. To date, more than 75 million trees
have been planted, more than 450 schoolyards have been greened, and
Tree Canada has organized 8 national urban forestry conferences. More
information about Tree Canada is available at