The Forest Statute
The Forest Statute provides for the conservation, protection and efficient management of forests taking to account their ecological, social and economic significance, and basing decisions on available scientific information. The aims of this regulation are to conserve natural forest features, increase regeneration and productivity of forest areas, enable efficient use of forest resources, protect rights of use with respect to forests, and to strengthen the legal enforcement of forest protection. However, the Forest Statute does not take account of the implications of land privatization, and still recognizes all forests as absolute property of the State. This restricts local authorities and the private sector from taking over some of the responsibilities for forest protection, and increasing forest cover. At present the Ministry of Nature Protection is involved in drafting amendments to the Forest Statute, in order to bring it up to date.

Since all forests are considered as State property, the government is responsible for overseeing the protection and management of forests, through relevant local authorities ('marz') and a special State agency ('Hayantar', under the Ministry of Nature Protection).

The Government is responsible for: determining priorities for management, classifications of forests, procedures for conservation and management, and forest use fees; approving appropriate forestry projects; setting quotas for timber extraction; implementing research and forest management practices; monitoring of forest stocks; and collaboration with international authorities relating to forestry practices and conservation.

Local authorities are responsible for: provision of temporary concessions and supervision of construction, industrial and mining activities in forest areas.

The authorized State agencies ('Hayantar') are responsible for: the development and implementation of forestry projects; registry of forest stock; ensuring forest regeneration, management and sustainable use; and for addressing issues linked to mismanagement of abuse of forest resources, including illegal felling and the effects of pollutants.

A range of other provisions are made within the Forest Statute, including: age of maturity and felling; forest use; rights and obligations of forest-users; methods for timber extraction and processing; use of forests for research, hunting and recreation; measures for forestry in protected areas, and urban regions; rates of forest regeneration; charges for forestry use; supervision of forestry; measures for resolving disputes and reactions to violation of forest legislation; and development of international agreements relating to forestry.

The Law on Specially Protected Areas
The Law on Specially Protected Areas outlines the procedures for establishing protected areas and guides their management. The aims are as follows: to maintain the balance of natural ecosystems, to preserve natural monuments of national importance, to conserve the biodiversity of the country, to control use of natural habitats, to promote environmental education and public awareness and to ensure recognition of natural resource depletion within the legal framework. The law specifies that protected areas be established trough government decree, and that overall responsibility for their management lies with the Ministry of Nature Protection. The law also refers specifically to the development of a State listing for protected areas, mechanisms for protected area identification and gazettement, and the status and management regimes for different types of protected area. However, this law does not address a number of relevant issues, such as socio-economic benefits of biodiversity, land privatization, and the role and rights of the private sector, and might therefore be improved by revision.

Draft Laws on Flora and Fauna
The draft laws on Flora and Fauna set out policies for the conservation, protection, regeneration and management of natural populations of plants and animals, and regulations for human impacts on natural diversity.
The Law on Flora aims to ensure sustainable conservation of plants, their genetic diversity and natural habitats, to develop scientific assessments of levels for sustainable use of natural plant populations, to ensure a sustainable conservation of flora, and to protect the rights of those involved in plant conservation and management. The implementation of this law will be overseen by the Ministry of Nature Protection, and by local government and other agencies. The draft law provides for: inventory, study and monitoring of plant populations; development of a State listing for plants and their use; further elaboration of the Red Data Book for plants; investigation of issues relating to plant conservation; conservation of rare and threatened plant species; use of plants; rights and obligations of plant collectors; restriction or termination of rights to collect particular plants; measures for dealing with disputes over use of plants; and international agreements relating to plant conservation issues.
The Law on Fauna aims to: ensure conservation of animals and their genetic diversity, maintain the integrity of animal populations, protect animals from inappropriate disturbance, protect migration routes and regulate use of animal species. The responsibilities of different agencies (including the government, ministries and other State bodies, local authorities and local self-government institutions) are outlined. The draft law make provision for: survey, study and monitoring of animals; listings of animals and their use; elaboration of the Red Data Book for animals; setting goals for animal conservation; measures for dealing with disputes; and international agreements relating to animal conservation issues.

State structures for biodiversity management
Since 1991 the Ministry of Nature Protection and Ministry of Agriculture have been responsible for the management of natural resources in Armenia.

The Ministry of Nature Protection is responsible for ecological survey and inventory, monitoring and management of biodiversity (both in-situ and ex-situ), development of guidelines for sustainable use, and for reviewing the implementation of legislation relating to the environment. The Ministry has responsibility for a number of protected areas, and also oversees and supervises activities of other government agencies in relation to natural resource use. In line with current legislation, the Ministry of Nature Protection considers all applications for the development of new industrial enterprises, and a statutory environmental impact assessment enables the Ministry to offer advise, monitor and, where necessary, block such developments. The Ministry also issues licences for hunting and collection of medicinal plants, and there are plans to extend the licensing system for other forms of natural resource use, involving further regulations relating to dates, appropriate collection methods and fees.
The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for management of state agricultural lands, and for supporting farmers of privatized land. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture oversees management of agrobiodiversity, and manages six of the State Reservations in Armenia (Chapter 7).

A number of other state agencies are involved in the management of agrobiodiversity, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. These include: the State Department of Geology, the State Land Inspectorate, the State Veterinary and Animal-breeding Inspectorate, the Department of Livestock Breeding, and the Department of Plant cultivation, Selection and Land management.

Regional rural inspectorates have some devolved responsibilities for biodiversity management and supervision. These inspectorates include the State rural inspector for animal-breeding, the State rural inspector for land-use, and the State rural inspector for geology.

Scientific research
Armenia has a strong tradition of scientific research relating to biodiversity and other fields (Section 2.2), and this has been maintained despite recent economic crises. Research has focused on inventories of flora and fauna (and their genetic diversity), taxonomy, population dynamics, adaptation by exotic species, plant phenology, identification of impacts on biodiversity and studies of effective conservation measures. A range of collections provide the basis for much of this research (including collections based in herbaria, museums, botanical gardens, as well as seed-banks, and genetic databases). For example, the Institute of Botany (of the National Academy of Sciences) holds more than 265,000 plant specimens, while a further 25,000 are held in Yerevan State University. The largest collections of animals are based in the Institute of Zoology and in the Natural History Museum of Armenia, with a total of 10,000 specimens, including many rare and threatened species (such as Sevan trout, leopard, manul, wild cat, striped hyena and Armenian mouflon). A permanent research station and pilot plot (40 ha.) has been maintained at altitude of 3200m on Mount Aragats since 1962. Extensive research on alpine flora and fauna has been conducted at this site, including patterns of evolution, and assessing human impacts on alpine vegetation, with the aim of developing mechanisms for effective conservation of such habitats.
A number of institutions are involved in scientific research relating to biodiversity, including:
The National Academy of Science (comprising the Institutes of Botany, Zoology, Bacteriology, Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries, Agro-chemistry and Hydroponics, and the Centre of Noosphere Research); Institutes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Industry (Institutes of Land Cultivation, Soil Science, Fruit and Grape Cultivation, and Applied Bio-technologies); The university sector (including the Yerevan State University, Agricultural Academy, Medical University, and Teaching Institute).

Biodiversity inventory and monitoring
Biodiversity monitoring is an important component of any national ecological monitoring programme. Systematic monitoring of biodiversity is not currently conducted in Armenia, and at present, monitoring is not even conducted in protected areas, as a result of lack of resources and of qualified staff to undertake systematic surveys.
Although inventory work on the habitats of Armenia was initiated in the 1920s, a full inventory of flora and fauna has never been conducted, and much of the current information is out of date. Between the 1950s and 1980s floral inventory work focused on the region around Yerevan. In addition, some rare species (including big mammals) and game species were periodically surveyed during this time. Inventories of vascular plants, fish, birds and mammals have been conducted in a number of protected areas (Erebuni, Dilijan, Khosrov, Sev Litch, and Lake Sevan National Park). Although in many cases these are out-dated or incomplete (see Section 7.1.1), such surveys may provide important baseline data for future monitoring programmes. Furthermore, much of the research (including phenological studies) conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and other institutions has important value for the development of appropriate monitoring methods, as well as providing valuable baseline data. For example, the information gathered on Armenian plants during collections for Yerevan Botanic Garden could also be related to distributions and trends in populations.
An improved system for monitoring biodiversity might involve a range of levels: surveys of landscapes, ecosystems and species, assessments of human impacts, and prediction of likely consequences. The development of any monitoring system should take into account existing studies of biodiversity, current protection status, and the aims and indicators of monitoring. An effective monitoring system will require country-wide co-ordination, permanent survey sites, and availability of the necessary technical abilities, staffing, equipment and communication systems.

Armenia has ratified a number of international agreements and conventions relating to the protection of biodiversity.

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention, 1971). Armenia ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1993, however despite the international importance of Lake Sevan and Lake Arpa, little has been done to implement this convention.

Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD, Rio de Janeiro, 1992). This convention was ratified by Armenia in 1993, and the first stage of implementation is currently being undertaken including the development of a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and this first National Report (incorporating a Country Study of Biodiversity) to meet reporting requirements to the convention.

Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention, Paris, 1972). This convention was ratified in 1993, however there is little available information on implementation.

Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD, Paris, 1994). The UNCCD was ratified by Armenia in 1997. A project is currently being developed to meet obligations under this convention.

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, Rio de Janeiro, 1992). The UNFCCC was ratified by Armenia in 1993, and production of a Country Study on Climate Change is underway.

Three further international conventions relate to biodiversity conservation, and Armenia has not yet acceded to these.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, Washington 1973).

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention, 1979).

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention, 1979).