Monday, 30 January 2012
Protected Zone Upgrading Efforts To Be Continued
Minister of Nature Protection Aram Harutyunyan met with journalists at the government’s press center to present his ministry’s priorities: Lake Sevan ecosystem rehabilitation, upgrades of protected zones, water resources management, new projects and international cooperation.
The Ministry of Nature Protection will continue upgrading Armenia’s protected zones throughout the running year. Minister Aram Haroutunyan said ecosystem rehabilitation, landscape and biological diversity conversation, as well as gene pool preservation efforts will be continued in Sevan, Dilijan, Arevik and Lake Arpi national parks, Khosrov and Shikahogh state reserves.
The German Development Bank-backed South Caucasus Environmental Grants program will be completed in 2012.
National park founding activities will be completed under the Lake Arpi National Park Capacity Building program to a total cost of 1.7 million euro.
“As a result, national park establishment and support programs will be complete by this yearend with its further activities to be funded by the State budget,” Aram Harutyunyan said
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A total of AMD 506 million will be invested this year to ensure sustained operations of Armenia’s protected wildlife areas.
The Geramn KFW Bank-supported South Armenia Biosphere Project will start this year implying creation of a biosphere zone on the basis of Shikahogh State Reserve in the southern Syunik marz.
12 beneficiary communities will be involved with some 3 million euros to be spent under welfare and sustainable socio-economic development programs. Agricultural production, farm support and marketing infrastructures will be set up to boost local initiative and entrepreneurship through the newly established Enterprise Support Fund.
Euro 8.25mn is expected back on investments under this grant program over the next 5 years.
Details available in the audio material
