The Indicators Characterizing Alterations of Tavush Region Natural Landscapes

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The indicators characterizing alterations of Tavush region natural landscapes

E. Vardanyan

Yerevan State University, 1, Al.Manoogian, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia article info abstract

Article history: The presented article is dedicated to the short characteristics of natural conditions and Received 22 April 2016 resources of Tavush region of Republic of Armenia (RA), as well as to analyses of Accepted 18 July 2016 contemporary land-use. The particularity of Tavush region is that almost half of territory is Available online xxx covered by forests and that there are no industrial centers here. The major ecological problems are related to non-sustainable use of forest resources. As a result of such Keywords: approach several types of negative phenomena happened the appearance and study of Forest resources which could be realized through very concrete indicators. As such indicators may serve: Landslides alterations in forest cover extent and character, fragmentation and degradation of forests, Ecological problems landslides and mud-ﬂows. Forest cover © 2016 Agricultural University of Georgia. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an Land-use open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/4.0/).

bee keeping, tobacco and fodder production. The rivers Introduction belonged to the Caspian Sea (Kura river) basin and is fed by the melting water, groundwater and rain. The average annual Tavush region is located in the north-eastern part of Republic run-off of region is 3 m3/s or 530 mln m3 water resource. There of Armenia (RA). It extends from the external line of Small are several small water reservoirs (totaling 67,12 mln m3 in Caucasus Mountain (Republic of Georgia, Gugarats and Mia- volume) which mostly used for irrigation. The length of irri- pori Mountains in the territory of RA). Debedavan is the lowest gation system is 310 km and inner-system 1375 km. There are point of region 380 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and the highest about 50 water pumping stations [1]. point is Murghuz 2993 m a.s.l. on Miapori range. The regional center is the city of Ijevan. The area of the Overall, the climate is temperate humid. Annual sunshine region is 2704 km2, with a total land area of 270393 ha, from e duration is 1900 2000 h, the average January temperature in which agricultural lands make 105931.2 ha, or the 39.2% from þ the southern part is 6 , while in the northern part 1 . The the overall area. The region makes the 9.1% of the RA territory. þ eþ yearly average temperature is 9 12 . In the northern part The population is 134.2 thousand, population density is the climate is dry subtropical, where snow does not occur 50 person/km2. The region has 5 urban and 57 rural commu- every year. The southern part of the region has harsh moun- nities. The 60.8% of the population in Tavush lives in rural e tain winter that lasts 3 4 months and every year there is areas that emphasize the importance of poverty reduction permanent snow cover. The average annual precipitation is problem solution in the region. Men make the 48.9 and women e 500 700 mm. The natural-climatic conditions are favorable the 51.1% of the population. The 53.5 thousand from the for sub-tropical horticulture, berries and viticulture, as well as

E-mail address: [email protected]. Peer review under responsibility of Journal Annals of Agrarian Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aasci.2016.08.014 1512-1887/© 2016 Agricultural University of Georgia. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Please cite this article in press as: E. Vardanyan, The indicators characterizing alterations of Tavush region natural landscapes, Annals of Agrarian Science (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aasci.2016.08.014 2 annals of agrarian science xxx (2016) 1e5

population are economically active, from which 49.4 thousand of which 15 have been exploited. From mineral water mines are employed, 4.1 thousand e unemployed [1]. licenses have been given to Dilijan and Frolovo Balka, from which currently bottlings are being done [3].

The natural-anthropogenic landscapes of Industry Tavush region Currently 134 industrial companies are registered in Tavush Geographical conditions of the Tavush region is characterized region. Among the big industrial companies having noticeable “ ” as hot and semi-humid mountains, where there are signiﬁ- economic importance for the region are the Qarart CJSC, “ ” “ ” “ cant differences in altitudes, climate and vegetative cover. As Ijevani Betonit OJSC, Ijevani Ginu Gortsaran ( Ijevan Wine ” “ ” “ a result of such differences there are 9 distinct geographical Factory ) OJSC, Dilijani Hanqayin Jreri Gortsaran ( Dilijan ” sub-regions: Gugarats, Ijevan, Murghuz, Pambak and Voske- Mineral Water Factory ) OJSC and others. In 2010 development par mountain ranges, Tavush, Upper Aghstev, Dilijan, Getik has been observed in the spheres of stone processing, mineral and Ijevan (middle part of Aghstev river) valleys. water bottling, bentonite production [3]. Due to the complicated topography and mountainous The primary industrial branch of the region is the pro- character of terrain, presence of several geologic fault zones cessing industry. Food industry and wood processing are the here clearly are expressed the following vertical natural dominant ones. Bentopowder, carpets, tiles, wines, processed landscape zones [2]: food and other products are being produced. From the regional produce wines, mineral water, stone and wood 1. Middle-mountain temperate humid slopes of beech products are being exported. According to the data of 2006, forests on sedimentary (carbonate), volcanic and vol- there are 862 retail sales outlets in the region, from which 808 canogenic fragile rocks, brown and gray soils; shops and kiosk, 2 agricultural produce markets, 2 consump- ' 2. Middle-mountainous temperate, temperate humid tion goods market and 50 other objects/outlets. slopes of beech and oak forests on sedimentary and fragile volcanic rocks, brown soils, Infrastructure 3. Low mountainous light forest and shiblyak complexes with hornbeam and thorn dominance, brown and gray The Northern Caucasus-Tbilisi-Yerevan gas pipe passes soils, through the center of the region. 152.6 km of interstate, 4. Hot and dry piedmont hilly steppe and xerophytes light 274.9 km of republican and 380.6 km of local general usage forest complexes on post-forest steppe and brown soils, roads stretch through the region. 70 km from the Ije- e 5. Hot and dry post-forest steppe and cultural lands on van Hrazdan railroad pass through the canyon of Aghstev. carbonate rocks, alluviumediluvium formations and Along the northern border, by the bank of Debed passes the brown soils, 7 km part of the Yerevan-Tbilisi railroad. 6. Cool and humid, salt-free black soil meadow steppe The community infrastructures are divided into 4 compo- with the marshy and turf “islands”, nents: (1) road construction, (2) drinking water supply, (3) gas 7. Cool and humid, semi-alpine high grass-light forest supply and (4) the protection of multi-apartment buildings complexes on mountain meadow brown soils, (blocks of ﬂats). The quality and availability of the mentioned 8. Post-forest meadows and high grass complexes, services are directly related to the economic development and 9. High top and pre-top mountain cold and humid, low poverty reduction of the region. Particularly, the availability alpine and alpine meadows on brown and turf lands, (affordability) of social services, the expansion of agricultural 10. Dry, partly stony, dominantly southern slopes, produce consumption opportunities, the increase of the pop- 11. Marshy and turf areas. ulation mobility, the development of tourism in the region greatly depend on the good condition of the community infrastructures [3]. The economy of Tavush region and the current land-use status Waste management

Natural resources Certain activities have been made in the direction of sporadic waste placement, management and the non-regulated land- The Tavush region is relatively poor in natural resources. The fills. Officially there are 4 landfills in the region, which are river Aghstev is rich in mineral waters, which are being being exploited by the communities of Ijevan, Berd, Noyem- bottled. The region is rich in mines of the following natural beryan and Voskepar. The problems of solid household and resources: bentonite clay, marble limestones, basalts, sand production waste collection and landfill management has a limestones, felsite tuff, vitroclastic, mergel and dolomite negative impact both on the ecological condition of populated limestones, diabaseporfirit, non-ferrous conglomerates, areas and on the recreation attractiveness of the region. Steps sandmixtures, gypsumclays, non-anthrasite coal, as well as have been taken on the development of landfill management mineral water (Dilijan, Frolovo balka, Aknaghbyur, Laligyugh, plans, planning of intercommunity landfills and for the pro- Koghb and other). vision of technical means for their exploitation, for improving As of October 2010, in the region mining licenses were waste management. But stronger monitoring on the sanitary given to 22 mining areas belonging to 14 economic units, out condition of the communities is required.

Please cite this article in press as: E. Vardanyan, The indicators characterizing alterations of Tavush region natural landscapes, Annals of Agrarian Science (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aasci.2016.08.014 annals of agrarian science xxx (2016) 1e5 3

Nature conservation less touched and altered. Currently, despite continuous illegal and irregular activities, still more than half of region area is The major environmental issues in Tavush region are related covered by forests. The changes in forest cover extent char- to overutilization of forest ecosystems, which if somehow was acter, fragmentation, degradation of forest ecosystems under understandable during the period of energetic crises (1990s), anthropogenic and climatic factors are clear indicators for the than for the last 10 years it could be explained by the fact most widespread landscape zone in this region. of poor forest management. Illegal and irregular logging of valuable trees and stands destroy the natural regeneration Forest cover extent character potential of forests. As a result auxiliary financial means are requested to rehabilitate the previous state of forest The analyses of Armenia's forest cover evaluation clearly ecosystems. indicate the continuous decreasing of forest cover extent As a result of illegal and irregular loggings soil erosion and throughout time and space [4e7]. The total forest cover was landslides become more active and frequent. The degradation 35% in Bronze age, which decreased to 18% in XVIII-XIX cen- of vegetation cover promotes the increasing of surface run-off turies, than to 10% in the beginning of XX century due to which in its turn provoked mud-flows. The number of springs continuous increasing anthropogenic and climate aridization also were dried. The other cause of soil degradation is factors [4,5]. In XX centuries large-scale and mostly non- decrease in the agricultural cultivation areas [3]. regulated logging took place-in 1930s and in 1990e2000s-that The specially protected territorial network includes: considerably re-shaped country's forest cover, in terms of its “Dilijan” National Park (NP) with an area of 33765 ha, extent, increasing fragmentation and degradation of forest “Hazelnut”-40 ha, “Ijevan”-5908 ha and “Gandzakar”-908 ha ecosystems [4,7,8]. More or less 1/3 of Armenian forest cover state reservations, 12 geologic and biological monuments as was touched by clear or partial cuts during 1990e2000s. Un- well as “Soranner” dendro-parks of Ijevan and Berd. fortunately non-regulated and illegal loggings are usual also in these days. Non-regulated and illegal loggings first of all The current land-use status happened nearby to settlements and existing forest roads without any preliminary logging plans. These loggings took The Tavush region mostly considered as agricultural region, place even in the areas of specially protected areas, e.g. only in where agricultural land-use is prevailing over other land-use Dilijan state reserve area (since 2005 it become Dilijan Na- types. Dry sub-tropical climatic conditions in the lowlands tional Park) of Tavush region clear cut happened on 1106 ha and temperate conditions in middle altitudes are decisive for just 5 km away from the centre of city [5,7e9]. agricultural specializations. Thus the current forest cover is essentially squeezed in the The region is divided into 2 sub-regions e lowland, which is extent, degraded and fragmented, which in the condition of forestless and mountainous, covered by forests. The first sub- continuous aridization of climatic conditions and anthropo- region situated on 380e900 m altitudes a.s.l. and the second- genic impact is unable to function as an effective ecosystem one e above 900 m a.s.l. and realize its nature protection and social-economic func- The major soil types for the agricultural crops cultivation tions. As a result of non-regulated loggings were observed for the first sub-region are mountain brown, carbonate and for several environmentally non-friendly phenomena: intensive the second sub-region e mountain forest, brown, gray sandy soil erosion, landslides, mud-flows, salinization and soil and on higher altitudes mountain meadows. The main agri- degradation. In Tavush region were activated and in some cultural crops produced in the region are potatoes, grapes, districts appeared new landslides [8,9]. Also non-recoverable wheat, barley, spelled, corn, peas, beans, vegetables, fruits damage was caused to most of valuable tree species-oak, and berries. beech and pine, as these species were most of logged. As a The Tavush region is typical agricultural region with the consequence in the stands only low-valuable tree species following land-use balance: remained that could not provide normal growth and genera- Agricultural land use conditions are characterized by tion [6] (Table 1). agricultural plantations and seeding structure. The 2011 The following table summarizes current forest cover sowing area was 14250 ha. Only 56 percent of arable land is extent in Tavush region per 4 forest enterprises. The total used, i.e., 11.35 thous. hectares turned into meadow or forest estate of Tavush region is 115149 ha, from which forest pasture. The non-use pre-boundary land surface is 4728.6 ha. covered part is 85%. The share of Tavush region forest cover in Non-sowed arable land share in Noyemberyan sub-region is overall forest cover of Armenia is 31% (see: Table 2). 38.7%, in Ijevan-31.5%, in Berd-25.5% and in Dilijan-4.3%. The area of perennial plantings was 3663 ha (2350 ha-berries and Forest fragmentation 1313 ha-vineyards) [3]. Non-regular and illegal logging increased forest fragmentation degree of Armenian forests. The forest fragmentation The indicators of natural landscapes' alterations appeared in two forms: on forest upper and lower timberlines and inside of forest cover. The analyses of satellite image On the base of above analyses of natural landscapes, their (Landsat ETMþ) showed that since 1990s onward the number alterations, economy, current-land-use and nature conser- of small forest patches has increased and the outline of forest vation one can conclude that natural landscapes of Tavush cover become very complicated [5]. Also the following region in comparison with other regions in Armenia are the changes took place: the open lands or “islands” inside of

Table 1 e The agricultural land-use structure in Tavush region. Culture Arable land, ha Perennial plantings, haa Haylands Pastures Other lands Total Agricultural lands, ha (2010/2011) 25223.0 2033.6 12537.6 60252.3 11846.4 111892.9 25600.3 1926.9 9473.0 47780.7 9691.4 94405.2 Speciﬁc weight, (2010/2011) 22.5 1.8 11.2 53.9 10.6 100 27.0 2.0 10.0 50.6 10.2 100

a Inside of settlements (households) there is 1629.4 ha perennial plantings.

Table 2 e The current forest cover of Tavush region and its share in overall forest cover of RA. Forest Enterprise Total area of forest estate, ha Covered by forests, ha Number of monitoring units Ijevan 25526 22437 28 Sevqar 19693 18216 17 Noyemberyan 27263 18451 30 Artsvaberd 42667 38607 43 Total in Tavush region 115149 97711 118 Total in Armenia 372660 261501 450

forest cover and deforested corridors (oriented from outside community. Currently in the disaster zone are the following of forest cover towards inside of forest patch) has consider- areas and buildings: the newly-constructed amphitheater, ably enlarged. private houses, the “Old Dilijan” historical museum, the often- used community road and other infrastructures. To the acti- Degradation of forest ecosystems vation of landslides have contributed abundant rains and currently streets and the road look like hills, several “lean- ” As a result of decreased forest cover extent, complication of walls are ruined. The local authorities of course do not have forest cover outline, increased fragmentation and non- such financial resources to be able to solve this problem on regulated loggings forest ecosystems were considerably their own. The only hope for the population is the intervention worsened and degraded. Particularly the carbon dioxide of the Government [11]. sequestration potential of forest cover has decreased by 50%, In Getahovit village of Tavush region there is landslide area water regulation functions were considerably worsened [8]. which comprises about 90 households and 9 ha, and all the The amount of surface run-off has increased essentially, population of that area is under the threat. Here the landslide ' which in its turn triggered mud-flows and landslides. is too active and the possibility of that area s collapse is getting As rather clear indicators for the natural landscapes' al- bigger day by day. The power poles have bend, and the high terations may serve also increasing number of emergency voltage lines have deformed. situations and phenomena in Tavush region. Particularly two types of emergency phenomena have clear increasing ten- Torrents dencies. These two types are landslides and torrents. In Tavush region torrents and floods greatly harm the popu- Landslides lation and the economy. During the abundant flows in spring and the rain flows almost all little rivers deriving from Aghstev In Tavush region 25 communities are in landslide zones. In the river are becoming powerful torrent flows and cause a lot of last years landslides have greatly harmed the population as harm. The overall damage from torrents in Armenia in the well as the technical structure of the region. As a result of period of 1994e2007 is estimated more than 5.6 billion AMD spring precipitation in 2010 the landslide phenomena were (AMD equivalent to about 17.5 million USD), out of which activated. The condition is especially hazardous in the com- about 608 million AMD (AMD equivalent to approximately 1.9 munities of Dilijan, Gosh, Hovk, Ijevan, Gandzakar and million USD) in Tavush region. The overall damage of torrents Vazashen. According to the RA Government decisions #435-Ա has made more than 13 billion AMD (AMD equivalent to of April 22, 2010, and #461-Ա of April 29, 2010, financial support approximately 41 million USD) out which about 1.7 billion was planned to be provided for the displacement of 7 families AMD (AMD equivalent to approximately 5 million USD) in from the landslide areas, and 6 of these families have Tavush. accordingly bought apartments. The seven families got money Thus alterations in forest cover extent, fragmentation and compensation. degradation of forest ecosystems, landslides and torrents may For the damage reduction and prevention from the land- serve very clear indicators for the natural landscape changes slides, torrents and floods, the most hazardous areas have and further development tendencies. The application of in- been taken under control [10]. dicators may serve good and practical bases for proper land- Landslides have become a real disaster for Dilijan. A big use strategies and development of nature conservation part of Myasnikyan street is especially hazardous in the policies.

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