Wangari Maathai remembered in Armenia…

This fir tree at the Armenia Tree Project nursery in Karin Village is dedicated to the memory of Wangari Maathai. Dr. Maathai was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for empowering rural women to plant millions of trees with the Green Belt Movement. Today is the second anniversary of her passing...her vision and perseverance continues to be a great source of inspiration worldwide.

Wangari Maathai was an inspiration for ATP in 2003-2004 when the team in the field designed the backyard nursery micro-enterprise program for impoverished rural families to grow tree seedlings in Aygut. She was one of the leading voices raising awareness about the strong link between poverty and deforestation.

ATP made job creation and rural empowerment a strong element of that program, which was selected for a National Energy Globe Award for Sustainability at the European Parliament in 2008.

ATP founder Carolyn Mugar and director Jeff Masarjian published an op ed, The Planting of Ideas, in the Boston Globe on the occasion of Dr. Maathai's visit to Boston in 2006. The three had a chance to meet at a reception hosted by Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition, before her speech at First Church in Cambridge.

ATP was also one of the very first international organizations to make a pledge to plant trees as part of the Billion Tree Campaign initiated by Dr. Maathai and the United Nations Environment Program in 2006.

What's all the fuss about? I hope you can take some time to watch Wangari Maathai's lecture from Concordia University (her remarks start at 18:30). She is truly a bold leader and advocate for social justice and sustainable development at the grassroots level.

Carrying on the work of Wangari Maathai...

You may have heard of the passing of Wangari Maathai, an extraordinary woman who was responsible for planting 45 million trees in Kenya by empowering women to enact social and environmental change.

I'll never forget the feeling of joy and pride when I received the news on a field visit to Armenia in October 2004 that Wangari Maathai was being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the Green Belt Movement.

Wangari Maathai with the Crown Prince and King and Queen of Norway
after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on December 10, 2004

During my most recent trip last month, I was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Maathai, who was an inspiration to us at Armenia Tree Project and to so many others around the world who seek to restore the planet's degraded environment. Obituaries were published by all of the major newspapers and websites, including National Geographic.

ATP founder Carolyn Mugar and executive director Jeff Masarjian wrote an op ed about our connection with “the planting of ideas” in the Boston Globe. The article appeared on the day of Wangari’s visit to Boston and Carolyn and Jeff had a chance to meet her at a gathering hosted by the Urban Forest Coalition.

Carolyn also heard the news of Wangari’s passing while traveling and shared this sentiment: “I was very sorry to hear this news. [Wangari] made an extraordinary contribution and what she showed people about what they can do to change their own lives will live on for ages.”

Dr. Maathai made connections between education, poverty, and deforestation which influenced ATP to establish programs that empowered rural women to start planting trees for future generations. In this spirit, ATP is establishing a tree planting site in the Republic of Armenia to honor the memory and vision of Wangari Maathai. Our goal is to raise $5,000 in support of this memorial effort, so please consider a donation via the ATP website.

ATP begins propagation of rare & endangered plants & fruit trees…

By Armine Tokhmakhyan & Jason Sohigian

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has been publishing its Red List of Threatened Species since 1963. The IUCN is the world’s main authority on the conservation status of plant and animal species, and the Red List is published periodically as the most comprehensive inventory available.

The Ministry of Nature Protection released its own two-volume “Red Book of Plants and Animals of the Republic of Armenia” in 2010. “The country’s attractiveness and public welfare are directly linked with the splendor and richness of its natural heritage,” writes Minister of Nature Protection Aram Harutyunyan in the preface. “The production of the Red Book is another step forward in the preservation and recovery of the region’s biodiversity.”

There are approximately 3,600 plant species in Armenia, and 123 are endemic or found nowhere else on the planet. According to the authors, these plants become endangered because of deforestation, the overuse of resources like water, and development of land which provides habitats for plants and animals. The new Red Book includes information about 452 plant and 40 fungus species that are rare along with 223 plant species that are in danger of extinction.



“In response to the concern over the loss of native plants, Armenia Tree Project has a policy of growing only indigenous trees in its three nurseries,” explains Nursery Program Manager Samvel Ghandilyan. “In recent years many native species have either vanished or drastically reduced in numbers. Native and naturalized species possess traits that make them more likely to thrive under local conditions, which is why ATP has made this a priority in our nursery and tree planting programs.”

“ATP started to pay special attention to the propagation of endangered plants at our nursery in Karin. These include nine trees and shrubs that are registered as rare in the Red Book and two that are in danger of extinction,” Ghandilyan says. “These are Alpine Maple (Acer thrautvetteri) and Halfsphere Rose (Rosa gaenuspherica).”

A field visit to tree planting sites in the Republic of Armenia...

As many readers of this blog know, Armenia Tree Project has been greening Armenia's future since 1994. The organization's sustainable development programs include tree planting and environmental education. I compiled a short series of my favorite photographs in this slideshow during a working visit to ATP sites in June and July. Click here to view:

Site locations include ATP’s nurseries in Karin and Khachpar villages, the Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in Margahovit Village, and ATP's environmental education centers in Karin and Margahovit, both of which have been sponsored by the Ohanian Family. I also visited urban and rural green spaces created by ATP’s Community Tree Planting Program and several new forests established by ATP in partnership with local communities.



Of particular interest was a visit to the forests surrounding ATP's nursery in the northern Lori region, where we encountered several owl, flowers listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species, and breathtaking landscapes above the tree line. The trip concluded with a barbeque for our staff and their families hosted by ATP board member Anthony Barsamian and founder Carolyn Mugar.

A Green appeal for commencement...

Dear Friends,

Most of you probably know I am wrapping up my master’s degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management this week – commencement is Thursday! Many of you have provided support and encouragement for which I am grateful.

Overall it was a wonderfully enriching experience – highlights that come to mind are a report for the Massachusetts Commission on Financing Forest Conservation, being a part of World Forestry Congress XIII in Buenos Aires, publication in Germany of a study on renewable energy, and presenting my research on Payments for Environmental Services at the International Sustainable Development Research Conference at the Earth Institute.

During this time, I’ve been inspired by the work of colleagues at the Armenia Tree Project and more importantly by the individuals and institutions that have invested in our work. ATP has been planting trees since 1994 and environmental education has been a core program since I joined the organization in 2004.

Armenia Tree Project Slideshow

View more presentations from jsohigian

Given the urgency of the environmental crisis, I drafted this note to encourage your direct participation. I hope each of you reading this will plant at least ONE TREE in Armenia in honor of this important work. I have set a goal to raise $2,500 on the occasion of my graduation so please use this link to make a small online gift of $20 or more:

http://www.armeniatree.org/donate_online.htm

Many employers will match your charitable donation so that would double your gift. I have told my colleagues at ATP that we will raise these gifts between Commencement and Memorial Day so I hope you will join this effort TODAY.

Armenia is home to dozens of rare and endangered species which are of global conservation significance including the Caucasian Leopard. So please take this small step to create a green future and help me achieve this new milestone. Thank you for your commitment to this cause!

Eco regards,

Jason A. Sohigian

Here’s an appeal update: To date, 29 of you donated a total of $1,515 in support of ATP’s mission to plant trees! A big THANK YOU to everyone that contributed – you’ll get a formal acknowledgment from Armenia Tree Project. Others may continue to sponsor trees via the ATP website.

Architects of Change TV series highlights ATP's sustainable development programs…

Armenia Tree Project will be featured in the second season of the Architects of Change documentary television series. Episode 18 on Vers une gestion durable des forêts (Toward sustainable management of forests) will be aired on the French-language RDI channel in Canada with plans to release in other countries this year.

Architects of Change traveled to Armenia for footage of ATP’s tree planting and environmental education programs and the segment features a profile of the organization’s executive director Jeff Masarjian. The series is also being released on the web in Canada via the link here.

The Architects of Change series highlights pioneers with innovative solutions to global challenges including poverty, pollution, public health, and climate change. In addition to ATP, Architects of Change has profiled influential individuals including Bill Drayton, Gary Hirshberg, Wangari Maathai, and Muhammad Yunus.

ATP energizes crowd during NYC reception at Studio 580 gallery…

Several friends of the Armenia Tree Project put together a New York City cocktail reception and silent auction for the organization at Studio 580 on Eighth Avenue. The program was led by Forbes columnist Vahan Janjigian and included remarks by board member Nancy Kricorian. ATP is currently raising funds to meet the Global ReLeaf Challenge as part of its partnership with American Forests.

Pictured here with gallery owner Serge Gregorian, Carnegie Corporation of New York President Vartan Gregorian, and ATP benefactor Jean-Marie Atamian

Pictured here with Alexis Ohanian (center) and event organizers James Norian, Margarita Melikjanian, and Lisa Vahradian

A crowd of more than 100 friends turned out for the event, including musicians, painters, filmmakers, legal advocates, and leaders from the non-profit and business community. As with most ATP events, the evening was full of energy as young and older supporters mingled and bid on auction items.

More than 35 items were donated for the benefit auction including a private piano lesson at the Manhattan School of Music, signed photographs by Hawk Khatcherian, Garo Lachinian, Serj Tankian and items from businesses with Armenian roots such as Michael Aram, John Derian, Tufenkian Artisan Carpets, and Harvest Song. The event was covered by Voice of America for television broadcast in Armenia.

A few more photos from the ATP reception are available here.

Update: Honored guest Vartan Gregorian has selected ATP to share the stipend from the Henry Crown Leadership Award, which he received from the Aspen Institute. The award honors outstanding leaders whose achievements reflect high standards of honor, integrity, industry, and philanthropy. A conversation with Christiane Amanpour from the awards ceremony is available here.

New environmental education program seeks to build bridges…

Armenia Tree Project has been working on a pilot program this year to introduce its environmental education material in Armenian schools throughout North America.

One of the first achievements of “Building Bridges: Connecting Diaspora Armenian Students with Their Environmental Heritage” was the publication of an English edition of ATP’s Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree training manual. The 97-page manual includes information on the importance of forests, lessons on exploring the environment, and ecological and cultural heritage.

The second major achievement has been the publication of a pilot edition of Building Bridges, a newsletter for children ages 6-12. This 8-page color newsletter was written and designed by the creators of the new Gakavig children’s publication.

“The goal is to raise the level of awareness about Armenia’s rich natural heritage and the challenges of conservation, as well as making connections between young people in Armenia and the Diaspora through environmental education,” stated Environmental Education Program Manager Alla Berberyan in a press release. “We hope this work strengthens the bonds between Armenia and the Diaspora and further engages young Armenians to become stewards of the environment.”

Russian news agency reports on environmental crisis in Armenia…

During a two-day visit to Armenia by President Dmitry Medvedev, RIA Novosti published an article by journalist Diana Markosian about the country’s forest and water resources, and how these may be impacted by climate change. She points out that logging is leading to desertification, which will be exacerbated by increasing temperatures.

(Photo in Lori region by Jason Sohigian)

The first national report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change warned, for example, that a two-degree Celsius increase over the 21st century will decrease the total annual flow of water in Armenia by 15 to 20 percent.

In a study by the Stockholm Environment Institute, The Socio-Economic Impact of Climate Change in Armenia, the United Nations Development Program warns that “Armenia’s future economic development will depend on the decisions that the current generation makes about investments in adaptation [to climate change].”

Armenia Tree Project has been planting trees to mitigate the impacts of climate change, but the effort may not be enough to solve the problem. With only eight percent forest cover, Armenia is still exporting wood according to the National Statistical Service. In the last 16 years, ATP has planted 3,500,000 trees around the country.

Associate Director Areg Maghakian tells RIA Novosti that reforestation is “an issue of national security” and that the government must take the initiative in order to address it adequately.

I was also interviewed for the story: “Armenia is focused on economic and social development, but the third aspect of sustainable development is environmental impacts. Business and economic development have been identified as a priority. That’s obviously very important, but business and life itself are supported by natural ecosystem services like forests, water, soil, and clean air, which can’t be easily replaced when they are degraded or depleted.”

New education manual outlines environmental issues & steps to identify practical solutions…

Armenia Tree Project has released a new edition of its innovative “Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree” environmental education manual. “Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree” was introduced in 2005 when ATP published Armenia’s first teacher’s manual for environmental education, compiled and written by Karla Wesley. It received approval from Armenia’s Ministry of Education and Science for integration into the secondary school system.

“Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree” quickly gained in popularity among teachers and schoolchildren. Since 2006, ATP’s environmental education staff has trained hundreds of teachers in different regions of Armenia and the manual became an indispensable part of their classes.

Last year, ATP worked with teachers and experts from the National Institute of Education to make the manual fully compatible with official curriculum standards. The manual was enriched with lessons on climate change, starting a youth eco-club, and civic engagement. New lessons were drafted by Armenian educators and scientists, and the manual has a particular focus on forests and sustainable development. Of particular interest, the English edition includes an exclusive translation of Hovhannes Toumanian’s poem, “The Beetle School,” and a lesson on a unique breed of shepherd dog that is endemic to Armenia.

The OSCE Yerevan Office partnered with ATP to support the publication of the Armenian edition. Deputy Head Carel Hostra noted that he placed great value on the new manual. “The manual is important as it doesn’t dwell only on nature protection, but also emphasizes the responsibility of individuals towards nature protection. Let’s change the world starting with ourselves,” stated Mr. Hostra.

Environmental Education Program Manager Alla Berberyan pointed out that this was a completely new step for teachers in Armenia. “Teachers have taken a lead role in the elaboration of the manual, became deeply familiar with the modern methodology standards of education, and gained the relevant knowledge and skills to create a new teaching tool,” emphasized Ms. Berberyan at the launch of the new edition.

Climate mitigation program addresses forest restoration in the South Caucasus…

The Caucasus branch of the World Wildlife Fund organized a media tour to the afforestation sites in Northern Armenia established by Armenia Tree Project and the forestry department of the Ministry of Agriculture. In December, ATP announced its partnership with WWF and Germany's KfW Development Bank on a large-scale afforestation program in the Lori region.

The work was part of the WWF-KfW program, Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change through Forest Protection, Management and Restoration in the Southern Caucasus. It was financed by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through KfW as part of Germany's Climate Initiative.

“Climate change is happening globally and Armenia is not an exception. Weather extremes have serous implications for forests. We are proud to collaborate with KfW and WWF to create a better future for the environment and people,” stated ATP Yerevan Director Mher Sadoyan. “We hope we can fight the adverse impacts of climate change in those territories of Armenia which are most affected, and reforestation is one way to achieve this goal.”

This environmental program created hundreds of jobs for rural residents who often migrate to earn a living abroad. As part of the goal to address the socio-economic status of the communities in the project area, ATP provided seasonal tree planting jobs for more than 300 people from the region. The television coverage posted above was made available by Ankyun Plus 3 TV after the media tour.

CNN asks ‘Can forests thrive in the world of carbon trading?’

In a CNN article this week, Can Forests Thrive in the World of Carbon Trading, Lara Farrar writes about the challenges and opportunities for carbon finance to address climate change mitigation.

Land use change and forest degradation are responsible for 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, so avoided deforestation and reforestation have been identified as priorities in a portfolio of solutions to address climate change.

Organizations have been developing forestry projects that rely on carbon finance but the market has been slow to develop. In January, Ecosystem Marketplace released its first-ever State of the Forest Carbon Market report, Taking Root and Branching Out.

“The verification process is quite rigorous to go through and satisfy the questions, especially on how you measure emissions,” said Alexander Rau of Climate Wedge Ltd, a carbon management and investment advisory firm.

I was interviewed for the story since it profiles the forestry and other sustainable development programs implemented by the Armenia Tree Project: “The reason people want to invest in it is they understand trees and carbon have a relationship, so it is easy for the public to make an association between climate change and trees.”

“This is an evolving market and mistakes will be made. I feel confident [that] smart people can work out the details, and [it] will evolve into a market that will prove much more viable than the existing market for cutting down trees,” concludes James Lyons, a lecturer at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and former Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment in the Clinton Administration.

Armenia joins global celebrations for 40th anniversary of Earth Day…

Conservation activists joined national and international organizations in the Republic of Armenia to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this month. Armenia Tree Project partnered with the Young Biologists Association, OSCE Aarhus Ecological Information Center, and Earth Day Network to organize an entire series of events including a tree planting in the capital city of Yerevan.

Two hundred native seedlings were provided by ATP with the support of the Earth Day Network for the public tree planting in the Nor Nork community of Yerevan. British Ambassador Charles Lonsdale joined participants to plant a tree and expressed his appreciation to the sponsors for organizing this environmental initiative.

Other Earth Day events included a seminar on “How to Live Green and Stop Climate Change” and a panel discussion where climate scientists and environmentalists addressed climate change and biodiversity issues in Armenia. The final event held on Earth Day was a “Live Green” painting competition for young children.

“We extend our thanks to the British Embassy and other organizations that joined our partnership including the Earth Day Network, Young Biologists Association, and OSCE Aarhus Center,” noted ATP director Jeff Masarjian. “Although our work is ongoing, we were glad to work with so many people on this day to demonstrate our commitment to the environment, be a part of global Earth Day celebrations, and contribute to the actions taking place all over the world to stop climate change.”

Click here for photos uploaded by ATP and the Young Biologists Association. For more information about other Earth Day events taking place around the world this month, visit the website of the Earth Day Network: http://www.earthday.org/

National Geographic highlights ATP’s sustainable forestry programs…

National Geographic daily online news service editor David Braun has released a profile of Armenia Tree Project on his popular blog, Nat Geo News Watch.

“Armenia has learned the hard way what it means for a country to lose its forests--and the huge backbreaking effort required to replant them. But in its struggle and determination to restore its trees, Armenia is an inspiration for the rest of the planet,” writes Braun.

“The endeavor to bring trees back to Armenia is thanks mostly to an initiative called the Armenia Tree Project, a program supported by the international conservation charity World Wildlife Fund and BMU/KfW, the German Development Bank,” he adds.

He points out that last year one million trees were planted by ATP, which brings the total number of trees planted to 3.5 million. “A million trees required a million individual efforts--holes dug, backs bent, tender hands placing seedlings in the soil, careful nurturing of saplings to raise them to productivity. All of this is done by individuals determined that their trees will become forests that will sustain livelihoods and restore a vibrant environment,” notes Braun.

“The massive tree planting program has stimulated employment for Armenians, from the cultivation of seedlings to planting to protection of the nascent forests. In many ways the effort to restore trees to Armenia is a restoration of the nation's vitality,” he concludes in his National Geographic post.

Click here to read the entire Nat Geo News Watch article, “How Trees Are Restoring Hope to Armenia,” which describes how people are pulling together to reinvent Armenia’s future through restoring its trees.

Armenia joins 350 international day of climate action…

As part of the global 350 climate change campaign, activists led by Armenia Tree Project and other NGOs worked with schoolchildren to plant 350 pine seedlings in northern Armenia on Oct. 24.

“We were proud to represent Armenia in this international 350 movement. This campaign was initiated by activists and scientists concerned about rising levels of carbon dioxide that is causing climate change globally and even in Armenia, where we are witnessing more weather extremes and drier weather that has implications for forests and agriculture,” explained ATP Yerevan Director Mher Sadoyan.

“Activists all over the world planned actions on this day to let global leaders know that carbon dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere need to be lowered to 350 parts per million, or scientists predict we will face climate changes that could lead to widespread disruptions for people and ecosystems,” added Sadoyan.

“Trees absorb carbon that causes climate change, so we hope our contribution to the global 350 campaign will help reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, especially for rural populations in Armenia and other countries that are most affected,” stated ATP Environmental Education Program Manager Alla Berberyan.

“The climate action was a positive event to raise awareness of the importance of the number 350 to the Armenian and the international community, and we are expecting it to have a practical educational impact,” noted Berberyan.

To read this story in Armenian, click here.

ATP celebrates 15 years of greening Armenia...

In celebration of the 15th anniversary of its founding, Armenia Tree Project NGO has released a new documentary about its tree planting and environmental education programs. The 15-minute film, "Every Tree...," was directed by Kennedy Wheatley and photographed and edited by Amaya Cervino.

"ATP began in 1994 with the modest goal of re-greening the public spaces in Yerevan where trees had been sacrificed during the ‘dark years’ after Armenia’s independence when people were forced to burn whatever they could find to stay warm," recounted founder Carolyn Mugar.

"By 2004 it became clear that rejuvenating public areas alone was not going to significantly impact the larger issue of deforestation. It was then, only five years ago, that I issued a challenge to our staff to undertake a program to plant 15 million trees by 2015," Ms. Mugar wrote in a message to supporters.

"I personally accompanied the filmmakers on a tour of ATP’s three nurseries, two education centers, and dozens of planting sites, and I think this film captures the emotion and impact of our tree planting, poverty reduction, and education programs," noted ATP director Jeff Masarjian.

"This has been a difficult year because of the global economic recession," added Mr. Masarjian. "Nevertheless, we are making every effort to follow through on our commitment to purchase and plant the tree seedlings grown by partner families who are working with ATP."

ATP case study part of upcoming World Forestry Congress in Buenos Aires…

The author with ATP reforestation manager Vadim Uzunyan (left) and a backyard nursery micro-enterprise owner in the Getik River Valley

A case study about the Armenia Tree Project Backyard Nursery Micro-Enterprise Program has been accepted as part of the proceedings of the XIII World Forestry Congress.

The international gathering is scheduled for October 18-23, 2009, in Buenos Aires. The paper was originally drafted for a master’s level course in Sustainable Development that is part of the Environmental Management program at Harvard.

I updated and expanded the section on lessons learned and submitted an abstract, which will be presented as a poster at the meeting and published in the proceedings of the XIII WFC. The following is the text of the abstract as submitted:

“Case Study: Armenia Tree Project’s ‘Backyard Nursery’ Micro-Enterprise Program Delivers Poverty Reduction and Environmental Benefits in Rural Areas”

Armenia’s forest cover was 18 percent in the 17th and 18th centuries, and a period of cutting for industrial and farming uses has brought the forest cover to a dangerously low level of less than 10 percent. Landsat data has revealed that Armenia’s forest cover was as low as 7.7 percent in 2006, and a major feature of the deforestation has been an accelerated rate of forest fragmentation.

Armenia Tree Project NGO was founded in 1994 and has initiated programs to address the interrelated issues of poverty and deforestation, with the goal of “using trees to improve the standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the need to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and conserve the indigenous ecosystem.”

The organization identified a remote area in northeastern Armenia that was isolated by landslides caused by deforestation and employs its refugee population to grow seedlings to replenish their local forests in a Backyard Nursery Micro-Enterprise Program. ATP identified 20 families to grow seedlings in backyard plots in a pilot project. ATP purchased the surviving seedlings when they were ready to be planted in the forest, and hired additional workers from the village to do the planting.

After the first seedlings were planted in 2004, the organization expanded the program and began working with hundreds of families to produce seedlings. Although the sums paid are small by Western standards, the program has nearly doubled the annual income of these rural families.

The program has accomplished reforestation and poverty reduction goals, but the organization is concerned that it may not be fully sustainable in its current design because it relies on philanthropic donor inputs. However, some sustainable development experts have argued that any program that protects the environment or reduces poverty is sustainable over the long term.

To address the issue of sustainability, ATP is exploring the possibility of identifying other potential buyers of these seedlings, such as the Armenian State Forestry department or forestry programs in neighboring countries. The program may also benefit from the sale of ecosystem services generated by the newly established forests, such as carbon sequestration or groundwater recharge.

The ‘Backyard Nursery’ Micro-Enterprise Program is a good example of a sustainable development project since it provides economic (employing families to grow seedlings), social (partners provide needed services such as school lunches, computer access, health care), and environmental (reforestation to address landslide/erosion problems) benefits.

Update: To read ATP's press release about the XIII World Forestry Congress, click here. To view a PDF of the poster being presented at the series of meetings in Buenos Aires, click here.

Destruction/Development: The Wealth of Natural Capital…

The IREX Alternative Media Project organized a two-day seminar at American University of Armenia on “Advanced Coverage of Environmental Issues” for 14 journalists from various regions of Armenia.

The program was led by Leah Kohlenberg and included presentations on Bird Conservation Studies by Karen Aghababyan (Acopian Center for Conservation Learning), Trash and Recycling by Lilik Simonyan (Women for Health and Healthy Environment), Tree Planting Programs by Bella Avetisyan (Armenia Tree Project), National Parks by Siranush Galstyan and Artur Khoyetsyan (World Wildlife Fund).

The second day featured presentations on Wildflowers by Anna Asatryan (Institute of Botany), Deforestation by Hovik Sayadyan (State Agrarian University), and Trash and Recycling by Helmut Bernt (GTZ). The International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) is an international organization providing programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster civil society.

IREX will coordinate the work of the journalists to publish a regional supplement related to the issues presented at the seminar in time for World Environment Day in June. I was invited to discuss the topic of Sustainable Development and “The Wealth of Natural Capital,” and the following is an overview of the concepts presented.

The benefits people obtain from ecosystems include provisioning services such as food, water, and timber; regulating services that affect climate, floods, and water quality; cultural services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits; and supporting services such as soil formation, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment concluded that non-market ecosystem benefits are often more valuable than market benefits. “The value of managing ecosystems sustainably is often higher than the value associated with the conversion of the ecosystem through farming, logging, or other intensive uses,” noted the influential report.

In addition, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study led by Deutsche Bank managing director Pavan Sukhdev has shown that the value of environmental services lost every year is greater in magnitude than the current global financial crisis. “Whereas Wall Street by various calculations has to date lost, within the financial sector, $1-1.5 trillion, the reality is that at today’s rate we are losing natural capital [from global deforestation] at least between $2-5 trillion every year,” noted Sukhdev on the sidelines of the IUCN Congress in Oct. 2008.

I presented case studies that demonstrate the economic value of environmental services, as examples that could be replicated by professional, industry, and public sector experts in Armenia. First, the Catskills watershed provides drinking water to New York and is the largest US surface water supply that is not mechanically filtered. In 1989, city officials were faced with an EPA order to build a filtration plant that might have cost $6-8 billion, and instead the city allocated $1.5 billion to create buffers of undeveloped land around the reservoirs, to let nature pay for its own conservation.

Second, a study by the Audubon Society and Gund Institute for Ecological Economics estimated that Massachusetts forests provide $2.9 million in environmental services each year. For example, conservation efforts protected forests around the Quabbin Reservoir, which provides 40 percent of the state’s drinking water. Because of the services provided by this forest buffer, taxpayers were exempted from financing a $750 million filtration plant. Third, a 1986 project analysis in the Philippines estimated that logging would generate gross revenues of $9.8 million over 10 years, while a corresponding increase in sedimentation would result in lost revenues of $8.1 million from fisheries and $19.3 million from tourism over same period. The results convinced the government to ban logging in the Bacuit Bay watershed and declare it a reserve.

“We cannot--and should not--put a brake on the legitimate aspirations of countries and individuals for economic development,” concluded The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study initiated by the European Commission. “However, it is essential to ensure that such development takes proper account of the real value of natural ecosystems. This is central to economic and environmental management.”

Update: The IREX Core Media Support Program media supplement, Protecting Armenia's Environment, was published in July 2009.

‘The Tree Lady’ honors Green Belt Movement…

This brief documentary about Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement was created by Will Levitt. It was the first place student winner in the My Hero film festival and was part of the National History Day competition in Washington.

“Though Wangari's message has been shared in many ways, most notably with her 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, I thought that it was important that I try and share her message in my own way. Through her work, Wangari is a hero to so many. She has stood up for countless issues: the environment, women's rights, just government, sustainable economies, international cooperation,” wrote Will on the My Hero website.

The 10 minute film describes the founding of the Green Belt Movement, when Wangari organized women to plant trees with the goal of improving their lives. She started by planting seven trees in her own backyard on World Environmental Day in 1977 and the project quickly expanded. Today, over 30 million trees have been planted with the Green Belt Movement and it has spread to 30 countries.

Will recounted meeting Wangari in 2006, when she was the guest of Boston's Urban Forest Coalition and also the subject of an article by the Armenia Tree Project leadership in the Boston Globe. “To meet her in person further displayed to me the importance of her work, but also made me grateful all the more for her work that has inspired so many,” Will noted.

Other Earthkeeper Heroes highlighted on the My Hero website include Alexandra Cousteau for her work to protect the world’s oceans, E.O. Wilson for his studies on human impacts on the planet, and Laurie David for her commitment to curb climate change.

Sustainable development and Armenia’s environment…

“The moral argument is that we have a duty to preserve irreplaceable gifts of creation, whereas we have no comparable duty toward transient commercial goods. The economic argument is that any society that depletes its natural capital is bound to become impoverished over time.”

I used this Peter Barnes quote from Capitalism 3.0: A Guide to Reclaiming the Commons to open an article about sustainable development for the special year-end magazine issue of the Armenian Weekly. The commentary gives an overview of environmental challenges in the Republic of Armenia caused primarily by the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

The copper smelter in Alaverdi poses a great risk to public health in Armenia (Photograph by Hawk Khatcherian)

A widely accepted definition of sustainable development is reviewed, along with an emphasis on the economic value of environmental services provided by forests. The following are some of the key conclusions: The protection of agricultural lands from loss of topsoil caused by deforestation and erosion must be prevented, especially given Armenia’s finite resources and geographic isolation.

Strategic decisions and actions taken today can prevent potential resource conflicts both within Armenia and with Armenia’s neighbors. And finally, sustainability must be an integral part of any national development strategy, and by definition it must address economic, environmental, and social factors.

In response to the urgency of the situation, there are signs of progress. I cite ATP's backyard nursery micro-enterprise program, which was selected as a National Winner of the Energy Globe Award for Sustainability at the European Parliament in Brussels, and the United Nations Global Compact which been operating in Armenia since 2006 and has enlisted more than 30 business and organizations committed to aligning their operations with universally accepted principles in the areas of environmental protection and social issues.