ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
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PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2008
ATP Establishes New Michael and Virginia Ohanian Environmental Center in
Northern Armenia
— New $150,000 Commitment Allows ATP to Expand Environmental Initiatives in
Area of Tremendous Need
WATERTOWN, MA–Mrs. Virginia Ohanian is one of Armenia Tree Project’s most
active ambassadors. Whenever a birthday or holiday comes around, she asks
friends and family to direct gifts to ATP to plant trees in Armenia. They
often make such gifts, and do so in her honor too. In fact, Mrs. Ohanian has
more trees planted in her honor than any other person in the ATP community.
Ginny, as she is known by her many friends, has been involved with ATP since
its founding in 1994. Late last year, while looking at photographs of the
hundreds of students participating in ATP’s environmental education program
in Armenia, she announced that she was thinking about doing something
significant for the organization.
Years ago, she helped ATP take a major step in expanding its education
programs by donating $100,000 to establish the Michael and Virginia Ohanian
Environmental Education Center at the site of the ATP nursery in Karin
Village.
ATP’s tree planting efforts have grown exponentially over the past several
years and its environmental education curriculum is taught to hundreds of
students each year at the Ohanian Center. The site is ideal for education
because ATP staff is growing dozens of varieties of fruit and decorative
trees in the nearby fields for outplanting across the country.
Ginny is happy with the success, but believes the need is great and that ATP
could do more. Last fall, she issued a challenge for ATP to bring its
educational work to the next level. She wanted to know how such quality
programs could reach even more students and professionals, so that the trees
being planted today are protected in the future. She backed her challenge
with a commitment to fund a second education center in another part of the
country where ATP is expanding its strategic reforestation operations.
With a new $150,000 gift, Ginny is enabling ATP to establish a new northern
outpost in Margahovit, Lori Marz, which will be named the Michael and
Virginia Ohanian Environmental Center. The new center will become an
integral part of the region, where ATP has focused its reforestation efforts
to combat the huge losses to the forests.
In recent years ATP established the Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in
the area, which will allow up to one million trees per year to be planted in
this heavily deforested area. In addition, the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund has financed ATP’s collaboration with the Yale University
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, to produce a sustainable
forestry manual for use by professionals in Armenia.
"The new Michael and Virginia Ohanian Environmental Center will play a key
role in allowing us to train students and professionals in forestry best
practices and conduct environmental education lessons with students in the
northern parts of the country, which has been hit hard by deforestation,"
stated ATP Executive Director Jeff Masarjian. "On behalf of our founder
Carolyn Mugar, our thanks go out to Ginny and the rest of her family for
their leadership and dedication to ATP and our work in restoring Armenia’s
environment for future generations."
"My husband Michael was an inseparable friend to Carolyn’s father Stephen
Mugar, and at a certain point we decided to start giving back as much as we
can, so we got involved with charitable causes and philanthropy," recounted
Ginny. "When Carolyn told us about ATP and how it produces fruit trees,
clean air, and a healthy environment for Armenia, this was something we
could all appreciate and get behind and support in a big way."
Ginny attended the inauguration with her family of the Michael and Virginia
Ohanian Environmental Education Center in Karin Village in 2004, and she
recalls the pleasure of visiting and seeing how much of a difference the
facility makes in the life of the region for Armenians of all generations.
"I am thankful that ATP got involved in environmental education, and
especially that they gave me the opportunity to support such a wonderful
facility, where students and visitors can learn about the science and other
aspects of Armenia’s unique natural heritage," explained Ginny. "I’m also
proud that the organization has grown and we are able to create a new
educational establishment in another part of the country."
"Our family is very pleased to be involved in a project this fulfilling, and
we are proud to contribute to a Green Armenia, where people have food in
their backyards thanks to the fruit trees being planted by ATP," stated
Ginny. "It is a pleasure to be helping people live a good life in Armenia,
and everyone should give something back to the land of their heritage."
Most of all, Ginny would like her gift to inspire others to give, for
themselves, for ATP, and for Armenia’s future. "I hope other people can
experience the sense of joy our family has felt in being able to give
something back to Armenia," she emphasized. "Our support of ATP has been
very rewarding and we know it is making an impact in the country, so I would
like to issue a new challenge, and ask other diasporans to also think about
doing more and showing even more support for ATP’s critical work."
Since 1994, Armenia Tree Project has planted and restored more than
2,000,000 trees and created hundreds of jobs for impoverished Armenians in
tree-regeneration programs. The organization’s three tiered initiatives are
tree planting, community development to reduce poverty and promote
self-sufficiency, and environmental education to protect Armenia’s precious
natural resources. For additional information, visit the web site
PHOTO CAPTION: Mrs. Virginia Ohanian, pictured with her late husband
Michael, has made a new $150,000 gift that will allow ATP to expand its
environmental education and sustainable forestry programs in northern
Armenia