Armenia’s ministry of nature protection is launching cooperation with the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, in the framework of which an arboretum will be created in the territory of the observatory.

Minister of nature protection Artsvik Minasyan on Monday, November 20 visited the observatory, toured the park and learnt more about the main telescope.

The observatory had proposed creating a arboretum in its premises back in 2010, and Minasyan was recently briefed on the matter.

Director of the observatory Areg Mikayelyan said on Monday that astronomers attach great importance to environmental issues, in particular, to light pollution (presence of anthropogenic light in the night environment).

The minister noted, in turn, that the observatory’s 50ha area has a great diversity of plants and animals, and that adding more types of species is vital for the observatory, which is considered a national value.