Sevan National Park
The
only National Park in Armenia was established in 1978 to protect Lake Sevan
and the surrounding areas. Overall, including buffer zones, 150,100 ha are protected,
including 24,800 ha of dry land. Sevan National Park falls under the jurisdiction
of the Ministry of Nature Protection, and is managed as a research centre, which
monitors the ecosystems, and undertakes various conservation measures (including
regulation of use and tourism, and protection of historical and cultural monuments).
Licensed fishing on the lake is also regulated.
Three main zoning areas exist: the core (reserve) zone, a recreation zone and
a zone for economic use. The core protection zone includes the watershed for
the lake, and the park also incorporates a number of smaller reserves and reservations.
One of the key sites in the park is the Artanish peninsula (25,000 ha), which,
being very isolated, is relatively undisturbed. Around 1000 higher plant species
(including 94 trees and shrubs) are found in this area, which also supports
a range of endemic and rare animal species. Three main zones are recognised
within the Artanish peninsula, including the lakeshore habitats (planted forests
containing pine, poplar, apricot-tree, oleaster, and sea-buckthorn), a medium
altitude zone (20-100m) where species such as juniper and rose are common, and
an alpine zone (> 100m) dominated by meadow habitats. However, the first two
zones were severely affected by illegal felling during the energy crisis.
Protection is aimed
at the rare and endemic species of the lake and surrounding habitats. The diversity
of habitats and conditions in the area support a wide range of plants and animals,
including:
- Plants - including Acantholimon gabrieljanae, Astragalus goktschaicus,
Isatis sevangensis, Sorbus luristanica, S. hajastanica,
and Adonis wolgensis
- Fish - nine species, including whitefish, Sevan trout, barbel, "kogak"
and carp
- Amphibians - six species including the green toad (Bufo viridis)
and a frog (Rana ichchani)
- Reptiles - 17 species including rock lizards (Lacerta unisexualis,
L. nairensis, L. rostombekovi, L. armeniaca) and snakes
(Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, Vipera erivanensis)
- Birds - 267 species including greylag goose (Anser anser), white
winged scoter (Melanitta fusca), red-creasted pochard (Netta rufina),
pochard (Aythya ferina), white headed-duck (Oxyora leucocephala),
coot (Fulia atra), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), whooper swan
(Cygnus cygnus), shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), Armenian gull (Larus
argentatus armenicus), greater and lesser cormorant (Phalacrocorax
carbo and P. pygmaeus), glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellusi),
flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), and black-winged stilt (Himantopus
himantopus).
- Mammals - 34 species; including marbled polecat, otter, manul, leopard,
wild goat, wolf, fox, and beech marten.
The
decline in the water level of Lake Sevan (by 19m since the 1950s) has severely
affected aquatic, coastal swamp and marshland habitats of the park. In addition,
a further 10,000 ha of marshland was drained for agricultural use. In particular,
the birds using Lake Sevan were affected by these habitat changes, and a number
of species no longer breed on the lake. Between 1922 and 1996, the areas used
by nesting waterfowl on the lake nearly halved, and the number of Armenian gulls
on the lake has also declined dramatically.
There is a need for further research in the Lake Sevan national park, particularly
to help with reserve demarcation and to identify the best management approaches
for the park and its water resources. It has also been suggested that the park
be expanded to incorporate the area previously covered by Lake Gilly, before
it was drained, and to undertake some form of habitat restoration of the lake
area.
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