Tree nurseries
MIRAK NURSERY
Located in the village of Margahovit in Armenia’s Lori region, Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery was established through the generosity of the Mirak family in memory of Mr. and Mrs. John and Artemis Mirak, Genocide survivors who later made their home in the United States.
Today, the nursery stands as one of the cornerstones of Armenia Tree Project’s forestry programs. It is here that high-quality seedlings are carefully grown for afforestation efforts across Armenia.
The idea of “from seed to forest” comes to life at Mirak Nursery.
The nursery has the capacity to produce up to one million seedlings annually. Main species grown here include pine, oak, maple, mountain ash, birch, wild pear, and wild apple. These native species form the foundation of ATP’s forests throughout Armenia.
At the same time, the nursery plays an important role in community life by providing stable employment opportunities for local residents and contributing to the village’s social and economic development.
A modern greenhouse covering 1,008 square meters, built in 2003, made it possible to transition to container-grown seedlings, significantly improving tree survival and establishment rates.
Facts About Mirak Nursery
• Established in 2007
• Employs 15 full-time staff
• Produces up to 1,000,000 high-quality seedlings annually
• Main species grown: pine, oak, maple, mountain ash, birch, wild pear, and wild apple
• Includes a 1,008 sq m greenhouse supporting high-survival container-grown seedlings
KARIN NURSERY
What is now a thriving nursery once stood on barren, desert-like land.
When work began in 1996, the area that would become Karin Nursery had no vegetation, no water infrastructure, and few opportunities for local livelihoods. The village was home to refugee families, many of whom did not even have fruit trees for their own household needs.
What did exist was a clear vision: to create a nursery that could address three urgent challenges at once:
1. Help prevent desertification in Armenia
2. Create jobs for local residents
3. Propagate the main tree species native to Armenia and Artsakh
“KHACHPAR” NURSERY
ATP’s second nursery was established in Khachpar Village (Ararat province) in 1999.
Khachpar is inhabited by Armenian settlers from the plains of Artsakh. The location was specifically chosen with the timely transportation of seedlings to nearby planting sites and the employment of refugees in mind. The nursery’s proximity to ATP’s sites ensures high survival rates for the trees. The nursery currently employs 10 people with full-time jobs and, along with Karin tree nursery, Khachpar supports ATP’s community tree planting program. 40-50 different species of tree seedlings and shrubs are propagated in Khachpar nursery which are later transported to sites all over Armenia.
Nursery resources include the high tech Palvetzian greenhouse and a small grafting facility.
“THE BETTY” NURSERY
Located in Chiva Village, within the Vayots Dzor region, the Armenia Tree Project’s (ATP) Betty Nursery specializes in cultivating high quality fruit trees.
Boasting over 60,000 seedlings across various growth stages, the nursery nurtures a diverse array of apple, apricot, cherry, plum, pear, quince, persimmon, walnut, wild apricot, almond, and peach varieties. Its strategic southern position offers a distinct advantage for producing trees perfectly adapted to the environmental conditions of communities in southern Armenia. Proximity to planting sites, matched elevation, and compatible climate collectively contribute to significantly enhanced survival rates for these trees. ATP dedicated the nursery as the “The Betty” in honor of Elizabeth Bedrosian Howell. With Betty’s son Mark Howell present installed the plaque that reads, “Enormously gifted with intelligence and talent and the utmost personal character, Betty always put others first, from her husband to her four sons, from her students to her colleagues. With each sapling sprouted and nurtured and planted, we continue her limitless generosity… and dedicate this nursery in her name.”
Located in Chiva Village, within the Vayots Dzor region, the Armenia Tree Project’s (ATP) Betty Nursery specializes in cultivating high quality fruit trees. Boasting over 60,000 seedlings across various growth stages, the nursery nurtures a diverse array of apple, apricot, cherry, plum, pear, quince, persimmon, walnut, wild apricot, almond, and peach varieties. Its strategic southern position offers a distinct advantage for producing trees perfectly adapted to the environmental conditions of communities in southern Armenia. Proximity to planting sites, matched elevation, and compatible climate collectively contribute to significantly enhanced survival rates for these trees. ATP dedicated the nursery as the “The Betty” in honor of Elizabeth Bedrosian Howell. With Betty’s son Mark Howell present installed the plaque that reads, “Enormously gifted with intelligence and talent and the utmost personal character, Betty always put others first, from her husband to her four sons, from her students to her colleagues.
With each sapling sprouted and nurtured and planted, we continue her limitless generosity… and dedicate this nursery in her name.”