Azerbaijan is focusing on Shikahogh, Armenia’s second largest forest reserve in the southeastern Syunik Province,  as a “soft spot” to make further territorial inroads into Armenia.

Hetq, using Planet satellite maps and Google Earth satellite photos estimates that Azerbaijan has already cut down some sixty hectares of forest in the reserve to build new military fortifications and roads in the border region separating the two countries.

Satellite images dating to 2023 have shown logging and new roads in the reserve and further upstream from the southeastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Azerbaijani military forces first crossed the border into Armenia in 2021 and continue to occupy an estimated twenty to eighty-three square miles of sovereign Armenian territory despite calls from the European Parliament, the U.S. and France to withdraw.

These Azerbaijani incursions continued in 2021, triggering military clashes along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Azerbaijan argues that it cannot be accused of occupying Armenian lands without official border demarcation.

The area of ​​the reserve is 12,371.1 hectares. From the south it borders the Arevik National Park, the watershed of the Meghri mountain range, and from the north-west, the Baghatssar and Khustup mountain ranges.

According to the reserve's regulations, the construction of roads, pipelines, power lines and other communication routes is prohibited here.

Ninety-four percent of the territory is covered with virgin forest. It’s the home of hundreds of flora and fauna species included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

According to data of the international forest monitoring organization Global Forest Watch, Armenia in 2021-23 lost some 100 hectares of natural forest, 88 hectares in 2023 alone.  

The Shikahogh State Reserve is part of the Zangezur Biosphere Complex SNCO.

Hetq contacted SNOC Director Arman Mkrtchyan to ascertain what information and observations they have in this regard. Mkrtchyan refused to talk to us, arguing we need to obtain prior permission from the Environment Ministry.

Hetq then contacted Minister of Environment Hakob Simidyan in writing, asking whether the ministry has studied how much forest has been cut down in the Shikahogh Reserve by Azerbaijan.

“In order to properly address the issues raised in the survey, additional communication is necessary with other interested departments. It is not possible to provide accurate quantitative data on the tree felling carried out in the territory of the Shikahogh State Reserve of the Zangezur” Biosphere Complex SNCO of the Ministry of Environment, since some parts of the mentioned territory are under the direct fire of the enemy,” said Sergo Atanesyan, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment.

We also asked Simidyan whether the ministry has alerted international organizations about the destruction of the Shikahogh Reserve's biodiversity and what, if any, steps are being taken to prevent further deforestation.

“The Republic of Armenia has ratified several international environmental agreements, conventions and protocols related to the protection of biodiversity, by which the implementation of the international obligations undertaken contributes to the effective protection of the environment and biodiversity through the coordinated implementation of bilateral and multilateral actions. Comprehensive and long-term measures are being implemented with international environmental organizations to ensure the sustainable management of the conservation of specially protected areas,” Atanesyan replied.

Hetq also wrote to Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, asking whether the Commission on Demarcation of the State Border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and Border Security knows how much of the territory of the Shikahogh Reserve has passed to Azerbaijani control.

We also asked if the commission has discussed the issue. We asked if the issue has been raised with Azerbaijan.

Our letter was forwarded from Pashinyan's to that of Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan.

Edgar Mkrtchyan, who heads Grigoryan’s office, responded to our inquiry, but did not refer to the Shikahogh reserve and the forests being cut down there, but only to the demarcation and referred to the press releases issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the results of all meetings of the commissions of the two countries.

Mkrtchyan reported that according to the press release issued on the results of the meeting of the commissions of the two countries on January 16, 2025, the parties agreed to begin comprehensive works on the demarcation of the state border from the northern part, from the point of intersection of the borders of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Georgia, and then in the southern direction, from north to south to the border of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“As a result, we inform you that at the moment, no works on the demarcation of the state border of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have been carried out in the Syunik Province of the Republic of Armenia,” Mkrtchyan responded.

Hetq has also sent inquiries on this topic to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. We will publish any responses as soon as we receive them.