Water-related Water-related Ecosystems Ecosystems

Conservation in Conservation in Armenia andArmenia and

Perspectives for Perspectives for Transboundary Transboundary ConservationConservation

Karen JenderedjianKaren Jenderedjian

ContentContent

• Forests and Forests ValuesForests and Forests Values• Conflicts and Threats to ForestsConflicts and Threats to Forests• Wetlands and Wetlands Values Wetlands and Wetlands Values • Conflicts and Threats to Conflicts and Threats to

WetlandsWetlands• Environmental LegislationEnvironmental Legislation• International Cooperation International Cooperation

Diversity of Forests in Diversity of Forests in ArmeniaArmenia

• 334,100 ha or 11.2%of the 334,100 ha or 11.2%of the total territorytotal territory

120,000 ha oak 120,000 ha oak 96,600 ha beech 96,600 ha beech

55,100 ha hornbeam55,100 ha hornbeam17,700 ha pine17,700 ha pine

44,700 ha other44,700 ha other

TimberTimber

  

• 41,74 million m41,74 million m3 3 timber reservetimber reserve• Average density 0.53Average density 0.53

• Average quality indicator 3.8Average quality indicator 3.8

Conflicts and Threats Conflicts and Threats to Foreststo Forests

• Over-exploitation Over-exploitation and factor of and factor of disturbancedisturbance

• DeforestationDeforestation

Diversity of Wetlands in

ArmeniaInland Wetlands • Rivers /streams / creeks• Lakes • Saline flats• Marshes• Peatlands• Freshwater springs• Geothermal wetlands• Subterranean

hydrosystems

Human-made wetlands

• Ponds• Irrigated land• Seasonally flooded land• Water storage areas• Excavations• Wastewater treatment areas• Canals and drainage

channels, ditches

Plants biodiversity of Armenia

Number ofNumber of Number of Number of

recorded speciesrecorded species wetland species wetland species

AlgaeAlgae 388388 245 245

FungiFungi 41664166 ca. 200 ca. 200

LichensLichens 300300 ? ?

MossMoss 430430 135 135

Vascular plantsVascular plants 35553555 622 622

Animals Animals biodiversity of biodiversity of ArmeniaArmenia

Number ofNumber of Number of Number of

recorded speciesrecorded species wetland species wetland species

InvertebratesInvertebrates ca. 17,000ca. 17,000 ca 1,000 ca 1,000

FishesFishes 3636 36 36

Amphibians Amphibians 88 8 8

ReptilesReptiles 5353 4 4

BirdsBirds 349349 135 135

MammalsMammals 8383 77

Wetlands Values and Wetlands Values and Poverty AlleviationPoverty Alleviation

• Products of abiocen origin:

Water fresh & mineral

sand, gravel

Peat

Wetlands Values and Wetlands Values and Poverty AlleviationPoverty Alleviation

• Plant productsPlant products

HayHay

FoodFood

MedicineMedicine

BouquetsBouquets

Wetlands Values and Wetlands Values and Poverty AlleviationPoverty Alleviation

• Animal products

Fish

Crayfish

Frog

Game

Pets

Wetlands Values and Wetlands Values and Poverty AlleviationPoverty Alleviation

• Socio-economical functions:

Water for irrigation and electric power

Sspace for grazing and watering, fish-farming

Conflicts and Threats Conflicts and Threats to Wetlandsto Wetlands

• Water lossWater loss and and water balance water balance disturbancedisturbance

• Soil deteriorationSoil deterioration, , erosionerosion and and sedimentationsedimentation

Conflicts and Threats Conflicts and Threats to Wetlandsto Wetlands

• Mudflows Mudflows and and waterloggingwaterlogging

• PollutionPollution

Conflicts and Threats Conflicts and Threats to Foreststo Forests

• Over-exploitation Over-exploitation and factor of and factor of disturbancedisturbance

• DeforestationDeforestation

Environmental LegislationEnvironmental Legislation

• 1991 Law on Principles of Environmental Protection1991 Law on Principles of Environmental Protection• 19919911 Law on Especially Protected Natural Areas Law on Especially Protected Natural Areas • 1991 The Land Code1991 The Land Code• 1994 Law on Protection the Atmosphere and Air 1994 Law on Protection the Atmosphere and Air

QualityQuality• 1994 The Forest Code1994 The Forest Code• 1995 Law on Environmental Impact Assessment1995 Law on Environmental Impact Assessment• 1998 Law on Payments for Nature Protection and Use 1998 Law on Payments for Nature Protection and Use

of Natural Resourcesof Natural Resources• 2000 Law on Flora2000 Law on Flora·   2000 Law on Fauna·   2000 Law on Fauna• 2001 Law on Lake Sevan 2001 Law on Lake Sevan • 2002 Law on Lake Sevan Annual Action Programme2002 Law on Lake Sevan Annual Action Programme• 2002 (1992) The Water Code2002 (1992) The Water Code

1991 Law on Principles of 1991 Law on Principles of Environmental ProtectionEnvironmental Protection

• Specifies principles of Specifies principles of environmental policy of the environmental policy of the StateState

• Establishes legal basis for Establishes legal basis for development of environmental development of environmental legislationlegislation

1991 Law on Especially 1991 Law on Especially Protected Natural AreasProtected Natural Areas

• Conservation of reference sites Conservation of reference sites and ecosystems and ecosystems

• Protection of natural monumentsProtection of natural monuments• Protection of biodiversityProtection of biodiversity• Scientific research of natureScientific research of nature• Monitoring of environmentMonitoring of environment• Categories of protected areasCategories of protected areas

1991 The Land Code1991 The Land Code

• Specifies principles of land use Specifies principles of land use policy of the Statepolicy of the State

• Establishes scope and Establishes scope and framework for regulation of framework for regulation of land use policy and land use policy and relationships between relationships between different stakeholdersdifferent stakeholders

1994 The Forest Code1994 The Forest Code

• Conservation, reproduction Conservation, reproduction and sustainable use of water and sustainable use of water protective, soil protective, protective, soil protective, climate mitigating, health, climate mitigating, health, recreational and other values recreational and other values of forestsof forests

1998 Law on Payments 1998 Law on Payments for Nature Protection and for Nature Protection and Use of Natural ResourcesUse of Natural Resources

• payments for nature protectionpayments for nature protection• payments for use of bioresourcespayments for use of bioresources• scope of payersscope of payers• forms of paymentsforms of payments• amenability against violationsamenability against violations

2000 Law on Flora2000 Law on Flora

Secure Secure • conservation of qualitative and conservation of qualitative and

quantitative values of flora, plant quantitative values of flora, plant habitats and genetical diversityhabitats and genetical diversity

• sustainable use of plant resourcessustainable use of plant resources• regulation of plant resource use regulation of plant resource use RegulateRegulate• rights and responsibilities of plant rights and responsibilities of plant

resource usersresource users

2000 Law on Fauna2000 Law on Fauna

SecureSecure• conservation, protection, natural conservation, protection, natural

reproduction of animal genus and species reproduction of animal genus and species diversitydiversity

• integrity of natural habitatsintegrity of natural habitats• survival of animal species and populations survival of animal species and populations • integrity of migration waysintegrity of migration ways

Regulate Regulate • sustainable use of resources of wild animalssustainable use of resources of wild animals• rights and responsibilities of plant resource rights and responsibilities of plant resource

usersusers

2001 Law on Lake Sevan 2001 Law on Lake Sevan 2002 Law on Lake Sevan 2002 Law on Lake Sevan

Action ProgrammesAction ProgrammesRegulate Regulate

• protectionprotection

• restoration, restoration,

• reproduction, reproduction,

• natural development, natural development,

• use natural resources use natural resources

of Lake Sevan, its watershed of Lake Sevan, its watershed and ecosystemsand ecosystems

SecureSecure• 6 m water level 6 m water level

increaseincrease• sustainable usesustainable use• drinking quality waterdrinking quality water• fish stocks reproductionfish stocks reproduction• recreation developmentrecreation development• biodiversitybiodiversity• administration administration

improvementimprovement• effective water effective water

managementmanagement

2002 (1992) The Water 2002 (1992) The Water CodeCode

• Establish the mechanisms of water Establish the mechanisms of water resource managementresource management

• Protect and conserve water resourceProtect and conserve water resource• Prevent of negative reveal of waterPrevent of negative reveal of water• Water resource inventoryWater resource inventory• Sustainable water supplySustainable water supply• Water supply and removal system secureWater supply and removal system secure• Hydropower plant use regulationHydropower plant use regulation• Water ecosystem management Water ecosystem management

International International Cooperation:Cooperation: Conventions Conventions• Biological Diversity (1993) Biological Diversity (1993)

• Climate Change (1993) Climate Change (1993) • Wetlands (6 November 1993) Wetlands (6 November 1993) • World Heritage (1993) World Heritage (1993) • Combat Desertification (1997) Combat Desertification (1997) • Aarhus (2001) Aarhus (2001) • European Landscape Convention European Landscape Convention

(2004)(2004)etc.etc.

International International Cooperation:Cooperation:

Ramsar SGF in Ramsar SGF in ArmeniaArmenia

• 1997 - Inventory of Armenian Ramsar Sites 1997 - Inventory of Armenian Ramsar Sites • 1999 - 1999 - Ecologo-economical Valuation of Ecologo-economical Valuation of

Armenian WetlandsArmenian Wetlands• 2000 - Regional Training Course on Wetland 2000 - Regional Training Course on Wetland

Management Management (21 participants from 6 countries)(21 participants from 6 countries)• 2002 - Regional Seminar “Conservation and 2002 - Regional Seminar “Conservation and

Wise Use of Wetlands in the European NIS” Wise Use of Wetlands in the European NIS”

(64 participants from 17 countries)(64 participants from 17 countries)

International International Cooperation:Cooperation:

Wetland Wetland PerspectivesPerspectives

•Restoration of Lake GilliRestoration of Lake Gilli (UNDP/GEF US$ 963,708)(UNDP/GEF US$ 963,708)

•Establishment of Protected Establishment of Protected Areas in Armenia’s Javakheti Areas in Armenia’s Javakheti RegionRegion (German Ministry of (German Ministry of Cooperation EUR 2,200,000)Cooperation EUR 2,200,000)

Thank you!Thank you!