Sevan National Park SNCO was established in 1978 and incorporates the surface area of Lake Sevan, as well as the lake-bed emerged as a result of subsidence of the water-level. It occupies an area of 150.1 thousand hectares of which 24.8 thousands - on the shore.
Sevan National Park is an environmental research institution, which implements and monitors the safeguard of natural complexes and wildlife resources in the basin of Lake Sevan and the lake itself, as well as coordinates and exercises control over the measures aimed at the conservation of historical and cultural monuments within the Park.
The territory of the Park is divided into 3 functional zones - reserve, recreational and economic. The park area is divided into 3 territorial-functional zones: protected area, recreational zone and economic section. Any activity susceptible to impair natural ecosystems equilibrium or put at risk the survival of monuments of scientific and cultural interest is prohibited in the protected area. Human activities here are confined to scientific research and tourism. Environmental activities and those associated with the use of natural resources in full conformity with park protection requirements are allowed in the recreational and economic zones of the park.
There is also a protected zone in the Park which encompasses the areas situated between Park's outer boundaries and the watersheds encircling the Lake's basin. There are 4 separate reserves on the territory of the Park that have an aggregate surface of 3700 ha, 10 reservations extending 500m off the river mouths, as well as 7200 hectares in recreational zone, of which 3000 - on the shore.
The chief target of protection is Lake Sevan with its unique in their kind, endemic flora and fauna found in the basin of the lake.