Khosrov Forest State Reserve

Khosrov Forest State Reserve , is a nature reserve in Ararat Province of Armenia. The reserve is one of the oldest protected areas in the world having a history of about 1700 years. It was founded in the 4th century by the order of Khosrov Kotak, King of Armenia who gave it his name. It was founded to improve the naturalclimatic conditions of adjacent territories of Artashat - the capital city of Armenia of the given period and the newly established Dvin city to ensure conservation and enrichment of flora and fauna species; serve as a ground for royal hunting, military exercises and entertainments.This area was designated “State Reserve” in September 1958 and covers around 23213.5 ha at the altitudes from 700 to 2800 m above sea level.The Khosrov reserve protects juniper and oak forests from Tertiary Period, arid associations of semi-desert and phrygana landscapes and other Mediterranean relict plant ecosystems as well as the genetic fund of rare animals and plants adapted to the reserve conditions. It also includes wetlands of international importance. Khosrov Forest State Reserve thanks to its numerous peculiarities is unique not only in Armenia but also in the whole Caucasus ecoregion.Since 2002, administrative, scientific, practical and organizational activities in the reserve have been implemented by the “Khosrov Forest” State Reserve State Non-Commercial Organization of the Bioresources Management Agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia. According to the reserve charter the main goals of the reserve establishment are to ensure natural development of water and terrestrial ecosystems of the Revers Azat and Vedi basins, to protect the landscapes and biological diversity including the genetic fund of rare and endangered plants and animals as well as their habitats, to implement scientific research and to create prerequisites for the development of scientific-educational tourism, environmental education and responsibility.The following protected areas are under the subordination of the “Khosrov Forest” State Reserve SNCO: Khosrov Forest state reserve, which at present is divided into 4 districts- Garni , Kaqavaberd , Khosrov , and Khachadzor. Goravan Sands state sanctuary Khor Virap state sanctuary Realizing the importance of the reserve, on August 26 in 2013 “Khosrov Forest” State Reserve SNCO was awarded with European Diploma of Protected Areas.The reserve has wonderful landscapes, rich biological diversity, huge variety of interesting and important untouched forests that are the result of long-term preservation, proper management plan and structure. The Khosrov forest is the evidence of the Armenians' caring attitude towards historical monuments. Thanks to their attitude, the virgin forest located near the current capital of Armenia-Yerevan has been preserved for 17 centuries.
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