On March 25, in a warm atmosphere, Young Biologists Association and Armenia's National Scout Movement ANSM signed a memorandum of cooperation to establish Youth Environmental Club among Scouts' young people. Within the memorandum the members of Young Biologists Association will organise seminars, practical classes, individual works and field activities in order to familiarise Scout youth and pupils with Armenia's biodiversity, teach them to take care of nature and acquaint them with the Red Book of Armenia, as well as with the threatened species. The youth and schoolchildren will recognise their surrounding nature and will share their knowledge with their peers by conducting seminars in various schools.

The Young Conservationists Club in Armavir is already operating. The club's members organised their first meetings in May-June. During the most recent meeting, the schedule of the club's upcoming activities has been presented, as well as the groups of the club: mammalogy, ornithology, botany, herpetology and waste recycling. The participants also created the Facebook page of the club. This will enable the club to share information with the general public.

Next stage will be conservation education and development of the research capacity of the club members. The specialists from YBA will organise classes, workshops, field trainings etc.
The club has been established with the financial support of The Rufford Foundation.

Arsen Gasparyan

Young Conservationists Club, Armenia