“The green face of Yerevan is not suitable for the capital of the 21st century. We destroyed a number of urban forests, deformed tree species. It is necessary to restore these forests as soon as possible, to replace unviable and useless trees. The problem requires an urgent solution, because the main means of combating air pollution in Yerevan are green spaces. This is important for the health of our citizens, as well as for the decorative appearance of the city.”
Armen Begoyan, director of the Yerevan Municipality of "Greening and Environmental Protection" JSC, informed about this. during a scientific conference held on February 23 in the municipality.
The conference was attended by Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan, scientists of the RA National Academy of Sciences, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, experts.
“We got a depressing, ruined green environment. About 50% of our green fund is no longer working. Tree replacement will begin in Yerevan, we are talking about ten-year-old trees. This year we plan to continue the large-scale afforestation work started last year. The goal is not only to restore green spaces, but to triple and quadruple them", Tigran Avinyan said.
The Vice Mayor noted that, in addition to the loss of green areas, open mines, construction, and vehicles affect air pollution in Yerevan. “The state of air pollution forces us to take effective measures,” Tigran Avinyan stressed.
Armen Begoyan noted that existing trees will be planted because "they cannot make up for what is missing at the usual pace." “We don't have time anymore, instead of 2,000 drams we will pay 70,000, we will bring a 10-year-old tree. The works are large, in my opinion, they will last for 10 years,” said Armen Begoyan.
The process of replacing trees should be carried out gradually. It has been mentioned that the removal of invasive trees is ominous. Work will begin from the administrative district of Kentron. The most problematic street is Amiryan street. According to Armen Begoyan, ring paths will be returned to Republic Square. Purchases have already been made. “The plantain remains the symbol of the capital,” stressed Armen Begoyan.
He promised that the illegally occupied parts of Yerevan parks would be gradually restored. In parallel with the replacement of trees, projects will be implemented to restore the irrigation system and create forest plantations.
The chief dendrologist of the NJSC "Greening and Environmental Protection" Artsvi Grigoryan presented ways to solve the existing problems in the dendroflora of Yerevan. “The trees in the green spaces created in the 1920s are now between 80 and 100 years old. Our organization cut down 3596 trees in Yerevan in 3 years.
On the central avenues of the capital, as a result of violations of urban planning standards, street plantings were damaged, the species composition of trees was changed, and the light and food regime was violated. In the coming years, we plan to replace the lindens, ash trees and other similar species that have lost their beauty in street plantations with new, large, beautiful tree species.
Depending on the climatic conditions, the dendroflora of Yerevan will be enriched with evergreen and coniferous tree species: fir, pine, juniper, living tree, thuja, mahonia, tosakh, Japanese elm.
In those sections of street plantings where there is no development, it is planned to make a transition to a park, boulevard or square, for example, from Moskovyan Street to sections 1-3 of the ring park, from Khanjyan Street to some sections of the square. sections 5-6 of the ring park, etc. On the streets with narrow sidewalks: Nalbandyan, Aram, Buzand, it is planned to use small-leaved tree species, partisan forms, flowering shrubs in places,” Artsvi Grigoryan said.
Armenak Ter-Grigoryan, ANAC Greening and Environmental Protection expert, spoke about pests and diseases of trees in Yerevan. The administrative districts of Kentron, Arabkir and Shengavit are leading in terms of the degree of infection of tree species.
It should be noted that Yerevan is in a critical ecological situation. The most important thing in the landscaping process is the protective function: how well trees are able to absorb harmful substances contained in the air, protect them from direct sunlight, how resistant they are to external negative factors and, of course, how well they improve the aesthetic appearance of the city .
Yerevan after 10 years through the eyes of the mayor's office
Photo from the official website of Yerevan Municipality