YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The preparations for planting 10 million trees in 2020 have begun, according to Deputy Minister of Environment Vardan Melikyan.

Melikyan told a news conference that months earlier Hayantar – the agency in charge of maintaining forests, already outlined 6000 ha of territory for the upcoming initiative. He said these areas are currently under detailed studies.

“Planting 10 million trees exclusively in forests would require 3300 ha of area, but I think plantings will also take place in settlements,” he said.

He said although the planned figures are unprecedented for the country in terms of the past two decades, the government seeks to increase this number in the coming 5-6 years.

He said Armenia has assumed an obligation to double its forest area until 2050, which in Melikyan’s words will require to plant 30 million trees annually.

“Planting the 10 million trees will be a training for this great project. People are intimidated by this figure, but let me say that it is possible in the event of accurately calculating resources and involving new forces. A program of this volume will also increase the number of jobs,” he said. Nearly 5000 people are expected to be hired for the monumental project. Melikyan said he believes the full swing work for the big project will launch in 2025 or 2026.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan