20,000 trees were mulched in Lori with the support of Viva-MTS Partnership to increase forest cover in Armenia

Twenty thousand trees were planted in autumn in Jrashen village of Lori marz, thanks to the donation of Viva-MTS. For the important goal of fighting desertification, Viva-MTS and "My Forest Armenia" environmental NGO have made serious efforts to create a forest. The work carried out eight months ago in this mountainous area won’t be considered as completed until the desired result is reached.

Irrigation is almost impossible on the steep slopes of the mountain, which even full four-wheel drive vehicles cannot access. And although the orientation of the land, the selection of tree species, and their adaptation to the local climate have been thoroughly considered, the newly planted forest requires maintenance.

The 20,000 newly planted trees were covered with mulch in the area of Viva-MTS named forest, on an area of 6 hectares, in the steep and dry mountains of the village of Jrashen. The young trees were cleaned of weeds and covered with straw, the “mulch”. Constant monitoring will allow to evaluate the result. At the moment, data is encouraging: if nature does not make a surprise, the new forest will be visible with its beauty within the next 20-30 years. It will cover approximately 6 hectares. Afforestation is important for combating desertification, preventing soil erosion on steep slopes, conserving water resources, and ultimately mitigating the human-wildlife conflict.

"The purpose of mulching is twofold. First, it keeps moisture in the soil, and slows down water evaporation, which allows the tree to grow in a more comfortable and humid environment. Second, it prevents weeds from growing close to the tree. In this season, when there is quite a lot of rain, the weed often grows much faster than the tree and can even overgrow and suffocate it. This is why this maintenance is very important," said Lilith Martirosyan, Deputy Director of "My Forest Armenia".

Climate change is a serious challenge for Armenia, which occupies the last place in the region as to its forest cover. Only 11% forest cover is not enough to perform the function of "lungs". There is also a need to increase the volume of forests and thereby prevent the risk of desertification.

With the joint program, Viva-MTS and "My Forest Armenia" organization bring a solution not only to the environmental problem, but also partly to the employment problem of the region. The number of permanent employees of this environmental NGO is 49. Almost 80% of them are residents of Lori region. Another 200 workers from local communities join the main team during the planting and maintenance season. This year, 80 workers from Jrashen, Shirakamut, Lernapat, Saramej communities of Lori marz participated in mulching. They await the desired result with the prospect of creating a supply of oxygen and water for future generations. They do their work with love and believe that this care for the nature is a form of patriotism.