The Paris Agreement and Expanding Forest Coverage in Armenia

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Armenia has pledged to expand its forest coverage as part of its climate change mitigation efforts. This echoes environmentalists’ concerns that forests are the most endangered ecosystem in the country, with desertification posing a significant threat.

Armenia ratified the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2017. It has committed to increasing its forested area by 50,000 hectares by 2030 in the mid-term, and to achieve a forest cover of 20.1% by 2050. The latter goal requires afforesting an additional 265,000 hectares, which would bring the country’s total forested area to 600,000 hectares.

In the 1980s, forests accounted for 13.9% of Armenia’s land cover. The most recent forest inventory, conducted in 1993, found that forests cover around 460,000 hectares, with roughly 335,000 hectares being forested areas. This accounts for 11.2% of the country’s total territory.  However, environmentalists and experts have disputed this figure, citing a decline in Armenia’s forest cover over the past 30 years due to various factors.

Nazeli Vardanyan, an environmentalist, lawyer, and president of the Armenian Forests Environmental NGO, says that according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 2001 data, Armenian forests cover 246,099 hectares, which is 7-8% of the country. A 2008 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, however, indicates a forest coverage of 6.8%.

“The exact surface of forested areas is unknown,” says Vardanyan, emphasizing that an immediate forest inventory is essential for any programs or actions in the field to be successful. “It’s like not knowing what you have in the warehouse, but you tell the guard to protect it; but what are they guarding? What’s been stolen? What remains? How can you determine all this? You need to know what they are protecting. Without a management plan, it’s impossible to determine how many areas you have, where to plant, what to thin out, or where to perform sanitation cutting.”

The Hayantar SNOC, a forestry management structure, oversees 54,454 hectares of Armenia’s forested areas. Sevak Markosyan, the director of Hayantar, states that the ten-year plans for all 17 forestry enterprises under the structure ended in 2017, with new plans only delegated in 2023. Markosyan describes these plans as a framework for managing operations in the forests, determining methods of felling, use, planting, and restoration for the next ten years. Appointed as director in 2022, Markosyan is uncertain as to why the forest inventory has not been updated in three decades. However, he emphasizes the importance of establishing a baseline, to track changes moving forward.

Experts report that, besides forest management issues, forest quality has deteriorated due to changes in tree species composition. High-quality beech and oak forests have been replaced by invasive or pioneer species which have high reproductive rates; they outcompete native tree species, leading to a decline in biodiversity and overall forest health. In certain areas, the forests have become woodlands. Markosyan identifies illicit logging as a primary cause of forest thinning and loss. 

Logging rates peaked in 2017 with 30,720 trees cut down. This was followed by 7,228 incidents in 2019; 12,000 in 2021, and 13,600 projected for 2023.

Markosyan notes that efforts to combat logging have been underway since 2018. Additionally, a new law on the Eco-Patrol Service has been adopted, mandating around-the-clock protection of special natural areas.

Hakob Simidyan, the Minister of Environment, says that the Government of Armenia is prioritizing and implementing a number of initiatives for forest preservation and the development of new forested areas. He also emphasized the importance of a forest inventory.

“In 2024 and beyond, we will increase the proportion of additional forested areas established through state funds,” Simidyan explains. “However, the rate won’t be sufficient with only state funding. We aim to quadruple, not double the pace. That is why we are now collaborating with foreign partners and local NGOs. We hope to involve the private sector in the creation of forested areas as well.”

Land Issues

The director of Hayantar collaborates with other NGOs to carry out tree planting, forest restoration, and reforestation projects, all aimed at improving the country’s forest cover. Starting in 2024, they will implement a 1000-hectare afforestation project, in addition to the 130 hectares that have been underway since 2019. Still, Hayantar alone cannot provide sufficient forest cover. According to Markosyan, they have reached out to local communities for information about lands suitable for afforestation.

“They provided the information, of course, incomplete; we had left it to the discretion of the communities. We studied them twice, and found that most of them are not suitable for afforestation without irrigation. However, this would require significant financial resources,” says Markosyan, and notes that there has been a preliminary discussion to explore underused community lands that may be suitable for future afforestation efforts.

However, Nazeli Vardanyan believes that not all communities can provide the necessary land.

“Part of the pastures have been privatized –– without any legal right to do so –– and half is agricultural land, which they are not permitted to offer. If a commitment is made, it should be on forest stock lands, not on other people’s properties,” says Vardanyan.

She also warns about the lack of nurseries and planting materials, which could further hinder the agreement’s implementation.

“They have to import saplings, which is expensive, and it is difficult to acclimatize these plants to our environment,” explains Vardanyan. “Even within Armenia, if the nursery is in Lori, you should plant in the same area for smooth establishment. Also, many diseases could enter Armenia through saplings, potentially wiping out the entire forest.” She stresses that forestry is a complex science that should be adhered to when planting a forest.

Sevak Markosyan also confirms that the planting materials available at nurseries at Hayantar nurseries will not be sufficient.

An Attempt to Help

To protect, restore, and create new forests, four organizations joined forces to establish the Forest Alliance of Armenia in 2022. These organizations include the Armenia Tree Project (ATP), My Forest Armenia environmental NGO, Shen charitable NGO, and the Fund for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values.

Vahe Matsakyan, the head of ATP’s Reforestation Department, explained that while growing trees, having a seed base, and maintaining a labor force are challenges, however, the greatest and most difficult problem lies in land identification.

“Today, the country’s land balance is fragmented; but the land balance of Hayantar is clear, with defined boundaries. However, we need an additional 265,000 hectares to fulfill the commitment; Hayantar alone cannot solve the problem,” says Matsakyan. He emphasizes that all lands have owners, including state holdings, communal lands, and  private properties, which involve both natural and legal entities. “In this case, community-owned lands and state reserve stocks will be decisive,” he adds.

Matsakyan notes that although the state has reserve stocks of property, their importance lies more in agriculture than in forestry. Regarding underused community-owned lands that have become arid and no longer serve as pasture or hayfields, the Alliance plans to identify these lands, define their future vision, and afforest them.

“Land identification is the state’s responsibility, but because the state is currently dealing with numerous national security and other challenges, we want to help. We say, we have the potential; our specialists will work for free; let us identify these lands and determine if we have 260 or 265 thousand hectares or not. If we find that we have less, let’s approach international actors, apologize, and request for our numbers to be revised,” says Matsakyan.

Jeanmarie Papelian, the executive director of ATP, asserts that the Forest Alliance of Armenia is experienced in cultivating healthy trees, maintaining them, monitoring their growth, and ensuring high establishment rates.

“Our Alliance just wants one thing from the government: to know where it may plant the trees. We are offering our assistance so that Armenia can meet its obligation by 2050,” she says.

Papelian reflects on the challenging years of 1994 when the organization launched its operations in Armenia. Today, they operate four nurseries, offer environmental education, run community tree planting programs, and engage in reforestation and afforestation.

“We’ve planted eight million trees so far. We have planted 1,500 hectares of forest, and in 2024, we will plant around 170 hectares in Lori, Gegharkunik, Kotayk and Shirak regions. Our largest nursery, located in Margahovit, has the capacity to plant more than one million trees,” adds Papelian, emphasizing that the Paris Agreement is a massive commitment, with an estimated eight billion trees required to meet the target.

Sona Kalantaryan, the head of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values’ afforestation program, points out that it is already 2024, implying a lack of time as any plantation requires at least two years of advance planning.

“Planning is the most important thing we lack. There should be clear territory management, and we should understand what our priorities are,” says Kalantaryan, adding that they have experience working with communities and can utilize their potential.

The Paris Agreement presents an opportunity for Armenia. It is a chance to restore and expand forest cover in the country. Failure to do so could lead to more polluted air and water, land degradation, epidemic outbreaks, and further climate change, all of which pose numerous problems. As such, forestry policy should be a priority.

Climate Change

Sincerely Yours,
EVN Report