Unlawful timber harvesting in Armenia inflicts damages totalling over $100,000

In the heart of Armenia, a public environmental initiative called Eco Patrol has issued a stark warning about large-scale illegal logging in the northern Tavush region. On 21 August, Gor Hovhannisyan, the head of Eco Patrol, and his team walked less than a kilometre in the forests adjacent to the town of Ijevan and photographed around 20 freshly cut tree stumps.

The Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body conducted inspections at the Ijevan Forestry and documented around 700 illegally felled trees. The condition of the forest, as captured in a video, was described as "disgraceful". The Armenian authorities estimated the environmental damage caused by illegal logging in Ijevan at $110,000.

This is not an isolated incident. Eduard Karapetyan, a representative of Armenia's state Eco-Patrol Service, claimed that there has been no significant increase in the overall rate of logging in recent years. However, he noted that illegal logging is not limited to Ijevan, but occurs regularly in other regions as well.

The findings from the inspections, which covered the period from August 2024 to July 2025, were submitted to the Investigative Committee for further legal action. The Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body did not accuse any specific officials of corruption in allowing the illegal logging to continue.

Official statistics show a gradual decline in Armenia's forest coverage. Forests once covered more than 11% of the country's territory in the 1990s, and the latest official data indicates that this figure has decreased to 9.7%. The damage caused by illegal logging has reached upwards of $100,000, according to authorities.

Despite the ongoing issue, there is no publicly available verified information identifying who authorized illegal logging in Ijevan in recent months or who was responsible for its execution. Hovhannisyan reported hearing the sound of a chainsaw while they were filming, but no new information has been provided on any threats or hardliners involved in the illegal logging issue.

The Eco-Patrol Service's establishment is attributed to the rise in reported cases of illegal logging. The initiative serves as a vital watchdog, working to protect Armenia's forests and raise awareness about the environmental consequences of illegal logging.

As the issue of illegal logging continues to persist, it is crucial that efforts are made to prevent further damage to Armenia's forests and ensure the protection of this vital resource for future generations.