Yerevan City Law on Green Zone Management
This document, Decision N 36-N of the Yerevan Council of Elders dated November 18, 2009, establishes the mandatory regulations for the protection, maintenance, and usage of public green spaces in Yerevan, defining these areas to include parks, groves, lawns, and roadside vegetation.
Please note that the decision does not regulate how exactly trees should be cut or planted, that's all up to the chief dendrologist.
Key takeaways
[1] Broad definition of protected areas: the law establishes a comprehensive definition for "green spaces," extending protection to all public areas in Yerevan that contain vegetation. This explicitly includes not only major parks, groves, and gardens but also boulevards, lawns, roadside vegetation, and any other section of the city covered by plants or trees (1.2).
[2] Strict rules for tree cutting and removal: the cutting of trees, shrubs, or the removal of soil cover is generally prohibited and is legal only under strictly defined exceptions, such as urban development projects with positive environmental impact assessments (4.12.1) or sanitary pruning coordinated with the Chief Dendrologist (4.12.2). In cases of emergency utility repairs, the greenery must be restored afterwards (4.12.4) , and any removal activity essentially requires a formal permit from the authorized body (4.13).
[3] Mandatory compensatory greening: the decision enforces a policy of "compensatory greening," which is a mandatory requirement to reproduce or restore green spaces that have been damaged or destroyed (5.14). This restoration must be executed either on the same land or on a different plot designated by the authorized body (5.15) and must be fully funded by the person or entity responsible for the damage (5.17).
[4] Prohibited activities in green zones: to ensure the physical protection of these areas, the law explicitly bans a wide range of common activities, including the burning of leaves or dry grass (6.18.2) , the driving or parking of vehicles on green areas (6.18.3) , the storage of construction materials or waste (6.18.4) , and the washing or repairing of automobiles (6.18.5).
[5] Commercial restrictions and liability: business activities within green spaces are permissible only with a specific permit from the authorized body (8.26) and are strictly prohibited from using explosive, flammable, or toxic materials (8.27). Any violation of these rules, or the infliction of damage, subjects the offender to administrative liability under the laws of the Republic of Armenia (10.36) and requires full compensation for the damage caused (9.28).