Azerbaijan Delegation got acquainted with the model of forest use
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan delegation visited the "business yard" of Lisi in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region within the framework of the visit to Georgia. Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Kakha Kakabadze informed the delegation about the ongoing forestry reforms and forest use rules.
"We introduced the model of forest use to our Azerbaijani colleagues. We think that the operation of the "business yards" arranged throughout the country will significantly reduce the negative pressure on the forest and, most importantly, the population will have easier access to firewood", - said the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Kakha Kakabadze.
It should be noted, that after the adoption of the new Forest Code, the forestry reform is being intensively carried out, and within its framework, the so-called "business yards" are arranged in all municipalities of Georgia.
"Business yard" ensures the supply of wood resources to the population. 30 "business yards" have already been set up across the country. Work is underway for the arrangement of 9 "business yards" which will be completed by the end of the year. At the initiative of the National Forestry Agency, in 2023, 17 additional "business yards" will be arranged. As a result, the use of forests for wood resources production will be carried out more effectively, and illegal cutting will be reduced. Further modernization of the Agency and equipping it with modern equipment is essential for the effective implementation of activities.
"One of the priority directions of future cooperation between the two countries in the field of environmental protection is the sharing of experience in sustainable forest management. All the reforms implemented in the forestry sector contribute to the foundation of sustainable forest management. We also have a similar model of "business yard" in Azerbaijan, and if our foresters come to Georgia, they will get to know the practices here surely, it will be important for future cooperation", - said the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, Mukhtar Babaev.
The goal of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture is to replace social logging with such services of the Forestry Agency, which will be more convenient for wood resource users.
