Tougher punishment for illegal tree felling in Armenia

The Armenian government has approved a proposal on toughening punishments for the illegal felling of trees.

The current sentence of up to two-months imprisonment is set to increase to up to two years.

Those who drafted the proposal argued that the illegal felling of trees continued because the previous punishment was too lax. They believe that a stricter legislation will help solve the problem.

Large-scale tree felling began in the 1990s when Armenia went through an energy crisis. The only way that many Armenians were able to heat their homes was through burning wood. As a result, massive deforestation has taken place throughout the country.

Nevertheless, illegal tree felling continues in Armenia. Last year, the Tavush region alone lost at least 13,000 trees as a result.