Forest
Creating forests lies at the core of Armenia Tree Project. Our work blends community engagement with careful stewardship, ensuring these forests flourish for years to come.
In 2025, the Forestry team reached a significant milestone. Over the course of the year, 1,000,050 trees were planted across 250 hectares in nine communities in the Lori, Shirak, and Kotayk regions. This achievement reflects years of dedicated work by staff in our nurseries, along with careful planning tailored to each site.
Planting locations were selected through close collaboration with local communities. Every tree that contributes to these new and restored forests was grown from seed in Armenia Tree Project’s nurseries.
Hrant Dink Memorial Forest
In 2007, ATP initiated an ambitious project to plant a forest near the village of Fioletovo in Lori Province. The idea for the forest was brought to life in memory of Hrant Dink, a journalist and editor-in-chief of Agos, a newspaper he co-founded in Turkey.
In 2007, he was assassinated in Turkey in connection with his work and for being Armenian. The project became not only a tribute to Dink’s memory—a defender of truth and justice—but also a distinct example of environmental commitment.
Over the past two decades, tree species have grown and thrived here, forming a functioning forest ecosystem that supports biodiversity, prevents soil erosion, and contributes to a healthier environment.
In the near future, ATP will transfer the management of the forest to the Fioletovo community. This will be the first large-scale community-based natural resource management project of its kind. ATP teams will support the community throughout the transition, providing capacity-building and training, and working closely with the community to develop a 10-year management plan.
The Hrant Dink Memorial Forest was recognized as an innovative initiative from its very beginning, marking the start of a broader effort.
Since 2007, ATP has established more than 44 new forests across different communities in Armenia, helping transform community life and shaping a new approach toward nature.
Sose and Allen Memorial Forest
Sose and Allen Memorial Forest was established by ATP in 2014 in memory of two young Armenian-Americans, Sose and Allen, who made the bold decision to leave the comfort of life in the United States and move to Armenia. There, they dedicated themselves to helping build a better future in their ancestral homeland. Tragically, their lives were cut short in a devastating car accident.
Their close friend, Areg Maghakian, then ATP’s Yerevan Director, proposed planting a forest in their honor. What began as fragile saplings has, eleven years later, flourished into a vibrant 17-hectare forest of over 89,000 trees: pine, maple, oak, wild pear, and apple. It is now a living emblem of strength, resilience, and enduring love.
This is more than a story of remembrance. It is about love, legacy, and connection to the land. Sose and Allen Memorial Forest is a living, growing symbol of hope.