Twenty thousand trees were planted in autumn in Jrashen village of Lori marz, thanks to the donation of Viva-MTS. The 20,000 newly planted trees were covered with mulch in the area of Viva-MTS named forest, on an area of 6 hectares, in the steep and dry mountains of the village of Jrashen.
For the important goal of fighting desertification, Viva-MTS and "My Forest Armenia" environmental NGO have made serious efforts to create a forest. The work carried out eight months ago in this mountainous area won’t be considered as completed until the desired result is reached.
Climate change is a serious challenge for Armenia, which occupies the last place in the region as to its forest cover. Only 11% forest cover is not enough to perform the function of "lungs". There is also a need to increase the volume of forests and thereby prevent the risk of desertification.
With the joint program, Viva-MTS and "My Forest Armenia" organization bring a solution not only to the environmental problem, but also partly to the employment problem of the region. The number of permanent employees of this environmental NGO is 49. Almost 80% of them are residents of Lori region. Another 200 workers from local communities join the main team during the planting and maintenance season. This year, 80 workers from Jrashen, Shirakamut, Lernapat, Saramej communities of Lori marz participated in mulching. They await the desired result with the prospect of creating a supply of oxygen and water for future generations. They do their work with love and believe that this care for the nature is a form of patriotism.