Armenia has a surface of 30,000 km². The forest coverage is estimated at 11,2%, which is very low compared to other countries in the region (Georgia: 41%, Turkie: 27%). In the framework of climate change mitigation, the country has committed to drastically increasing its forest coverage.
Armenia’s forest cover is concentrated in the country’s North and South, in Lori, Tavush, and Syunik regions. These are also the regions where the climate and the soil are the most suitable for the creation of new forests.
In fact, with climate change, areas with a good potential for reforestation will become less and less easy to find. That is why it is so important to act now and to do it right: plant the right tree species in the right place and at the right time of the year. When selecting new lands for reforestation/afforestation, we have in mind several criteria: the yearly amount of rainfall, as well as its distribution over the year, the quality of the soil, sun exposition, altitude, etc, and of course, the wish of the local community to have a new forest and to take care of it.
1% of the country is 300 km² or 30.000 hectares. To create new forests, experts recommend planting around 3.300 trees per hectare. The goal of My Forest Armenia is to plant 400.000 trees annually, or about 120 hectares of new forest every year. Hopefully, with time, that number will grow. At 120 hectares per year, it would still take 250 years before Armenia’s forest coverage would grow by… 1%
Trees are magical, they accomplish incredible functions. When millions of trees grow together, together they become a living organism, which has a multiplier effect, a system that is essential for sustaining life on our planet.
Around 80% of our water resources come from forests, it’s the trees’ root systems that retain the rainfall water and release it in the form of sources and rivers. Forests harbor most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity. They provide habitats for 80% of amphibians, 75% of birds, and 68% of mammal species. How we treat forests has an ultimate effect on the life of all this living world.
Around 80% of our water resources come from forests, it’s the trees’ root systems that retain the rainfall water and release it in the form of sources and rivers. Forests harbor most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity. They provide habitats for 80% of amphibians, 75% of birds, and 68% of mammal species. How we treat forests has an ultimate effect on the life of all this living world.
Forests stop soil erosion, increase humidity and lower temperature, prevent desertification, produce oxygen, and absorb CO₂, forests are the source of food and medicine. But also, creating new forests means creating employment for local populations and giving them the tools for a better future.
In short, forests are essential for life on this planet. Protecting them or restoring forest coverage is all about ensuring to leave the same living conditions we have known for the generations who will live after us on Earth.
The cost of planting is composed of three parts.
The first part concerns the preparation of the seedlings in a nursery or greenhouse: collecting or buying the seeds, sowing and watering them, carrying out the maintenance, etc.
The second part concerns planting itself. Suitable areas are carefully selected, and special planting procedures are designed according to the geographical areas.
The third and most important part concerns caring for the young plants during at least the first three years. The young seedlings must be protected by fencing to keep them safe from animals and humans.
Next, young trees are very sensitive to lack of water, and we cover them with mulch to prevent water loss and protect the seedlings from grass and weeds. Still, some part of the young trees do not survive in the wild during the first year, and we replace them with new trees during the next 2-3 years. This maintenance work is the major part of the cost.
The total cost of all three operations (incl. administration costs) is $ 2.5 per tree