Cbd third National Report Armenia (English version)

Programme of Work on Protected Areas (Article 8 (a) to (e))

Has your country established suitable time bound and measurable national-level protected areas targets and indicators? (decision VII/28)
No (please specify reasons)
No, but relevant work is under way
Yes, some targets and indicators established (please provide details below)	X
Yes, comprehensive targets and indicators established (please provide details below)
Further comments on targets and indicators for protected areas.
The “State Strategy and National Action Plan for Development of Nature Protected Areas in Armenia” defines the target objectives (strategic directions), indicators to achieve those objectives as well as the implementation timeline.

Has your country taken action to establish or expand protected areas in any large or relatively unfragmented natural area or areas under high threat, including securing threatened species? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but relevant programmes are under development
Yes, limited actions taken (please provide details below)
Yes, significant actions taken (please provide details below)	X
Further comments on actions taken to establish or expand protected areas.
According to the “State Strategy and National Action Plan for Development of Nature Protected Areas in Armenia” it is proposed to establish 11 ne Protected Area up to the year 2010, including 1 state reserve, 2 national parks, 6 state reservations and 2 nature parks with a conservation status that is new for Armenia. Development of the Programmes for establishment of the mentioned protected areas has been started since 2004. “Arpi” National Park will be established in central Armenia with an objective to conserve natural landscapes and unique biodiversity of the area, including crop wild relatives and large animal species. “Jermuk” National Park will be established on the basis of two state reservations, which will be extended and integrated into one protected area.

Has your country taken any action to address the under representation of marine and inland water ecosystems in the existing national or regional systems of protected areas? (decision VII/28)
No
Not applicable
No, but relevant actions are being considered
Yes, limited actions taken (please provide details below)
Yes, significant actions taken (please provide details below)
Further comments on actions taken to address the under representation of marine and inland water ecosystems in the existing national or regional systems of protected areas.
The following measures have been taken to solve the issue of the absence of inner-water ecosystems within the exsisting protected area network: - In the framework of Caucasian Initiative, on the basis of Armenia-Germany inter-governmental agreement, the “Establishment of transboundary protected area in Javakhk region” project has been issued (donor organization: KfW). The target area of the project will cover Arpi Lake located in the north-western Armenia, as well as Armenian wetland bordering Georgia. - A programme has been prepared and the process of development of a Government Resolution “On establishment of ‘Khorvirap’ reservation” is initiated. The objectives of establishment of “khorvirap” reservation are (1) conservation of the wetland ecosystem, as well as flora and fauna integrity, particularly protection of internationally significant water bird species and their habitat, (2) ensuring the natural development, reproduction and sustainable use of the mentione species. - Lists of water objects have been prepared by marzes including about 50 water objects such as rivers, lakes, springs, waterfalls, that are subject to get the conservation status of natural monuments.

Has your country identified and implemented practical steps for improving the integration of protected areas into broader land and seascapes, including policy, planning and other measures? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but some programmes are under development	X
Yes, some steps identified and implemented (please provide details below)
Yes, many steps identified and implemented (please provide details below)
Further comments on practical steps for improving integration of protected areas into broader land and seascapes, including policy, planning and other measures.

Is your country applying environmental impact assessment guidelines to projects or plans for evaluating effects on protected areas? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but relevant EIA guidelines are under development
Yes, EIA guidelines are applied to some projects or plans (please provide details below)
Yes, EIA guidelines are applied to all relevant projects or plans (please provide details below)
Further comments on application of environmental impact assessment guidelines to projects or plans for evaluating effects on protected areas.
The assessment of environmental impacts in Armenia is implemented by “Environmental Expertise” State Non-Commercial Organization under the Ministry of Nature Protection according to the “Law on Environmental Impact Expertise” (adopted in 1995). Examples of assessment of the environmental impacts of certain projects on the protected areas, include: restriction of the construction of gold mining plant in Sodk, rejection of the construction of a highway through the territory of “Shikahogh” state reserve. In 2004 “Ararat Gold Recovery Company” initiated the process of construction of a gold mining plant in Sodk (located within the territory of “Sevan” National Park in order to replace the exsting gold mining plant of Ararat marz. The proposal has been submitted for environmental expertise to assess the ecological impacts of the activity. As a result of independet expertise the proposal was rejected. Detailed environmental expertise has been carried out in order to assess the ecological impacts of the construction of a inter-state (Armenia-Iran) highway throug the “Shikahogh” reserve, approved by the Government Resolution in 2005. Due to negative conclusion an alternative route has been finally chosen that will provide relatively low negative impact of the construction works on the state reserve.

Has your country identified legislative and institutional gaps and barriers that impede effective establishment and management of protected areas? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but relevant work is under way
Yes, some gaps and barriers identified (please provide details below))
Yes, many gaps and barriers identified (please provide details below)
Further comments on identification of legislative and institutional gaps and barriers that impede effective establishment and management of protected areas.
“Assessment of Priority Capacity Needs for Biodiversity Conservation” Project (2002) identified the legislative and administrative gaps and constraints that hinder effective management of protected areas. There are legislative gaps in the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Nature Protected Areas” (adopted in 1991), that caused initiation of the development of a new version of the Law. This process is currently at its completion stage. To regulate the existing system of protected area, the following organizational measures have been taken: “Sev Lich” state reserve received the status of reservation (Government Resolution #976, Dec 12, 2001) “Dilijan” state reserve is re-organized into “Dilijan” National Park (Government Resolution #165, Feb 21, 2002) Bioresources Management Agency was established in 2002 under the Ministry of Nature Protection. The Agency has a separate devision on Management of Protected Areas.

Has your country undertaken national protected-area capacity needs assessments and established capacity building programmes? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but assessments are under way
Yes, a basic assessment undertaken and some programmes established (please provide details below)	X
Yes, a thorough assessment undertaken and comprehensive programmes established (please provide details below)
Further comments on protected-area capacity needs assessment and establishment of capacity building programmes.
“Assessment of Priority Capacity Needs for Biodiversity Conservation” Project (2002) provided detailed information and analysis on the existing capacities and needs of Protected Areas in Armenia. In the framework of “Natural Resources Management and Poverty Reduction” project under the “Management of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation” component, the following activities have been implemented. Technical assistance was provided to “Sevan” and “Dilijan” National Parks Training were conducted for the staff of National Parks and other stakeholders In the framework of “Conservation of Leopards in the South Caucasus” project of World Wild Fund (WWF) the technical assistance was provided to “Shikahogh” and “Khosrov” state reserves.

Is your country implementing country-level sustainable financing plans that support national systems of protected areas? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but relevant plan is under development
Yes, relevant plan is in place (please provide details below)	X
Yes, relevant plan is being implemented (please provide details below)
Further comments on implementation of country-level sustainable financing plans that support national systems of protected areas.
To assist to the development of protected area system of Armenia sustainable financial means are invested which have increased 3.2 times co0mpared to the year 2000. (See Article 20, text box LVIII)

Is your country implementing appropriate methods, standards, criteria and indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas management and governance? (decision VII/28)
No
No, but relevant methods, standards, criteria and indicators are under development	X
Yes, some national methods, standards, criteria and indicators developed and in use (please provide details below)
Yes, some national methods, standards, criteria and indicators developed and in use and some international methods, standards, criteria and indicators in use (please provide details below)
Further comments on methods, standards, criteria and indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas management and governance.
Usually the effectiveness of the management of protected areas (reserves and national park) is assessed by the appropriate commission of the Ministry of Nature Protection through evaluation of annual reports (financial, economic, scientific, etc.). If necessary, inspections may be implemented by the temporary commission formed by the Ministry of Nature Protection. In 2006 in the framework of “Natural Resources Management and Poverty Reduction” project under the “Management of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation” component, an operational system of the monitoring of the national park’s activities will be applied. Currently appropriate methodologies and indicators are in the process of development for this purpose.

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Please elaborate below on the implementation of this article and associated decisions specifically focusing on: outcomes and impacts of actions taken; contribution to the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan of the Convention; contribution to progress towards the 2010 target; progress in implementing national biodiversity strategies and action plans; contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; constraints encountered in implementation.