You are here: Home Conferences and Seminars Save Shikahogh Reserve

Save Shikahogh Reserve

Conference
 2006

Environmental Conservation and Research Center-Renee Richer
WWF Armenia -Karen Manvelyan,
Armenia Tree Project-Jeff Masarjian
Armenian Forests NGO Jeffrey Tufenkian
EcoArmenia forum-NGOs 

image001

In 2006 the ECRC at the AmericanUniversity of Armenia, along with its EcoArmenia partners, started a company regarding a proposed new highway that would run through the middle of the Shikahogh Forest Reserve in southern Armenia, which is the unique habitat for variety of endangered flora and fauna. 

In late 2004, the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Republic of Armenia has approved the project on construction of the Kapan-Meghri motorway in order to promote trucking and passenger transportation between Armenia and Iran. This road was intended to serve an alternative to, then, the only route Kapan-Kajaran-Meghri which runs through the highest in Armenia mountain pass and is unsafe to drivers, especially during the winter. According to the initial draft, 17 km of the motorway had to stretch right through Shikahogh Reserve what would inevitably lead to annihilation of this protected area.

In May 2005, the coalition “SOS Shikahogh” was established to join professional ecologists and laymen from over 40 national and international non-governmental organizations (NGO) and scientific bodies. The coalition was initiated by WWF, ATP, ArmenianForest and ECRC (AUA), and later was joined by a number of local NGOs.

Activities of the “SOS Shikahogh” coalition were supported by numerous protest rallies, publications and TV broadcasts.

Part of the company was helding a public forum at AUA, where participants from the government, non-governmental organizations, and civil society discussed and debated the environmental issues involved in this project.  The outcome was that the highway was rerouted around the reserve in order to protect the forest and the communities of plants and animals that live there.

The outcome of these serious actions was that on 29 June 2005 the Government of the Republic of Armenia has made a decision on road construction in detour of the reserve and not through it. However, the sceptical forecasts of professionals turned out a reality: located mostly on the northern slopes of the Meghri Ridge and being very serpentine, this motorway is not popular among drivers, especially the Iranian truckers.