June 4, Armenpress: A coalition of non-governmental organization, called Let's Protect Our Forests, convened today its founding meeting. Chairwoman of Armenian Forests NGO Nazeli Vardanian said the coalition's main tasks will be protection and restoration of forests.

Currently, the surface area of forests in Armenia amounts to 460 thousand ha, out of which 334 thousand ha are covered with forests, or 11.2%; this means 0.1% of forest per capita. Armenian forests mainly serve the protective purpose of climate regulation, anti-erosion and water conservation. Due to the 1992 energy crisis chaotic mass tree cutting began. According to expert estimates, between 1992-94, about 1 million m3 of wood was cut annually and 4 thousand ha of forest were totally wiped out, about 20 thousand ha were damaged.

Due to lack of funding no steps have been taken to stop forest poachers. At present the annual damaged forest area amounts to 15 thousand ha, annual loss of wood amounts to 13 thousand m3, or 2.9% of annual growth. The rate of forest rehabilitation is very low, 500-600 ha annually, which is ten times less than pre-reform level.

Important forest areas run across the mountain ranges between Armenia and Georgia, in the Noyemberian region. The area located between the Dilijan Reserve in Armenia and Borjomi Reserve in Georgia, in particular is of high potential conservation importance. Several forest species, once widespread in Armenia, are now limited to these forests, and further fragmentation of their habitat would pose a serious threat to their survival. These include, among others, the brown bear, wolf, wild cat and several species of forest mountain steppe birds of global conservation importance.

The central part of the country is almost treeless.

Coalition members believe that the first practical step to stop forests damaging is to reduce logging for industrial purpose by offering available alternatives. They also say that sustainable forest management program must be developed and applied to help expand areas under forest.