Armenia

Have you ever traveled by car to Dilijan? Having passed by Lake Sevan and up some steeper hills, you emerge from a tunnel to a breathtaking view of a green wonderland opening out below. Or, have you ever cycled the road to Tsakhkadzor – where the color of the slopes shimmers from yellow to deep green as if, by some magic, the four seasons have come together? In these most precious natural spots, just like in many others, the one key element is the forest cover with its diverse beauty, with the abundant life it harbors, and all the good that it selflessly offers. Historically, forests covered about 40% of the present-day Armenia’s territory; this share has now fallen to a very low 11.2%. What is the condition of the remaining Armenian forests today, and what does their future look like?

Escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border with deaths on both sides, and protests in Baku.

Birds and butterflies are vital indicators for the state of ecosystems and biodiversity. They are living reminders of how important it is to take care of our environment and how insignificant human borders are when it comes to nature. Soon Armenia will have its first bird and butterfly atlases, joining such projects as European Breeding Birds Atlas 2, for the successful conservation of the rich diversity of the species. The atlases will include hundreds of butterfly and breeding bird species flying over the mountains and valleys of Armenia.

Let’s nurture minds of the Armenian youth in understanding and appreciating nature, and incubating agribusiness startups. That’s why a unique project of EcoFarm was founded by the International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment has been around for over 25 years with a mission to make the environment a central point at the global discussions taking place in Armenia. Regional Post talked with the Director of the AUA Acopian Center Alen Amirkhanyan about the present and future of the center and its role in the transformation of the Armenian society.

One of the three great seas of historic Armenia, Lake Sevan is a unique high-altitude freshwater lake, the most important natural resource and national treasure of present-day Armenia. While largely important from ecological, economic, and cultural perspectives, Sevan had been taken for granted and mercilessly exploited for many decades. The alarming trend of water level reduction forced the authorities to partially redirect two of the nearby rivers to the lake through tunnel projects in 1981 and 2004. Level stabilization alone, however, could not prevent continued ecological deterioration of the Lake Sevan. In July of 2018, an excessive algal bloom caused greenish discoloration of Sevan waters, alerting experts of yet another serious problem with water quality. The SevaMod project was initiated with a vision to provide solid, scientifically substantiated solution to this issue. We talked to the SevaMod project coordinator, German scientist Dr. Martin Schultze about the project, its initial results, and future outlook.

A quick look into the Third Republic's parliamentary history.

The story of the family and the brand “Baltayan” is exceptional. Already for three generations, they are keeping the status of the “Best Shoemaker” and “Best Shoe Repairer” of France. Thanks to the energy and vigor of Hagop, Jean and Jean-Christophe Baltayan, a small part of the Armenian heritage lives on the Place of Célestins in Lyon, France, where the family shop is currently located.