We Plan to Plant Around 500,000 Trees by the End of the Year: Pashinyan

The resolution of environmental issues, particularly the preservation and restoration of forests, is one of the government’s priorities. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during his speech at the opening of the "Summit for Forests: Global Efforts and Armenia" conference in Yerevan on October 22.

"Unfortunately, our country has long been facing the challenge of the decline in the viability of forest areas. This negative phenomenon has arisen due to a number of issues that emerged since the first years of independence, particularly in the energy sector. However, as a decisive factor, the global trend of climate change has also exacerbated this situation," said Pashinyan.

He emphasized that environmental problems are not isolated; they almost always have global implications and require collaborative efforts for resolution. "In this regard, initiatives that provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, studying international experiences, and discovering possible avenues for cooperation are crucial. The focus of today's event is undoubtedly on the "Armenia Tree Project." This program, which is already 25 years old, has significantly contributed to the restoration and preservation of Armenia’s forest areas. Approximately 6 million trees have been planted through this program in Armenia," he noted.

The Prime Minister addressed the representatives of the program, stating, "We will be grateful for your participation in the implementation of the strategic program to double Armenia's forest cover by 2050." Pashinyan informed that in October 2020, the government initiated a project to plant 10 million trees. "I hope that this initiative will become the first significant step in this direction. But I also want to note that the Armenian government recently made an unprecedented decision and allocated 424 million AMD to start the forest restoration process in Armenia by the end of the year. In this regard, we plan to plant around 500,000 seedlings over 140 hectares by the end of the year.

This project has created around a thousand temporary jobs in Armenia. Currently, 500 of these positions have been filled; as of now, we have 300 jobs in the Lori region, 200 jobs in the Tavush region, and 50 jobs in the Syunik region. Therefore, our compatriots who wish to get involved in these processes can apply to the branches of the "Hayantar" State Non-Commercial Organization in their areas. The work, of course, is paid. These projects are unprecedented in their scale and demonstrate the Armenian government's clear commitment and political will to restore forests and expand forested areas in Armenia," Pashinyan said. The Prime Minister also mentioned that penalties for illegal logging have been recently tightened.