Ecosystem extent in protected areas
Area of Protected areas in Armenia
In accordance with Decree N 1059-Ա (25.09.2014) of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the PAs in 2014 were as follows:
– 3 state reserves (“Khosrov Forest”, “Shikahogh” and “Erebuni”), which occupy an area of 35,439.6 hectares or 1.19% of the total area of Armenia,
– 4 national parks (“Sevan”, “Dilijan”, “Lake Arpi” and “Arevik”), which occupy an area of 236,802.1 hectares or 7.96% of the total area of Armenia,
– 232 natural monuments,
– 27 state sanctuaries, which occupy an area of 114,812.7 hectares or 3.95% of the total area of Armenia.
The total area of state reserves, sanctuaries, and national parks was 387,054.4 hectares, which accounted for 13.1% of Armenia’s total territory.
Table 1. PAs areas in 2014 according to the Ministry of Environment of Armenia
| PA | Area, ha |
| STATE RESERVES | |
| Khosrov Forest | 23 213.5 |
| Shikahogh | 12 137.1 |
| Erebuni | 89.0 |
| NATIONAL PARKS | |
| Sevan | 147 455.0 |
| Dilijan | 33 765.0 |
| Lake Arpi | 21 179.3 |
| Arevik | 34 401.8 |
| NATURAL SANCTUARIES | |
| Akhnabad | 25.0 |
| Arjatkhlenu | 40.0 |
| Juniper sparse forest | 3 312.0 |
| Gyulagarak | 2 576.0 |
| Herher sparse forest | 6 139.0 |
| Jermuk Forest | 3 865.0 |
| Sosu Park | 64.2 |
| Aragats Alpine | 300.0 |
| Banks pine | 4.0 |
| Goravan sand dunes | 95.99 |
| Caucasian rosehip | 1 000.0 |
| Arzakan-Meghradzor | 13 532.0 |
| Gandzakar | 6 813.0 |
| Getik | 5 728.0 |
| Ijevan | 5 908.0 |
| Margahovitti | 3 368.0 |
| Yeghegnadzor | 4 200.0 |
| Goris | 1850.0 |
| Red worm | 219.85 |
| Boghakar | 2 728.0 |
| Black Lake | 240.0 |
| Deep wound | 50.28 |
| Hanqavan Hydrological | 5 169.04 |
| Jermuk Hydrological | 17 371.0 |
| Zangezur | 25 870.64 |
| Zikatar | 150.0 |
| Khustup | 6946.74 |
Ecosystem extent in PAs
At the present stage, we do not have access to official data covering all Armenian protected areas (PAs) for the period after 2014, official digitized maps of PA boundaries, or land cover data specifically refined for the territory of Armenia. Therefore, the following analyses are based on the available digital PA map referenced below and the global ESRI land cover dataset. The use of the ESRI land cover dataset for relatively small PA areas leads to significant errors in area estimation. In the examples below, we demonstrate only the type of analysis that can, in principle, be conducted for ecosystem accounting of PAs based on land cover data.
All resulting estimates are of methodological value only and should be refined using official PA boundaries and land cover data provided by the PAs.
This example of accounting for protected areas (PAs) is based on the PA map provided by Acopian Center for the Environment, American University of Armenia and the vegetation map prepared by Aleksanyan Alla (Institute of Botany after A. Takhtajyan NAS RA) and Asatryan Vardan (Scientific center of zoology and hydroecology of NAS RA), and ESRI land cover data from 2017 and 2023.
Figure 1. The map of protected areas of Armenia (for details see section Protected areas here)
Figure 3. The share of area of land cover classes and anthropogenic areas, %.
*Arpa is protected landscape
Table 3. Area of land cover classes in PAs, ha
(* the total area of PAs shown on the map used may differ from the official data, as the PA boundaries on the map require further clarification)
| PA type | PA | Trees | Rangeland | Bare Ground | Snow/Ice | Water and flooded vegetation | Crops | Built-up area | Total area of PA* |
| State Reserves | Erebuni | 0 | 84.84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 88.30 |
| Khosrov Forest | 2404.91 | 20231.17 | 31.76 | 0 | 0.51 | 5.33 | 176.63 | 22868.59 | |
| Shikahogh | 9854.31 | 1937.14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11810.26 | |
| National Parks | Sevan | 5525.1 | 14346.23 | 13.23 | 0 | 126863.3 | 2173.48 | 2336.68 | 151374.99 |
| Dilijan | 24757.79 | 12862.58 | 0 | 0 | 5.21 | 11.41 | 1546.26 | 39214.50 | |
| Arpi Lake | 186.33 | 43922.3 | 8.64 | 0 | 2123.82 | 10719.45 | 810.1 | 57828.90 | |
| Arevik | 4158.48 | 37530.44 | 36.28 | 1.25 | 3.11 | 0 | 5.12 | 41852.62 | |
| Protected landscape | Arpa | 1.49 | 8148.12 | 1.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 8158.56 |
| State Sanctuaries | Akhnabat Yew Grove | 0 | 24.85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.86 |
| Aragats Alpine | 0 | 276.72 | 0.17 | 4.1 | 15.67 | 0 | 4.11 | 301.07 | |
| Ararat Vordan Karmir | 0 | 0.37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 166.63 | 38.36 | 205.60 | |
| Arzakan and Meghradzor | 7503.25 | 6181.2 | 3.39 | 0 | 7.27 | 285.16 | 521.26 | 14518.08 | |
| Boghaqar | 1112.76 | 1757.96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2872.27 | |
| Caucasian Rose-Bay | 1037.93 | 794.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.02 | 1848.58 | |
| Gandzakar-Upper Aghdan | 2973.96 | 925.74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.07 | 7.73 | 3910.26 | |
| Getik | 1354.88 | 1559.37 | 0.03 | 0 | 1.65 | 58.24 | 148.68 | 3124.67 | |
| Gilan | 48.48 | 238.6 | 0.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 287.41 | |
| Goravan Sands | 0 | 106.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 106.93 | 0 | 213.47 | |
| Goris | 11.93 | 934.73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 847.96 | 96.39 | 1901.05 | |
| Hankavan Hydrological | 191.05 | 783.42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 976.53 | |
| Hazel-Nut | 0 | 40.73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.58 | 0.24 | 41.48 | |
| Herher Open Woodland | 7.17 | 2047.41 | 6.58 | 0 | 35.85 | 0 | 0 | 2098.67 | |
| Ijevan | 5725.75 | 2048.54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.7 | 7.29 | 7793.64 | |
| Jermuk | 726.01 | 3336.61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.94 | 0 | 4066.48 | |
| Jermuk Hydrological | 388.69 | 2163.31 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0 | 28.1 | 2581.86 | |
| Juniper Open Woodlands of Sevan | 8.9 | 3764.79 | 21.6 | 0 | 0.2 | 60.96 | 70.75 | 3930.40 | |
| Khor Virap | 0.01 | 124.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.28 | 31.71 | 2.45 | 159.37 | |
| Margahovit | 2285.4 | 2222.63 | 0 | 0.14 | 0 | 69.85 | 23.13 | 4604.38 | |
| Pine of Banx | 0 | 4.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.61 | |
| Pine of Gyulagarak | 1768.24 | 661.81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.27 | 0.61 | 2446.95 | |
| Plane Grove | 1098.25 | 1049.34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.43 | 13.58 | 2174.57 | |
| Sev Lich | 0 | 150.56 | 0.47 | 0 | 89.14 | 0 | 0 | 240.32 | |
| Yeghegis | 230.75 | 1927.08 | 0.45 | 0 | 0 | 0.52 | 36.32 | 2196.95 | |
| Zangezur | 127.06 | 24156.19 | 241.24 | 3.54 | 33.9 | 2.03 | 0 | 24711.29 | |
| Zikatar | 2691.57 | 504.37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3198.61 |
The PAs include all vegetation types except desert vegetation, which is represented by a single small area not included in any PA. For definitive conclusions, clarification of both PA boundaries and vegetation zones is necessary. 
Figure 2. The share of potential area of vegetation/ecosystem types in PAs, %
Table 2. Area of vegetation/ecosystem types in PAs, ha
(* the total area of PAs shown on the map used may differ from the official data, as the PA boundaries on the map require further clarification)
| PA type | PA | Alpine meadows and carpets | Subalpine meadows | Meadow-steppe | Forest | Juniper | Broadleaf woodland | Steppe | Semi-desert | Marsh | No data | Total area of PA* |
| State Reserves | Erebuni | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88.34 | 0 | 0 | 88.34 |
| Khosrov Forest | 0 | 268.64 | 0 | 8533.69 | 0 | 14.72 | 12399.13 | 1626.9 | 3.58 | 3.65 | 22850.31 | |
| Shikahogh | 0 | 405.25 | 0 | 11224.97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 176.04 | 11806.26 | |
| National Parks | Sevan | 0 | 0 | 16.03 | 20957.52 | 0 | 0 | 5204.09 | 0 | 0 | 125080.4 | 151258.04 |
| Dilijan | 0 | 6667.11 | 15.37 | 30799.09 | 0 | 0 | 1701.68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39183.25 | |
| Arpi Lake | 2375.27 | 17575.65 | 32567.51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.31 | 0 | 4514.36 | 726.23 | 57799.33 | |
| Arevik | 4371.3 | 6231.62 | 0 | 23943.92 | 0 | 5172.4 | 0 | 1651.39 | 0 | 461.27 | 41831.9 | |
| Protected landscape | Arpa | 0 | 490.08 | 0 | 73.14 | 17.23 | 0 | 6997.61 | 574.26 | 0 | 0 | 8152.32 |
| State Sanctuaries | Akhnabat Yew Grove | 0 | 24.85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.85 |
| Aragats Alpine | 300.77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 300.77 | |
| Ararat Vordan Karmir | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 205.36 | 0 | 0 | 205.36 | |
| Arzakan and Meghradzor | 1.87 | 5171.99 | 699.07 | 8547.13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86.52 | 0 | 14506.58 | |
| Boghaqar | 0.32 | 600.73 | 0 | 2269.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2870.72 | |
| Caucasian Rose-Bay | 0 | 235.19 | 0 | 1051.5 | 0 | 560.51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1847.2 | |
| Gandzakar-Upper Aghdan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3907.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3907.5 | |
| Getik | 0 | 1057.62 | 491.27 | 1573.96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3122.85 | |
| Gilan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 187.18 | 0 | 0 | 87.72 | 11.24 | 0 | 1.17 | 287.31 | |
| Goravan Sands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 213.4 | 0 | 0 | 213.4 | |
| Goris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1900.32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1900.32 | |
| Hankavan Hydrological | 0 | 0 | 0 | 975.77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 975.77 | |
| Hazel-Nut | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41.55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41.55 | |
| Herher Open Woodland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 177.97 | 938.57 | 0 | 388.05 | 592.42 | 0 | 0 | 2097.01 | |
| Ijevan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6581.18 | 0 | 1206.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7787.28 | |
| Jermuk | 0 | 0 | 164.7 | 1896.6 | 1932.97 | 0 | 69.29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4063.56 | |
| Jermuk Hydrological | 0 | 351.27 | 136.5 | 2092.38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2580.15 | |
| Juniper Open Woodlands of Sevan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 298.17 | 861.83 | 0 | 2767.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3927.2 | |
| Khor Virap | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 159.25 | 0 | 0 | 159.25 | |
| Margahovit | 0 | 2440.85 | 0 | 2160.31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4601.16 | |
| Pine of Banx | 0 | 4.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.62 | |
| Pine of Gyulagarak | 0 | 2.62 | 0 | 2442.31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2444.93 | |
| Plane Grove | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2160.46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.97 | 2173.43 | |
| Sev Lich | 0.07 | 240.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 240.17 | |
| Yeghegis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1527.23 | 619.04 | 0 | 37.75 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | 2195.12 | |
| Zangezur | 15340.85 | 7825.73 | 0 | 1148.02 | 0 | 45.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 336.57 | 24696.79 | |
| Zikatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3195.94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3195.94 |
Changes in the area of land cover classes from 2017 to 2023
Figure 3. Changes in the area of land cover classes within PAs
Distance from natural monuments to anthropogenic areas and roads
As an example of assessing anthropogenic threats to ‘point’ ecosystems and natural objects of very small area, distances were measured between the natural monuments shown on the PA map provided by Acopian Center for the Environment, American University of Armenia, and anthropogenic areas (built-up areas and croplands according to the ESRI 2023 land cover), roads (including main roads and all other roads including trails from the dataset of Forest Atlas of Armenia), and population polygons with more than 100 residents (based on the Kontur Population Dataset).
It is important to note that in this type of analysis, even minor errors in land cover classification—amounting to just a few pixels—can significantly distort the calculated distances to natural monuments. Therefore, to obtain reliable results, it is essential to use land cover data specifically refined for Armenia.
Figure 4. The map of natural monuments used (in details see here Section Protected Areas)
Figure 5. An Example of distances for Dasak Biological Monument in Armavir marz
Figure 4. Distance from different categories of natural monuments to various types of anthropogenic areas and roads, in meters.
Pop-100 – hexagons with a population of more than 100 people.
