Managing and Certifying Forests: New Directions in Resource Stewardship

Date: March 27, 2013
Event Type: Seminar
Speaker: Ani Haykuni, Manager, Forestry Services at the Armenian Tree Project Charitable Foundation
Venue: American University of Armenia

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment hosted a public lecture on the topic of forest management. The presentation was delivered by Ani Haykuni, the manager of Forestry Services at the Armenian Tree Project (ATP) Charitable Foundation.

Forests are among the most important parts of earth’s ecosystem. They affect the planet’s carbon and hydrological cycles, house a vast concentration of its species biodiversity, and more than 14 million people are directly employed in forest-related industries.

As a resource, forests need to be managed both for long-term human security as well as the sustainability of the planet. Haykuni outlined the role of public policy as well as highlighted relatively new mechanisms, such as forest certification, for their sound management. She wconcluded by discussing the close nexus between forests, people, and community development.

About the Speaker: 

Ani Haykuni works as a Manager of Forestry Services for ATP Charitable Foundation (Armenia Tree Project). She is a Muskie 2009 alumnus, and holds an MPS degree in Forest and Natural Resources Management and Policy from State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She also holds an MA in Forestry Engineering from Armenian State Agrarian University. She is recipient of several awards including the Careers for Alumni in Public Service (CAPS) Award, Elena Gastaldo Fellowship, Jay and Olive Bentley Award, Carl M. Rise Fellowship, among others. Her current areas of interest are forest and natural resources management, policy and law, community forestry/community development, forest certification, gender equality and women’s empowerment.