Shikahogh
As international leaders and environmental activists gather in Yerevan for the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, known as COP17, the reality of Armenia’s Shikahogh State Nature Reserve, which is under incessant “ecocide” by Azerbaijan, is being swept under the rug by officials representing Armenia at the conference.
Founded in 1958, this reserve—which spans almost 30,000 acres and is approximately 94 percent forested—is home to 1,100 plant species (70 of which are listed in the Red Book) and rare animals such as the Caucasian leopard, the Bezoar ibex, the brown bear, and the Armenian viper.
Since 2022, the area has become a militarized zone, after Azerbaijani forces breached Armenia’s sovereign borders and invaded the area around Shikahogh, which abuts the Nerkin Hand village in the Syuink Province and a mere 24 miles from the Iran border.
Azerbaijani forces are still stationed with Armenia’s territory and have systematically engaged in deforestation, by indiscriminately cutting trees and clearing the forest. They have built 26-foot wide roads and constructed fortified positions.
According to expert analysis, work has been carried out across approximately 225 acres, 150 acres of which are all forest lands, according to a report published on Thursday in past.am.
According to investigative research by media outlets and an analysis of satellite imagery from Planet and Google Earth, the Azerbaijani side has carried out large-scale, illegal operations within the territory of the Shikahogh Reserve.
Data from the international organization Global Forest Watch indicates that between 2021 and 2023, Armenia lost approximately 250 acres of natural forest—almost 200 acres of which were lost in 2023 alone—a period that directly coincides with the active phase of Azerbaijani incursions and deforestation in this border area.
Most distressing, however, is that state institutions and the responsible authorities have chosen to remain silent or provide evasive responses.
The administration of the “Zangezur” Biosphere Complex has declined to provide clarifications, while Armenia’s Environmental Protection Ministry officially states that, because the areas are under the direct line of fire from Azerbaijan, it is impossible to provide precise data or assess the extent of the damage, Past.am reported.
This is not a typical environmental issue, but rather a deliberate act of ecocide, the consequences of which will be borne by future generations.
Environmental protection cannot be limited merely to statements made within closed halls or formal discussions of “green” agendas.
If the attention of the international community, environmental organizations, and decision-makers—within the framework of COP17—is not drawn to the environmental crimes being committed by Azerbaijan, then any global conference loses its true purpose and value.
The glaring environmental problems in Armenia—including the damaged ecosystem at Shikahogh and the loss of biodiversity—must become a central theme of the summit currently underway in Yerevan; for if we remain silent today and allow the destruction of our ancestral homeland, no “green” forum in the future will be able to restore the lost homeland and its wounded natural world.
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Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Antranik Varosian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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