YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the framework of the tree planting program of the Armenia Tree Project (ATP) public nature protectional organization, 343 750 trees were planted in April-May of this year in the Getik river basin (the marz of Gegharkunik, nor far from Sevan). Within the framework of this program of the ATP, 158 hectares of forest territories were planted and completely restored with types of local trees (chestnut, ash-tree, maple, oak tree, walnut-tree, wild apple-tree and wild pear-tree). 80 inhabitants of the villages of Aghavnavank, Dzoravank, Dprabak and Aygut situated in the Getik river basin were involved in works of tree planting being implemented by the ATP. Young plants envisaged for the forest cover were bought from hotbeds in personal plots belonging to 118 families living in the above-mentioned communities. Those communities are mainly populated with migrants of Armenian origin displaced from Azerbaijan. So, the program secured a necessary source of income for the most needy families and employees involved in the affair of tree planting. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the ATP, within the framework of the "Community Tree Planting" program, 143 450 trees and bushes were planted in this spring in all the marzes of Armenia and Artsakh. The ATP was founded in 1994. By its activity addressed to security and restoration of the forest vital systems, it has a goal to assist the economic and social development of the country. The program implements a voluminous forest planting, community tree planting, the society's awareness concerning the problems of protecting the environment, programs on nature protectional education and development of rural communities. Only during the last 12 years, the ATP planted and revived more than 1.2 mln trees in 600 settlements of Armenia and Arstakh.

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