Get news, updates, & event Info delivered right to your inbox:
How Social Impact Meets Reforestation in Armenia
A landlocked country in the Southern Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, Armenia’s rugged alpine landscape includes extinct volcanoes and intermountain hollows. Once blanketed by a sea of trees, Armenia’s forest cover has diminished over the centuries due to agriculture and animal grazing. Today, only 11% of the country is forested, and 80% of the land is threatened by desertification.
Much like any country, there are many marginalized and vulnerable people in different provinces. This is where social impact and reforestation often collide to create one resounding impact. With the help of our planting partner, My Forest Armenia, forest cover across Armenia is being restored, impacting the lives of so many people who call this beautiful country home.
Increasing Landscape Resilience
This project is restoring the ecological richness lost over time, promoting a healthier and more biologically diverse landscape. Reforestation is an important part of Armenia’s climate change strategy: the planted trees will absorb carbon dioxide and provide vital ecosystem services to local communities.
The planting area is home to a range of insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals that live in or near forests — including Wildcat (Felis silvestris) and Clouded Apollo (Parnassius Mnemosyne) which are listed in the Red Book of Armenia. By planting 15 native tree species, we can restore critical biodiversity habitat and improve landscape resilience.
In addition to restoring biodiversity habitat, the new forest will improve soil stability in an area that has experienced two landslides in the last decade.
Reforestation and Social Impact Intersect
The Lori Province of Armenia is located in the country’s northeast region and shares a border with the neighboring country of Georgia. An area of wild alpine beauty, the province is imbued with rich cultural history and is known for medieval monasteries and its namesake, an ancient fortress city. Today, the region is home to a diverse population, including the Urasar community, a remote and vulnerable settlement with few job opportunities. The Urasar community is one of ten communities across Lori that will directly benefit from the project.
For many people in this province, Lori wasn’t their original home. After the recent blockade and military attack on Artsakh, which led to the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh in September 2023, 100,000 people have been forcibly displaced to Armenia. Thousands of these refugees settled in Lori, expanding the community and opening the door for new opportunities in the wake of tragedy.
With the restoration of 133 hectares across ten communities in Lori, this project will promote community cohesion by empowering members to make a positive impact and provide for their families. From seed collection to forest rangers, our planting partner empowers rural villagers with engaged training and increased employment rates.
The families directly benefiting from the project are primarily smallholder farmers and families in agricultural settlements. Forcibly displaced people from Artsakh also joined the project as tree planters. Besides the tree planters, the project creates indirect income for an estimated 20-25 people who engage in supportive activities such as driving, fencing, and more.
Making an Environmental Impact in Armenia
Trees provide habitat for wildlife and improve the health of waterways. By planting trees across Armenia, this project will help promote improved biodiversity, keeping ecosystems balanced and thriving. Planting trees in Armenia will also help restore the country’s unique and iconic landscape by supporting ecosystems and wildlife. Reforestation is a wonderful way to help restore what has been lost due to historical land use, promoting land resilience in the face of new challenges.
Planting trees in Armenia helps promote community cohesion in a region that is home to significant marginalized and displaced populations. You can grow that impact by planting trees in Armenia today!