Шикахохский заповедниок

[Сизиф]

Originally Posted by Blue-eyed

Зависит от Министерств и, в конечном, счете от президента. За заповедник отвечает Министертво по охране природы... при чем отвечает не только перед внутренними законами, но и перед международными природоохранными соглашениями и конвенциями, которые пописаны и ратифицированы Арменией.

А не лучше ли сразу обратить внимание международных организаций на это безобразие?

[Belka]

Originally Posted by June

And Belka even dough i cant read Armenian the pictures speaks for it self ... hugs June

Thanks for the operative and detailed answer.... I suspected, deep in your heart you are hidden but true environmentalist ... ku-ku

this is really sad, and the most disappointing fact is that Armenia has only 8-9% forest cover left.
City rural zones are almost lack of green areas due to the built in concrete grounds with open cafeterias and other illegal (sometimes even legal) constructions...

Today we are facing this actual problem which is to be solved by what means required. Our duty is to preserve what we have and to restore what we possessed more than 25 years ago.
IMHO.

p.s. that was Russian language... hugs

[Blue-eyed]

Originally Posted by Сизиф

А не лучше ли сразу обратить внимание международных организаций на это безобразие?

международные организации очень даже в курсе... и некоторые даже работают в направлении предотвращения планов правительства... но когда в дело вступает политика и деньги даже ВСЕСИЛЬНЫЕ международные организации практичекски беспомощны..

[Blue-eyed]

Originally Posted by Belka

Janik, izwini, ne wzyala w kawychki slowo "podnimet" w Baxtamyanovskom paragrafe... inache, ponyali by, chto ESTESTWENNO, H1 ne budet slishkom uzh yaro obsuzhdat' te woprosy, kotorye zatragiwayut interesy samogo' prezidenta Armenii. Etot wopros budet zamyat, userdno i metodichno... NGO i Mezhd. Organizacii - uchastniki show, skoree wsego, ne sumeyut "ubedit' " zhitelej g. Yerevana w znachimosti zapowednika, tak kak wremya budet udeleno tem, kto w woprose nesweduyush.
Kuda bolee wazhnee nowaya doroga, kotoraya 90% ( dazhe bolee) torgasheskogo narodonaseleniya Armenii wywedet pryamo k celi - k zawetnomu Iranu..

Бел джан, согласна с тобой... но в любом случае считаю более правильным участвовать в этой передаче

Originally Posted by Belka

NGO Koaliciya (wernee, the Network of Ecological NGOs
po Shikahoghskomu woprosu, k kotoroj podklyuchilis' i inye organizacii) dejstwitel'no byla sozdana imenno otnositel'no dannoj problemy... mogu predostawit' poimennyj spisok...a koaliciya "Save Our Forests" byla sozdana dawno, goda 3 nazad, w sostaw kotoroj wxodili Armenian Forests, Armenia Tree Project (togda eshyo Assembly project) i drugie bolee melkie eco-organizacii...nu i s takim zhe uspexom ATP pokinula ee ryady, ne poluchiw dolzhnogo rezul'tata ot deyatel'nosti dannoj struktury....

Бел джан мы с тобой о разном говорим ... Я имела ввиду коалицию по охране зеленых насаждений Еревана...

[Belka]

Originally Posted by Blue-eyed

международные организации очень даже в курсе... и некоторые даже работают в направлении предотвращения планов правительства... но когда в дело вступает политика и деньги даже ВСЕСИЛЬНЫЕ международные организации практичекски беспомощны..

yes, definitely....

[Belka]

Originally Posted by Blue-eyed

Бел джан, согласна с тобой... но в любом случае считаю более правильным участвовать в этой передаче


Бел джан мы с тобой о разном говорим ... Я имела ввиду коалицию по охране зеленых насаждений Еревана...

nu da, my i budem uchawstwowat'...
kstati, po sledam press conference...

process wrode zamorozhen, chto ya schitayu nashimobshim bol'shim dostizheniem!

skoree wsego, Publichnye Slushaniya sostoyatsya w sleduyushyuyu pyatnicu!

for Junie >> the process is frozen for a while

which is IMHO a huge achievement for all of us!

next Friday, probably, Public Hearings will take place.

Blue Eyed jan, da, takaya koaliciya est'... tochnA ya ne ee imella wwidu... ponyali, razobralis'

[Belka]

AMERICAN FUND ON ECOSYSTEM PRESERVATION TO TAKE CARE OF ARMENIA's KHOSROVIAN AND SHIKAHOGHIAN RESERVES

YEREVAN, JUNE 1. ARMINFO. The American "Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund" (CEPF) starts to realize the first investment program in the Caucasian region countries. The project will be fulfilled in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey and Iran, the CEPF general executive director Den Martin informed at a press-conference in Yerevan, Jun 1.

He noted that 51 species of plants and animals being on the verge of disappearance numbered in the Caucasian ecoregion, and the grants allotted within the program's framework will be directed to preserve both these species and the ecosystem as a whole. "This region is very important by its bio-variety. It is one of 25 biologically rich territories in the world" Martin noted.

He numbered Khosrovian and Shikahoghian reserves among "problematic territories". Motor transport will be bought on the grants allotted by the Fund to provide access for hunters to the difficult regions not only in Khosrovian reserve but also the territories nearby Garni village. Besides, grants will be allotted for preservation of ecolandscapes in some Armenia's regions rich by rare species of plants, animals, insects and birds.

Martin also noted that along with the CEPF program director on Caucasus and Philippines Christopher Holts he will be acquainted with Armenia's ecological situation, meet with some governmental and non-governmental organizations intended to participate in the CEPF projects.

Program's general budget totals $8.5 mln which should be spent within 5 year. The CEPF has approved 6 projects on Armenia at the cost of about $500.000 by now. The projects will be fulfilled by the RA NAS Institute of zoology, "Eco-tourist" organization and other ecological public organizations. The general management is commissioned to the WWF (World unexplored wilderness preservation fund) Caucasian Program Office.

[Сизиф]

Originally Posted by Blue-eyed

международные организации очень даже в курсе... и некоторые даже работают в направлении предотвращения планов правительства... но когда в дело вступает политика и деньги даже ВСЕСИЛЬНЫЕ международные организации практичекски беспомощны..

С каких пор Всесильные стали беспомощными?!

Надо бы объявить всенародный сбор средств на покупку необитаемого острова в Тихом океане, и открыв там заповедник, отправить туда В. Айвазяна, А. Манукяна и остальных пайщиков Общества с Неограниченной Безответственностью. Уверен, что деньги будут собраны очень быстро...

[June]

AAAH congratulations thats great news respect for you and all the people who worked hard for this now let the project freeze forever i am happy for this you are doing great a sweet Dutch kiss back ....love...... June

[June]

Sweet May if you need my help with informing Armenian people here in Netherlands dont hesitate to ask i am more then happy too kiss June

[June]

well i mean the project of those selfish people who want to chop the forest ofcourse

[burnash]

"ЕСЛИ ЕСТЬ АЛЬТЕРНАТИВНЫЙ ПРОЕКТ ДОРОГИ В ОБЪЕЗД ШИКАОХСКОГО ЗАПОВЕДНИКА, Я ЕГО "ПРОТОЛКНУ" ИЛИ ПОДАМ В ОТСТАВКУ", - ЗАЯВЛЯЕТ МИНИСТР ОХРАНЫ ПРИРОДЫ

ЕРЕВАН, 04.06.05. АРМИНФО. "Если будет представлен альтернативный путь в объезд Шикаохскому заповеднику, и я не смогу его "протолкнуть", подам в отставку", - заявил на днях министр охраны природы Армении Вардан Айвазян.
Министр заявил, что ни одного альтернативного варианта в объезд заповедника не было представлено экологическими общественными организациями и вообще никем. А на вопрос, какому институту доверено проведение экологической экспертизы по проекту автотрассы Мегри-Шванидзор-Веришен-Цав-Капан министр заявил, что не знает. Кроме того, альтернативный в объезд заповеднику путь был предложен Министерству транспорта и связи РА со стороны администрации Сюникской области. А на недавней пресс-конференции, говоря о неприемлемости предложенных экологическими общественными организациями 4-х альтернативных новому проекту путях, министр транспорта и связи РА Андраник Манукян заявил, что они длиннее на 18 км, прибавляются 18 серпантинов и дорога пролегает на 300 метров выше, планируемой через заповедник. Оба министра В.Айвазян и А.Манукян утверждают, что новая автотрасса в Иран имеет государственное стратегическое значение, а если этот довод не сочетается с национальным или международным правом, то будет принято политическое решение в пользу прокладки дороги, через заповедник. Обе коллеги также дружны во мнении, что прокладка трассы нанесет меньше ущербов, чем утверждения общественных и международных экологических организаций. "Можно принять, что автотрасса стратегическая, однако не за счет сердца единственного рожденного самой природой заповедника", - отмечается в заявлении распространенном консорциумом экологических общественных организаций Армении.
Напомним забывчивому министру, что экологическая экспертиза по вероятным ущербам, которые будут нанесены Шикаохскому заповеднику в случае прокладки автотрассы, была проведена государственной экологической экспертизой Министерства охраны природы РА. Окончательное решение о судьбе заповедника ожидается после общественных слушаний, которые будут организованы в ближайшее время.
Отметим, что трасса по строительству дороги через Мегринский хребет по направлению к Иранской границе была предложена Министерством транспорта и связи. Данный проект предусматривает прокладку дороги через Мтнадзорский участок Шикаохского заповедника и Мегринского лесного хозяйства. Строительство данной дороги, по мнению экологов, приведет к нарушению заповедного режима заповедника и к расформированию Шикаохского заповедника. По расчетом экологов, ущерб от вырубки заповедного леса составит 8 млрд драмов. Проект также грозит вырубкой уникального дубового леса, уничтожением мест обитания редких и исчезающих видов растений и животных. Отметим, также, что в Армении насчитывается всего 2 заповедника - Шикаохский и Хосровский.

[Isabella]

если внимательно посмотреть по карте, то альтернативного пути нет, как это не грустно...

[Belka]

Recent news: for June and all English speaking forum people >>


Comments: Today, June 6, there was a meeting of the workgroup on Shikahogh, right after the Conference hosted by UN (UNDP). The follow up was a brainstorming of June 9 "5th wheel" program and forthcoming Public Hearings. We will attend, we will unite our forces to prove the is an alternative solution. Actually, not only one. The fifth variant is being suggested. Otherwise this is all meaningless. We are all concerned, diaspora is involved and is very very active.
The "Hairenik" newspaper in Watertown decided to reprint the Armenia Now
story and 2 of the photos on the Shikahogh issue. There will be also another story after an interview with Hayantar published quite soon.

Thanks to Janita and Merry, the NL. They are supporting us. Thanks to all those young and old to stand shoulder to shoulder with the coalition.

News: (Burnash has posted the same in Armenian)

"IF AN ALTERNATIVE WAY PASSING BY SHIKAHOGH FOREST
RESERVE IS SUBMITTED AND I FAIL TO "PUSH ITS THROUGH,"
I WILL RESIGN," NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 6. ARMINFO. "If an alternative way
passing by Shikahogh forest reserve is submitted and I
fail to "push its through," I will send in my
resignation," has recently stated Nature Protection
Minister of Armenia Vardan Ayvazyan.

The minister said no alternative way has been
submitted by ecological public organizations or anyone
else. He could not answer the question which
institution was charged with ecological examination of
the project of highway
Meghri-Shvanidzor-Verishen-Tsav-Kapan. Besides, an
alternative way passing by the reserve was submitted
to the Ministry of Transport and Communication of
Armenia by Syunik Administration. Meanwhile, at a
recent press conference speaking on inadmissibility of
the 4 alternative ways submitted by the public
organizations, Minister of Transport and Communication
Andranik Manukyan said that they were longer by 18 km
and 300 meters higher than the way via the reserve.
Both ministers state that the new highway to Iran has
a strategic importance, and this conclusion does not
meet the national or international law, a political
decision will be made in favor of the highway's
construction via the forest reserve. The colleges also
share an opinion that the construction of the highway
will not cause as much damage as public and
international ecological organizations say.

It is necessary to remind the minister that the state
ecological examination department of the Nature
Protection Ministry held an ecological examination of
the possible damage of the highway's construction to
Shikahogh forest reserve. The final decision on the
fate of the reserve is expected during public hearings
to be held within the nearest future.

The motor highway is planned via Shikahogh forest
reserve located on the northern mountainside of Meghri
mountain range, Kapan region, Armenia. Preservation of
the landscape and biological diversity of Shikahogh
forest reserve is under question because of the new
project of Armenian Transport and Communication
Ministry on construction of a highway via Meghri
mountain range in direction of the Iranian boundary.
The projects provides for construction of the highway
through Mtnadzor section of the reserve and Meghri
forest economy. The implementation of the project will
lead to felling of a unique oak forest, extermination
of the population of leopards in Armenia as well as
rare types of animals included not only in the Red
Book of Armenia but also in the International Red
Book. It will led to liquidation of springs supplying
water to the nearing villages etc...

http://www.arminfo.am/

[Belka]

FYI

Taken from the: http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=13605

Ecologists, Diaspora Up In Arms Against Planned Iran Highway

05/06/2005 10:28

Leading environment protection groups are ringing alarm bells over the planned construction of a new highway which they say would wreak havoc on one of Armenia’s last remaining virgin forests.

Tens of thousands of trees in the Shikahogh forest reserve in southeastern Armenia are to be cut down under government plans to build a second, 90-kilometer road leading to the Iranian border. Work on the $16 million project was expected to get underway this spring.

But it was apparently delayed by a growing uproar from local environmentalists who warn of serious irreversible consequences for the country’s ecological system. A joint working group formed by the Armenian ministries of environment and transport is currently assessing the potential environmental impact of the project seen as strategically important by the government.

However, Transport Minister Andranik Manukian indicated last month that the government will make a “political” decision to press ahead with its implementation regardless of the group’s findings. Manukian declined a comment on Friday.

Official says the currently sole highway running from the mountainous Syunik region’s capital Kapan to the Iranian frontier is too narrow and often impassable in winter months, complicating Armenia’s vital commercial ties with Iran.

“Let it be strategic but not cut across the reserve,” said Karen Manvelian, the head of the Yerevan office of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). He said the WWF and other environment groups suggested that the planned road bypass the Shikahogh woods but the government rejected the idea on the grounds that the alternative route would be 20 kilometers longer and run at a higher altitude.

Manvelian countered that this will not make much difference as the main highway linking Yerevan to Kapan is much longer and already runs through three tortuous mountain passes. He claimed that the authorities are opposed to the road bypass also because senior government officials stand to financially gain from massive logging that would accompany the road construction.

Adding its voice to the environmentalists’ concerns was the Armenian Assembly of America, an influential Washington-based organization. In an extraordinary move, its chairman Hirair Hovnanian wrote to President Robert Kocharian on May 25, calling for the project to be scrapped.

“The construction of the proposed road through the preserve will introduce pollution from passing vehicles into this almost pristine forest, destroy the habitat for rare wildlife and migratory paths, and attract illegal logging, depriving future generations of Armenians of a non-renewable resource,” the letter read.

Hovnanian also warned that the Armenian government’s international reputation would also suffer as a result. “The national and international communities will perceive the Armenian government as having no respect for its own environmental laws or the international conventions and treaties it has ratified,” he said. “Moreover, if Armenia does not demonstrate responsible management of its natural and historical heritage, it weakens its ability to protect Armenia from the impact of destructive policies in neighboring countries.”

Shikahogh is Armenia’s second largest forest reserve, occupying some 10,000 hectares of land. According to Manvelian, it has been largely unaffected by Armenia’s massive post-Soviet deforestation due to its remote location and care shown by residents of nearby villages.

Only 11 percent of the country’s mountainous territory was covered with forests in 1991. That proportion now stands at below 8 percent, mainly due to commercial and mostly illegal logging. The process has been greatly facilitated by lax government controls and corruption. Some environmentalists warn that if the current trends continue Armenia could be left without any major forests by 2024.

(Radio Free Europe report)


Taken from: http://home.a1plus.am/eng/?go=issue&id=29167

ARMENIAN ECOLOGY IN DANGER

According to Karen Afrikyan, head of the non-governmental organization “Forests of Armenia”, the road to be constructed through the Shikahogh state reserve to Iran is a huge danger strategically and ecologically.
According to him, the road will be a target for Azerbaijan. As for the ecological harms, not only 26 000 big and 117 000 small trees will be chopped down, but also 70 plants recorded in the Red Book will be annihilated. As Mr. Afrikyan said, there are alternative solutions to this problem, for example, the road can be constructed though the village Shishkert near the reserve; thus the forest will not be damaged.
Today in the UN Armenian office the presentation of the books devoted to the ecological problems published by the non-governmental organizations “For Steady Development” Association and “Ecological Academy” took place. According to Karine Danielyan, head of the Association “For Steady Development”, publication of the books about ecological problems will raise public awareness about the issue.
Mrs. Danielyan also spoke about the Shikahogh reserve problem. According to him, Azerbaijan has been raising the issue in international structures lately that ecologically Armenia can be dangerous for the Trans Caucasian region. “Chop down forests as we do, the situation can be dangerous not only for us, but also for our neighbors.


NOTE: tam razve be dolzhno byt "For Sustainable Development" vmesto "Steady"? well, anyways...