The only female forestry leader in Armenia

Emma Gasparyan has been the forest manager of the Margahovit community of Lori region since January, the only female forest head in Armenia. She is a pharmacist by the first specialty, then a more beloved one by studying economics and management at the Agrarian University.

– The last one I chose to love and specialize. I have loved farming since childhood. cattle breeding, farming and beekeeping have always interested me. Then, as an adult, I came to the nursery with my father, paying attention to the forest. My father had preserved our forests for 17 years, and when he was retired, I was offered to continue my father’s business. I too agreed and became a forest chief – this is how Emma Gasparyan presents her short and fast path.

A rather unusual and unique work for a woman, Emma presents it with the comfort of a man well aware of it. She smiles when you hint at it and explains that you just have to love and understand the nature of the work;

“There was a light in the woods at night. I told my dad it was a suspicious light, so let’s go, let’s see what kind of car it is, why it went into the woods.”

Through the hard work of his father, Zhora Gasparyan, they have been able to raise the legal awareness of the people, and today they have already realized that there are almost no illegal deforestations in the area of Margahovit.

Margahovit Forestry has 4000 hectares of which 3200 hectares are forested. In the village, many years ago the mayor supported, provided land, set up 3 hectares of main nursery where they get bread, maple, birch, pine, oak from the seeds collected in the fall. They are planted, cared for, harvested, late fall, taken to the forest. Last year at the expense of the nursery 65 trees were covered with trees and last year – 70 hectares.

Emma Gasparyan’s father is also proud of his daughter’s work.

– It is very difficult to see from the outside, but when you get into the job, with the right regulation, everything is easier. And then, I know where and how my daughter is going to work today. I was overjoyed to find out about my daughter’s decision. I wanted to go on with my job, but I couldn’t tell myself, and when Emma made her decision on her own, I was very happy, ”says Jora Gasparyan, and frankly, In the case, but now it is different, and then, in recent years, he has been with me all the time, helping the cause on a social basis, has gained a lot of self-esteem and is now working very well. I’m already calm in that regard, ”concludes Emma’s father.