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PRESS RELEASE
October 20, 2009

ATP Case Study Part of World Forestry Congress in Buenos Aires

WATERTOWN, MA–A case study about the Armenia Tree Project Backyard Nursery
Micro-Enterprise Program has been accepted as part of the proceedings of the
XIII World Forestry Congress in Buenos Aires.

The international gathering is taking place on October 18-23, and the
abstract will be presented as a poster at the meeting and published in the
proceedings of the World Forestry Congress. ATP will be represented at the
meeting by long-time supporter Arman Farmanian.

"We are honored to be a part of this international gathering of forestry
professionals and development experts, and look forward to presenting our
work with colleagues from around the world during the poster sessions at the
thirteenth session of the World Forestry Congress," stated ATP Deputy
Director Jason Sohigian.

The poster covers the issue of deforestation in Armenia and the founding of
ATP in 1994, and provides an overview of the Backyard Nursery
Micro-Enterprise Program, which received an Energy Globe Award for
Sustainability at the European Parliament. "The organization identified a
remote area in northeastern Armenia that was isolated by landslides caused
by deforestation and employs its refugee population to grow seedlings to
replenish their local forests," explains Sohigian in the case study.

"The Backyard Nursery Micro-Enterprise Program is a good example of a
sustainable development project since it provides economic (employing
families to grow seedlings), social (partners provide needed services such
as school lunches, computer access, health care), and environmental
(reforestation to address desertification, landslide/erosion problems)
benefits," concludes Sohigian in the peer reviewed abstract.

"ATP is fortunate to be represented by Mr. Farmanian at this meeting, and we
are planning to take advantage of the sessions on forest management,
sustainable development, and ecosystem services in order to build our
capacity and expand our programs in Armenia," added Sohigian.

To view a PDF of the ATP poster being presented at the XIII World Forestry
Congress in Buenos Aires, please click here:

PHOTO CAPTION: The Armenia Tree Project Backyard Nursery Micro-Enterprise
Program employs rural families to grow seedlings that are purchased and
planted in forests around their villages (Photo by Hrair Hawk Khatcherian)