A network of specially protected areas was first established in Armenia in 1958 to protect ecosystems, habitats and rare, endemic and threatened species. There are currently five State Reserves, 22 State Reservations and one national park registered, which together cover around 311,000 ha, or 10% of the surface of the country. Around 60% of Armenian species are represented within the protected area network, however there is a bias towards forest habitats, and a need to expand the system to include better representation of other ecosystems.

State Reserves are established to provide high levels of protection for important habitats and species, and human use within reserves is restricted to scientific research. State Reserves therefore represent strict nature reserves, with respect to IUCN criteria. The Ministry of Nature Protection has overall responsibility for State Reserves, and manages two reserves (Erebuni and Sev Lich). Three more reserves (Dilijan, Shikahogh and Khosrov) are managed by 'Hayantar' State Enterprise (under the authority of the Ministry of Nature Protection). An outline of the five reserves, and their focal habitats and species is shown in Annex 11.

A number of problems linked to design and effectiveness of protection affect the State Reserves.

· Use by local people. Despite their designation as strictly protected areas, local communities have become established in a number of reserves (including Khosrov, Dilijan, and Shikahogh). Activities such as tree-cutting, poaching, grazing and plant collection by surrounding communities affect most reserves (including Khosrov, and Dilijan). A law developed in 1985 to exclude communities from the reserve and reclaim the appropriated lands has not been enforced to date. The effects of the energy crisis in the early 1990s led to increased pressure on forested areas in reserves - for example, 4000 ha within Dilijan reserve was felled, mainly around settlements within the reserve. Erebuni also suffers from being close to urban areas. The lack of effective buffer zones for reserves is an important issue when considering the needs for multiple land use in these areas.

· Lack of resources. The lack of equipment and financial resources substantially affect the effectiveness of protection activities, particularly through the inability to regularly patrol the reserve and regulate poaching and other illegal activities. Reduced staffing and low wages for park staff are also major constraints to effective protection, particularly in Dilijan reserve. Shikahogh reserve urgently requires staff training, as well as financial and technical assistance.

· Lack of complete gazettement. Until recently Shikahogh Reserve had not been formally gazetted or managed, and the park existed only on paper, without formal legal status. No staff were in place for management, research or support activities. A management unit was established in 1998, but this still lacks financial resources and suffers from a weak technical base, and the reserve has not yet been fully demarcated.

· Poor reserve design. Although Khosrov reserve is among the best protected, it suffers from being divided into eight separate sections, the borders of which do not take account of local topography and landscapes. The migration routes of many species have not been taken into account in the design of the reserve (including routes for mouflon, leopard and wild goats), and the location of water resources has not been considered in relation to the position of the reserve. A number of key habitats close to the reserve are not included within its boundaries. Shikahogh reserve does not incorporate the important Tsav plane grove, which needs special protection.

· Lack of knowledge. Financial restrictions have limited the amount of research and inventory work done in reserves, which in turn has affected the efficiency of management and the monitoring of biodiversity. Khosrov reserve has been relatively well studied, but financial cuts have restricted scientific work in recent years. No survey work has been conducted in Dilijan for several years, and little research has been conducted at either Shikahogh or Sev Lich reserves.

State Reservations were established to protect a range of rare and important habitats and species in Armenia, and to improve the balance between economic use and nature protection in the country. In reservations, some economic activities are allowed, although these are expected to be regulated to prevent ecological damage. Most reservations are managed by 'Hayantar' State Enterprise, but some are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Nature Protection and Ministry of Agriculture, and one is managed by the National Academy of Science. Details of the 22 reservations in Armenia are shown in Annex 11.

Reservations suffer many of the same problems as reserves, particularly in relation to over-use of biological resources.

· Tree-cutting. Removal of trees is a clear problem in a number of reservations including those designed to protect Tsav plane grove, Juniper scrub forests, (where forest has become thinned and regeneration is limited), Gjulakari grove, Pine Banksi, Ijevan, Gandzakar - Verin Aghda and rosebay scrub forests.

· Overgrazing. Illegal use of pasture land within reservations has affected a number of areas including those designed to protect Aragats alpine forests, rosebay scrub forests and Vordan karmir.

· Other activities. Some areas have also been affected by other activities, including sand extraction (Gorovan sandlands) and road construction (Gandzakar - Verin Aghdan).
· Design of reservations. For some reservations area designation appears to have proceeded without full scientific consideration, and does not take account of either topographical or ecological factors.