ATP News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2007

ATP Plants a Record 719,625 Trees in 2006

Overall 1,500,000 Trees Planted and Rejuvenated Since 1994

Over 500,000 seedlings purchased from families or grown in ATP's reforestation nursery were planted in the Gegharkunik region in 2006

In 2006, ATP expanded our large-scale reforestation program and restored over 662 acres of degraded forest land in the Getik River Valley of northeastern Armenia. A record 543,750 trees were planted in the hills surrounding the neighboring communities of Aygut, Dprabak, Dzoravank, and Chiboughlu.

“We found a large plot suitable for reforestation near Chiboughlu village, adjacent to Aygut in Gegharkunik. For the first time in our history,” stated ATP’s Yerevan Deputy Director Mher Sadoyan, “ATP initiated and signed a five party contract with the United Nations Development Program, Armenia’s Ministry of Finance, the Municipality of Gegharkunik, and the administration of Aygut village, in a unique program to support community development through reforestation and poverty reduction.”

“There are families with no means for buying clothes for their children. Even essential food products were unaffordable for many. Years ago young people started leaving the Getik River Valley to support their families by working abroad. If it were not for ATP, the people of Aygut would not have any hope, but your program motivated and inspired us,” said Mekhak Eghiazaryan, a village resident and supervisor of the forest area.

Over 400 residents of the four villages were employed by ATP to collect seeds, grow trees in backyard nurseries, and plant them in the mountainous territory. Under sometimes wet and cold conditions, Getik’s population planted trees to restore their forests working seven days a week for several weeks at a time during the planting seasons in April and November.

“We are planting trees to provide a green and healthy environment for our children. All of us hope to live on rich and productive land and we are thankful to ATP for involving us. This reforestation program has improved villagers’ livelihood and beautified landscapes,” said Arevik Kirakosyan from Aygut. “I have four children whose ages range from 7-20, and they should be fed and dressed warmly for winter. But my husband’s pension is only 25,000 drams ($71). We could never cover our household expenses with this amount. Thanks to income provided by ATP, we were also able to acquire a cradle and other items for my new granddaughter.”

“A large number of families pay their expenses because of ATP. There are people out there who earn income by selling wood and even exporting timber, but I am opposed to logging so I got involved in forest restoration. And not only to provide income and improve the ecological situation in the country, but also to create a beautiful place where at the end of the day I can relax and forget about life’s problems,” said 26-year old Nver Manucharyan, who moved to Dprabak village when his grandparents were relocated there from Azerbaijan.

The establishment of the Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery, located in Margahovit village between Dilijan and Vanadzor, allowed ATP to substantially increase our capacity for growing trees. The nursery will soon produce more than a million seedlings annually.

ATP staff maintained close relationships with schools, community leaders, and residents to build a stronger sense of responsibility for the orchards that ATP established as a means of enhancing food security and reducing poverty. ATP’s Community Tree Planting (CTP) Program, which has been our flagship operation since 1994, organized and conducted planting initiatives at 129 community sites in every region of Armenia in 2006, including Artsakh.

Many orchards in Armenian villages were no longer producing fruit because the trees were too old. In response, ATP began planting fruit trees in rural communities in the regions of Kotayk, Armavir, Shirak, Ararat, Aragatsotn, and Tavush. The success of this project has encouraged ATP to expand to new villages, with the vision of rejuvenating and revitalizing orchards and gardens.

The total number of trees planted this year by CTP was a record 175,875. The trees are regularly checked by ATP staff, who work with local officials and residents, and we provide training on planting techniques for the community. The 2006 survival rate at community sites was near 90 percent despite the summer drought, and the communities harvested 240,500 pounds of fresh fruit from trees planted by ATP.

Karin and Khachpar Nurseries

A total of 344,636 trees and shrubs have been grown in Karin and Khachpar nurseries since the Nursery Program was launched in 1996. These two state-of-the-art nurseries produce 53 varieties of indigenous shrubs, evergreens, and fruit trees to supply the CTP program.

Currently there are nearly 150,000 seedlings under propagation, using techniques that are substantially different than those used in our reforestation program. Trees are typically cultivated for 2-6 years before being transplanted to community sites, whereas the reforestation nurseries produce small saplings with a much quicker rate of turnover (6-18 months).

Several methods of plant propagation are being utilized after having undergone experimentation trials. These include plastic and glass greenhouses, sunken cold frames, and different types of containers. Throughout the year the nurseries utilize various irrigation systems for watering plants in the fields and greenhouses.

Experimenting with various irrigation techniques was completely new for Armenia. Moreover, natural fertilizers developed by Armenian scientists were tested and successfully applied on trees and bushes. Graduate students from the Agricultural Academy and from the Biology department of Yerevan State University conducted their internships in Karin Nursery. Numerous foreign and local students from secondary schools, colleges, and universities participated in lessons on environmental education at the Michael and Virginia Ohanian Environmental Education Center and had open-air practice in the nurseries.

“Along with producing saplings, the nurseries employ 26 refugee families and provide others with work in both Karin and Khachpar villages. The residents of the villages, who moved to Armenia from Azerbaijan, have grown to love and care for the environment and started planting trees in their backyards and along the neighboring roads,” concluded Nursery Program Manager Samvel Ghandilyan.

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