New Quality and Volume of Greening in Yerevan

Active work is underway these days to implement the anticipated project for the restoration of the green zone covering about 12 hectares around Saralanj, with the construction of the irrigation system ongoing.

“The irrigation network includes a reservoir with a surface area of 24 square meters and a depth of 2.20 meters. It will be entirely a concrete reservoir,” says Grigor Harutyunyan, head of the construction and improvement department of the Yerevan City Hall.

“Next to it will be the pump station with two pumps, each providing 10 atmospheres of pressure. There will also be a security post,” says Edgar Abrahamyan, the head of the construction company.

“The main line has been brought with 150 mm pipes from the pump station, after which branching is done with 57 mm pipes. From here, smaller 25 mm pipes will be installed, with sprinklers being placed,” notes Artak Muradyan, the project manager. The area will have drip irrigation, which will save a lot of water and improve the efficiency of irrigation. After the system is installed, the area will be leveled as much as possible, and in the fall, tree planting will begin.

“Different methods will be applied here. There will be evergreens and shrubs to protect the soil layer, and in areas where possible, vertical greening will occur, including climbing tree species. We have chosen in such a way that we will have seasonal blooming,” adds Gayane Nersisyan, the chief specialist of the environmental department of the City Hall. Proper greening of this area will contribute to the moderation of Yerevan’s microclimate.

The Yerevan City Hall also intends to restore the community-owned areas of the Tsitsernakaberd forest zone. “The total area of Tsitsernakaberd is about 100 hectares, of which 8.5 hectares belong to the Yerevan community. Since 2019, we have initiated tree planting. We have already had cellular pruning done, and over 100 dump trucks have removed construction waste. We also need to have an irrigation network there,” emphasizes Hrachya Sargsyan, the first deputy mayor of Yerevan.

A new irrigation network is now also being laid for the Tsitsernakaberd area. The restoration, maintenance, and preservation of the city’s green spaces must have a unified approach. The burden of solving Yerevan’s environmental problems and greening the city was entrusted to a separate entity created by the mayor’s initiative and decision of the council, establishing the community non-commercial organization “Greening and Environmental Protection.”

“Last year, significant work was done, and problems were registered, which showed that the greening private companies associated with administrative districts were not operating effectively. This was the reason for the decision to create a new community organization,” Hrachya Sargsyan notes.

“Our priority is the modernization of the irrigation system. We need to map the green zones and demonstrate a systematic approach based on innovative technologies and scientific thought,” says Ara Agayan, director of the “Greening and Environmental Protection” organization. These days, the essential irrigation systems for greening are being urgently repaired.

“Approximately 65 km of the irrigation network is in emergency condition. In 2020, we plan to restore the emergency pipes, which will allow for future expansion of the network. We also have a small-scale expansion of the network planned. We also intend to have deep wells,” adds the first deputy mayor.

The areas where an irrigation network does not currently exist will receive water via the water truck of the “Yerevan Waste Collection and Sanitation” community organization. In the meantime, the irrigated areas have already been enriched with new plants and trees, with around 250,000 shrubs and 800 trees planted.

“We have planted sakura, spireas, globe catalpas, yellow-wood trees, and several other species of trees and shrubs,” says Arzvin Grigoryan, a dendrologist at the “Greening and Environmental Protection” NGO.

The city’s aesthetic will also be secured by floral formations from city greenhouses, but in small volumes. To have healthy and well-maintained green areas, the greening organization has acquired new equipment, including 80 mowers, 60 trimmers, 10 welding machines, and 10 generators. The mowers are undergoing their first testing; according to the community organization’s employees, it is about four times more efficient and economical.

Yerevan’s trees will be taken care of by the first and currently only sprayer in Armenia, which is also multifunctional. It can blow up to 30 meters away and rotate 180 degrees. The community organization dealing with greening and environmental conservation will soon offer new solutions for the maintenance of the areas.

To implement new ideas, the community organization warmly invites environmentally conscious citizens who love the city and are seeking work to join their large team. There is a lot to do in 2020 in the field of environmental protection in the city.

“Through the NGO, we also intend to exhibit an institutional approach to waste separation for the first time in Armenia,” emphasizes Hrachya Sargsyan. This year, several parks and green areas will be improved and greening will be implemented. The community government also expects support from citizens to treat and maintain the green areas carefully, so that the results of today’s work provide aesthetic pleasure and a favorable environment for the residents and guests of the city in the coming years.