WWF Armenia announced the launch of the second phase of "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" and "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" projects

Posted on 15 May 2022

On May 6, 2022, the National Inception Workshop initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Armenia) in Yerevan dedicated to the launch of the second phase of "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" project and the first phase of the "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" project. The above two programs are implemented by WWF. "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" - Project II is funded by the Economic Community of the Federal Republic of Germany by the Ministry of Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Bank. "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" project is funded by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Funding is 4,500,000 Swiss francs (CHF). This project is implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Armenia) and the Strategic Development Agency (SDA) as part of the wider Regional Eco-Corridor for the Caucasus (ECF) project.

Deputy Environment Minister Mr. Aram Meymaryan delivered a welcoming speech at the workshop: "Over the years, due to improper treatment of nature, we have a situation where some species are at risk of extinction. In this context, the project on creating ecological corridors is important, as it contributed to the increase of the populations of threatened species and their safe movement" he said.

Mr. Jakob Ziegler, Attaché at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Armenia, noted that the protection of natural systems is a priority for the German government.

Mr. Werner Thut, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of Switzerland in Armenia, and equally Deputy Regional Director Swiss Cooperation for the South Caucasus, mentioned that they were able to design an innovative project that has a significant potential.

Mr. Frank Mörschel, Senior Portfolio Manager of KfW Development Bank, mentioned in his welcome speech that he is glad for the launch of the second phase of ``Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" project especially considering the findings of the first stage. "A lot of effort has been put into the first phase of the Eco-Corridor project, it has been a successful approach that promotes the protection of landscapes in the communities and provides an opportunity for local initiatives," he said.

Mr. Hovik Karapetyan, the administrative head of Zangakatun settlement, a beneficiary of the first stage of the project, spoke about the impact of the project on the development of their settlement. "Our habitats are rich in biodiversity; the protection of animal habitats has never been included in any development program. "In 2018, we joined the eco-corridor promotion program, as a result of which we received 166,500 euros, which is still spent not only on environmental measures, but also on socio-economic development of the community," he said.

Mr. Karen Manvelyan presented the general description of the two projects, their interconnection with each other, and other international projects implemented in the country. "The Caucasus has a high priority for the WWF because it has rich biodiversity, but at the same time that biodiversity is endangered by various risks, such as illegal hunting, mining, illegal logging, and climate change. All this can be considered in our approaches and projects. The connection of the projects is first of all biodiversity, nature protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and the opportunity for local businesses to make a profit," he said.

Mr. Armen Shahbazyan, the National Coordinator of the Second Phase of the "Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" project, presented the main idea of the Eco-Corridors Project and the findings of the first phase of the project.

Mr. Mkrtich Ayvazyan, Chairman of "Strategic Development Agency" NGO, referred to the "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" project, presenting the main idea. "The general idea is the following: to improve the living standards of the population, to use natural resources sustainably, to mitigate climate change and to diversify rural incomes," he mentioned. Six rural communities in Lori, Tavush, Vayots Dzor and Syunik Regions benefit from this project.

"Promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus" and "Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia" projects