Armenia's forests face new threats. Illegal deforestation has been the environmentalists' pain in the neck for a long time. Independent experts have repeatedly pointed out that the "business" is covered by the state officials who obtain high profit from illegal timber works. One more threat is the unconscientious mining companies that throw heavy-metal waste into the forestry. So, environmentalists say that the damage caused to the flora and fauna is irreparable.
Karine Danielyan, Head of the Association For Sustainable Human Development, has told ArmInfo that another serious threat is the felling of trees growing on the slopes. She thinks that this can cause mudflows removing the upper fertile soil layer. This, in turn, is fraught with soil erosion and desertification.
One more serious problem is the construction of tailing dumps in the gorges. According to Danielyan, the waste of mining is accumulating in the tailing dumps and swallowing the forests. The expert recalled that no mining was conducting in the forestry in the Soviet time, but the same cannot be said about independent Armenia.
Danielyan pointed out the Syunik region, which is rich in forests and has a landscape and biological diversity. "By hard adventure, they are developing deposits at every turn here. Lori and Tavush regions are in a similar situation", she said.
The isolation of the tailing dumps in Armenia leaves much to be desired. Given the negative impact of heavy metals on the environment and human health, the situation can't help having negative consequences.
To note, according to the surveys of GIZ, Armenia forestry occupies 332,333 hectares, or 11.1%.