Wildlife protection posters in Soviet Armenia

“The restoration of the forests should be a pan-Armenian initiative as this is not a task of only one person or organization. We have to do this with mutual efforts. I believe it's possible,” says Vardan Melikyan, the newly appointed Deputy Minister of the Environment. We talked with Mr. Melikyan about the main causes of forest fires in Armenia and discussed the approaches fostered by the Ministry.

The King of the Armenian Highlands promenades around its kingdom, moving its giant paws, shifting from one leg to another. It soundlessly moves between the trees, listening to the whispers of the forest, leaving no trace of its presence. Very few people have encountered the animal from a close distance, as it chooses to stay away and live its life in privacy. Despite its secretive character, the Caucasian Leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica), a native of these lands, has earned the respect to be named King of Armenian Highlands. In the late 90s, the King left the mountainous area of Armenia, turning into a legend of our elders. Only in recent years, however, the situation appears to have changed. The Leopard has been spotted at several sites around the country: marking its trails in the north, chasing its prey in the south. The mystical beauty, they say, has returned to breathe a new life into the Armenian highlands.

What is Armenia’s perspective on climate change mitigation and why is the idea of saving the planet paradoxical? Regional Post discussed some of the central questions of the environmental agenda in Armenia and the world with the Deputy Minister of Environment Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan.

Environment protection has become a central issue for all societies and states across the world, and Armenia is not an exception. Amulsar, Sevan, burning forests, and the global question of climate change: all these issues have been at the headlines of news for several months. Regional Post spoke with the Minister of Environment Erik Grigoryan to shed light on the approaches and views of the Ministry on these matters.

Forest economy in Armenia selflessly supported the nation during the blockade years of early 90’s. The country managed to get out of the post-soviet crisis, but the forest sector in the country almost “drained,” suffering from unsustainable utilization and illegal loggings. In the past years, it became clear that time has come to put all efforts for the conservation and improvement of the forests in Armenia. UNDP, as a critical player, introduced two prominent initiatives tackling the problems of forests and providing hands-on solutions to these issues. Regional Post talked to the team standing behind these projects.