Three Protected Areas of Armenia Joined PAN Parks Foundation

July 09, 2012 -- WWF-Armenia jointly with the Ministry of Nature Protection, RA and PAN Parks Foundation held an official ceremony of diploma awarding to three Armenian protected areas, “Khosrov Forest” State Reserve, Shikahogh State Reserve with Zangezur Sanctuary, and Arevik National Park with Boghakar Sanctuary on the occasion of becoming PAN Parks wilderness partners joining Million Project initiated by PAN Parks network for the enhancement of protecting Europe’s wilderness in accordance with the agreement signed in March, 2012 by the aforementioned parties. The official diploma awarding ceremony was attended by Director of PAN Parks Foundation, Mr. Zoltan Koon and took place on July 9, 2012 in Congress Hotel, Yerevan.

The mentioned protected areas have the potential to become certified PAN Parks in the long run – this was the outcome of a field trip of PAN Parks Conservation Manager who had a trip to Armenia in summer 2011. The goal of the trip was the development of a feasibility study requested by WWF to provide assessment to identify wilderness areas and recommendations concerning the potential of PAN Park certification in Armenian protected areas. All three visited protected areas have the potential to become PAN Parks in the long run as they are large enough (min. 20,000 ha) with a remarkable piece of wilderness (min 10,000 ha).

PAN Parks Foundation was established in 1999 by WWF and Molecaten. The foundation was registered in the Netherlands having its premises in Hungary. They developed a very rigorous verification system for management effectiveness and sustainable tourism development working with protected areas and neighbourhood communities. This approach helped PAN Parks Foundation to set up a network of relatively large protected areas to support them to become a destination offering unique wilderness experience and to develop tourism infrastructure related to wilderness. PAN Parks is a synergy between nature conservation and tourism development in Europe’s Protected Areas.

For further information:

Arthur K. Khoyetsyan, Partnership Development Manager
Tel: 58 89 83; 54 61 56 (ext. 14)
Email: akhoyetsyan@wwfcaucasus.am
URL: www.panda.org/armenia