Vladimir Kirakosyan, the head of the Eco-patrol service of the Ministry of Environment of the RA, and Vardan Sargsyan, the first deputy head, are on a working visit to New York at the invitation of the UN Secretariat to participate in the 19th session of the UN Forum on Forests.
In his speech, the head of Eco-patrol service spoke about the steps and measures aimed at solving the problems of the forest sector:
"Every year, aviation measures are carried out in forest areas against the development of diseases and the reproduction of pests, and in 2023, for the first time in Armenia, instead of chemical control, biological control was carried out, which is safer for the environment and, according to preliminary studies, more effective.
In order to strengthen the protection of forests, from January 1, 2024, the Eco-patrol service was established under the Ministry of Environment of the RA, which carries out round-the-clock surveillance in State forests and specially protected areas to prevent violations.
During the last five years, with the financing of the state budget, as well as with the support of local and international organizations, around 5,700 ha of afforestation and reforestation works were carried out on state forest lands.
With the financing of the Green Climate Fund and through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), greenhouse complexes have been created to grow high-quality planting material with a closed root system, and in the next 7 years it is planned to carry out 5,700 hectares of afforestation works in state forest lands and communal areas, as well as to develop nursery and seed production," Vladimir Kirakosyan noted.
The head of the Eco-patrol service emphasized that the solution of environmental problems and, in particular, the preservation and restoration of forests is one of the priorities of the Government of the RA and the latter is taking a number of practical steps, demonstrating the political will, towards the protection, restoration and expansion of forest areas in Armenia. In particular, an ambitious goal has been set to increase the area covered by forests to 12.9 percent by 2030 and to 20.1 percent by 2050.