Karine Danielyan: Building a sauna in the forest zone is completely  unacceptable for me 

ArmInfo. "For me, it is absolutely  unacceptable to build saunas and hotels in the forest," said  ecologist, chairman of the association "For Sustainable Human  Development" Karine Danielyan, speaking about the main points of  controversy in the program of forest development in Armenia for  2018-2020.

According to Karine Danielyan, perhaps this goal would be justified  if it were a question of recreational ecotourism - a short rest on  the nature with cognitive purposes in tent camps. But, the bitter  experience, the ecologist expresses concern about the fact that the  program, in fact pursues commercial benefits and is aimed at the  development of another type of tourism, based on the satisfaction of  the sybaritic ambitions.  "Where do we have this desire to build  saunas everywhere?", the expert asks.

In addition, the ecologist doubts that those responsible for the  sphere will be able to control the process of cutting down trees,  take it out of the "shadow", setting the allowable and harmless for  the ecosystem cutting volumes. "To this day, I raised the issue that  big business is engaged in deforestation, and I was told about the  groundlessness of such statements, saying that the residents of the  community communities are just solving their pressing problems, but  today it turned out that the problem was also it should be solved,  how much time it will be solved will be shown, "she said.

The State Committee of Forestry of Armenia under the Ministry of  Nature Protection presented the program of forestry development for  2018-2022 on March 21 under the slogan "Let's save our forests and  give them to future generations". Within the program, during  2018-2020 it is planned to introduce a system of stable management of  forestlands by creating more effective control mechanisms. The works  will be implemented within the framework of the program in three main  directions: establishment of timber processing enterprises,  establishment of mini-hotels in the forest zone and also in the  territory of forestry enterprises in the 5 border communities of  Armenia, the establishment of enterprises for the reception and  processing of forest fruits and berries. In addition, the  organization of beekeeping farms in the forest areas of Syunik,  Vayotsodzor, Tavush and Lori regions is expected. At the same time,  the volume of felling of trees is expected to decrease: this year  from the present 600 thousand cubic meters a year, to about 90  thousand cubic meters, of which, for today, a professional commission  approved the volume of 18 thousand cubic meters. As it is supposed,  experts will be engaged in cutting of trees on the basis of the  decision of the corresponding commission.

According to the latest research conducted by the German Organization  for International Cooperation (GIZ) in 2011, approximately 11.2% of  the territory of Armenia, which is more than 332.3 thousand hectares,  is covered with forests.