Cbd third National Report Armenia (English version)

10. 
    
    

    Target 4.3	No species of wild flora or fauna endangered by international trade
    National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
    No					X
    Yes, the same as the global target
    Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
    Please provide details below.
    National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
    Programme of work		Yes	No	Details
    Agricultural			X
    Inland water			X
    Marine and coastal
    Dry and sub humid land			X
    Forest			X
    Mountain			X
    Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
    No					X
    Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan
    Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
    Please provide details below.
    NBSAP envisages the following actions: - develop mechanisms for ratification and implementation of “Convention on international trade of endangered flora and fauna species”; - establish an inter-ministerial licensing commission for import and export of bioresources.
    Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
    Armenia has not yet ratified “Convention on international trade of endangered flora and fauna species”. In case of exporting to or importing in Armenia the types of wild flora and fauna regulated by the aforementioned convention the Russian supervision federal services undertakes the functions of the convention’s administrative body. The “Law on Flora” and “Law on Fauna” envisage that the export from and import to Armenia of flora and fauna entities is performed upon the permit of the state authorized body, i.e. Ministry of Nature Protection’s bioresearches management agency. In case of exporting wild species they take into account the permits issued in the past for hunting of animals and collection of plants, which are issued based on the evaluation of populations. The order for import and export of flora and fauna species is regulated by the Government Resolutions # 1173 and # 1174 dated 18.07.2002.
    Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
    Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
    Lack of reliable background data to evaluate the state of wild flora and fauna species. Postponement of ratification of “Convention on international trade of endangered flora and fauna species”. Insufficient awareness about the issue by the relevant entities; lack of indicators and methodology guidelines for customs services.
    Please provide any other relevant information.

11. 
    
    

    Goal 5	Pressures from habitat loss, land use change and degradation, and unsustainable water use, reduced.
    Target 5.1	Rate of loss and degradation of natural habitats decreased
    National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
    No
    Yes, the same as the global target
    Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established					X
    Please provide details below.
    The 6 meter increase of the Lake Sevan’s level has been adopted as target objective in “Law on approving the annual and complex plans on rehabilitation, conservation, reproduction and use of the Lake Sevan’s ecosystem” (27.12.2001), which will contribute to the reduction of natural habitats of the biodiversity components or diminishing of the loss dynamics. The provision of the degraded forests ecosystems rehabilitation, sustainable use and development of the forests useful capacities has been stipulated as the key objective in “Armenian forest policy and strategy” document. The urgent need to reduce the dynamics of reduction and degradation of natural habitats of agro-biodiversity is mentioned in “Sustainable agriculture development strategy” (2004) and “Armenian food safety policy” (2004) documents.
    National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
    Programme of work		Yes	No	Details
    Agricultural				The programs and measures being implemented in Ministry of Agriculture and organizations under its auspices have the following objectives: - tension release of pastures in the proximity of settlements; - development of sustainable management coordinated mechanism in natural pastures and grasslands; - rehabilitation of density and poor grass coverage of natural pastures and grasslands; - prevention of salination and swamping of irrigated lands of Ararat valley.
    Inland water		X		“Law on Lake Sevan” requires ensuring the positive balance in the water. The expert commission of the Lake Sevan, based on the need to rehabilitate the lake’s ecosystem, has approved the idea of increasing the lake’s level by 6 m.
    Marine and coastal
    Dry and sub humid land
    Forest
    Mountain
    Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
    No
    Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan					X
    Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
    Please provide details below.
    NBSAP has identified the following specific issues: Protect and rehabilitate the forest ecosystems, especially the forest areas damaged in 1990-95; Protect and rehabilitate the main water-marsh ecosystems (including the Lake Sevan, the lake Gilli and the lake Arpi); Rehabilitate the landscape harmed as a result of industrial activities and their biodiversity. “National Forest Program” stipulates that the key objective of forest rehabilitation and coverage is to protect and increase the forest covered areas – preventing the soil erosion and undesirable changes of forests’ typology composition. As a specific target they have identified the reduction of illegal logging of the forests (in 2008 as compared with 2005 by 30%) and implementation of broad-based forest rehabilitation activities.
    Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
    As a result of the Lake Sevan’s level decrease 36.800 ha of lake’s bottom has been dried and as a result of drying the spawning areas the endemic fish species, i.e. the white fish and trout are on the verge of extinction. As a result of change of the Lake Sevan’s water regime the lake Gilli has dried. The colonies of large white small and other egg-laying birds. Due to the loss of the natural habitat the number of water birds in the Lake Sevan has been reduced – out of 159 bird species 33 rare and disappearing have been registered in the Armenian Red Book. Due to complex measures undertaken by the Government in 2003-2005 the level of the lake has gone up by 174 cm; around 2000 ha lake bottom has been rehabilitated. Together with the increase of the water reserves the disturbed ecosystems and their biodiversities also rehabilitate. During last decades there has been a critical situation in forest ecosystems. In certain areas there is forest aging and over-maturing and in other areas there are degradation and destruction of forests. Conditioned by energy and economic crisis as a result of massive logging they have logged around 40000 ha forest and green zones, around 7000 ha of which completely. An undesirable change of species is taking place – the valuable spelt and oak trees are replaced by species of lower value. Because of logging the protective capacities of the forests have gone down, the erosion and other negative process have become proactive; the ecological balance of the environment has been disturbed. In 2003 according to the assessment of international and local experts the total timber production has been 847000 m^2, out of which 63000 m^2 were officially registered. The overwhelming majority of logging has been done by the residents of 230 communities located at the distance of 5 km from the forests for heating purposes. In recent years there has been reduction of dynamics of deterioration of forests ecosystems and natural habitats at the expense of structural reforms in the forest sector (forest conservation and use functions have been separated from the forest inspection); reinforced control over logging; improvement of social state of the forest farm personnel and increase of forest rehabilitation activities. At present within the framework of CCD, with the purpose to rehabilitate the deteriorated lands, two projects are being implemented in Armenia – “Rehabilitation of deserted areas of Garni-Kotayk community of the Republic of Armenia” (2003-2005) and “Engineering-geological activities in Makaravanq monument of Tavush marz of the Republic of Armenia” (2003-2005). The state of the natural pastures and grasslands is extremely concerning in Armenia. Currently they occupy around 1012,900 ha, of which the grasslands 127,800 ha, pastures 885,100 ha (Government Resolution #2243 of December 22, 2005). The natural pastures and grasslands are on 700-3700 m above sea level, in six different eco-geographical zones from desert-semi-desert up to sub-alpine and alpine. The vegetation of the natural pastures and grasslands of the republic is quite abundant and comprises around 1090 species of flower plants, which belong to 462 gene and 88 families. In most cases the dominants of natural pastures and grasslands are representatives of grains. At present the biodiversity of natural pastures and grasslands of the republic has been subjected to significant changes in regard of the population’s number and individual species. In the past the alpine zone meadows of all mountain chains were in poor state due to overgrazing. At present in Geghama and Pambak mountain chains, Aragats the situation has even worsened and in Tashir, Megri, Kapan, Goris, Sisian regions the overgrazing issue is not that acute and one can observe a rehabilitation process of deteriorated areas. As a result of measures implemented by Ministry of Agriculture aimed at the easing of pastures at the proximity of settlements there has been a decrease of loss dynamics of pastures’ ecosystems deterioration and fodder plants. Within “In-situ Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives through Strengthening of Information Management and Use of Modern Technologies” UNEP/GEF project they envisage to develop management plant of “Erebuni” reserve; monitoring of the area, which will contribute to the considerable reduction of the dynamics of reduction of populations of wild relatives of grain plants and prevention of loss of disappearing species.
    Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
    Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
    The reduction of industrial activities at present is an important factor contributing to slowing down the dynamics of deterioration of the natural habitats. However, from the other hand the negative human impact on ecosystems and biodiversity has also grown. The damage incurred to the nature as a result of unmanageable exploitation of bioresources (especially logging) is connected with dire socio-economic conditions of the republic; energy crisis and destitution of a large walk of population. The privatization of the land; considerable expansion of civil works during last years; tangible activation in agriculture, tourism development also have a negative impact – not only reducing the habitats of the biodiversity components, but also leading to their deterioration. To increase the level of the Lake Sevan and rehabilitate the quality of the water it is necessary to ensure the rehabilitation activities of Arpa-Sevan tunnel’s emergency sector; to accelerate the activities aimed at the clearing of the littoral areas of the lake that will be covered with water from buildings; undertake rehabilitation or building of sewerage and cleaning facilities of large settlements.
    Please provide any other relevant information.
    In 2005 with joint efforts of broad walks of society; NGOs and Ministry of Nature Protection, as well as thanks to the campaign aimed at fight against the construction of highway through the territory of “Shikahogh” reserve implemented by CEPF-WWF they managed to prevent the construction of highway through the territory of “Shikahogh” reserve, the implementation of which could have a crucial importance for unique ecosystems for entire Southern Caucasus. In “Shikahogh” reserve the building of the highway threatened the deterioration of considerable part of the territory, division of the flora and fauna and as a result worsening of natural habitat of various species and their extinction (including rare; disappearing and endemic). Thanks to broad scale campaign the Government adopted a new decision to build the road on the margins of the reserve.