Reports on Environment and Urban Development for Alaverdy

GEO ALAVERDI: ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

resulted in massive destruction of forests and green areas around the cities and villages of the area, which, in its turn brought elimination of migrating and permanent anumal species from the area, because of destruction of the natural habitats thereof. Taking into account the steep and abrupt landscape of the area, various animal species can be observed in the territory (including both forest and savanna types). There are 15 animal species in the area that registered in the Armenian and International Red Books: Vormela peregusna, Lutra lutra meridionalis, Felis silvestris caucasica Satunin, Pantera pardus tullianus Valenciennes, Gyps fulvus Hablizi Linneaus, Deyocopus mertius pinetorum Brehm, Corvus corax corax Linneaus, Sylvia misoria misoria Bechtein, Monticola saxatilis saxatilis, Monticola solitarius solitarius Linneaus, Luscinia svecica occidentalis, Remiz pendulinus menzbier Zarudny, Tichodroma muraria, Testudo graeca Linneaus, Elaphe hohenackeri Strauch. 6. Analysis of environmental impacts The analysis of the condition of the ambient air in Alaverdi shows that the stationary source of air pollution – the copper processing plant, does not have air cleaning equipment, thus the whole volume of emissions are released directly into the open environment. The possible increase in the production of blister copper, or the maintenance of current production volumes, transit of own extraction of ore from company’s Drnbon mines (and possibly in future from Teghut’s mines), and production of pure copper will not only increase the amount of emissions signi fi cantly, but will contribute to formation of a number of other elements therein. The city does not have a properly (corresponding to the de fi ned requirements) constructed land fi ll; hence all the accumulated garbage in the city is directly released into the Debed River. As a result, the quality of water in the river has signi fi cantly been degraded. The residual of domestic rubbish, which rots and decays, is observed along the banks of the river. The expansion of the gas supply network in the city, the lack of heating systems has their negative impact on the quality of the atmosphere. The installation of heating systems will bring the emissions to the minimum, and will noticeably reduce the use of alternative energy sources, especially wood, hence contributing to the preservation of the forests (even though the cuttings in the forests are mostly illegal). The lack of a protective forest cover provides an opportunity for penetration of dust into the city. The active deserti fi cation of the city areas and the vicinity contributes thereto.

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CHAPTER 3: STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental Knowledge for Change