March 21 - International Forest Day
The richness of the forests of Georgia is at the one of the first places in Europe. Almost 40% of the country is covered with forest. The forest is a national treasure. The great variety of its natural qualities is due to its geographical location. The natural forests of Georgia are mainly mountain forests, and they constitute 98% of all forests.
The species composition of the forests of Georgia is diverse, too. About 400 different species of trees and shrubs grow wildly, which are combined into 123 botanical genera and 56 families. Including, trees - 153 species; shrubs - 202 species; semi-shrubs - 29 species; liana - 11 species.
The forests of Georgia are managed by the National Forestry Agency. The management area is 1,804,950 ha. State forests are intended for the forest industry, national economy and the needs of the population and, most importantly, to perform huge social and ecological functions of national importance, such as forest water regulation, soil protection, climate regulation, balneology, recreation, sanitary and hygienic, aesthetic and others.
National Forestry Agency provides the maintenance and improvement of this treasure. During 25-30 years such important forest management measures as inventory, restoration, forest protection and etc. were limited and, even, stopped.
The Agency has restored the implementation of these activities. Namely:
A forest inventory was conducted in the designated areas of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Guria and Imereti on a total area of 232,127 hectares. At this stage, the forest inventory in Kakheti and Racha-Lechkhum Kvemo Svaneti continues. In 2019, it is planned to cover an area of 162,358 hectares.
In 2013-2018 forest restoration measures (natural forest renewal; forest planting; plantations of fast-growing trees; temporary forest nurseries) were implemented throughout the country in a total on 380 hectares; in 2019 is planned - 455 hectares. Forest restoration work was also carried out on burnt in 2008 and 2017 territories in Borjomi.
It should be noted, that the National Forestry Agency carries out forest restoration work with seeds collected on its own and seedlings grown in temporary forest nurseries;
During the years no measures were taken to protect the forest from parasites and diseases on the territory of State forest fund. The National Forestry Agency has held significant activities in this direction. Namely:
In 2014 the area of 1000 hectares of deciduous trees was treated from the air; in 2015 - 800 hectares;
Based on the results of a study conducted on an area of 26,000 hectares, 5,000 pheromone insect traps were placed on the territory of Samtskhe-Javakheti, with the help of which monitoring was carried out on the destruction of the spruce bark beetle. During 2013-2018 about 15 million parasites were destroyed in total. Monitoring and control activities will be held in 2019, too.
In order to improve the health of forests in contaminated locations, sanitary felling, followed by forest restoration measures, are carried out;
During 2016-2018 infected massifs of the Kolkhian boxwood of the Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti and Guria regions with an area of 550 hectares were treated with a biological preparation.
A great contribution was made by the agency in the field of education of the future generation, raising the professional level of young foresters;
In addition, it is also significant that forest management operations are carried out by residents of nearby settlements, which means that the agency takes care of the employment of the population;
The Agency has released educational literature, which will help both graduated foresters specialists of higher educational institutions, and students of professional educational institutions.
The Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia has developed a new draft law “Forest Code”, which was submitted by the Government of Georgia to the Parliament for approval. The purpose of the new code is to create a legal basis for sustainable forest management, which will ensure the protection of the biological diversity of the forest of Georgia, preserve and improve the quantitative and qualitative indicators of forest resources and properties for implementation of its social and economic functions. The new “Forest Code” will significantly improve sustainable forest management, and active public participation in this process is very important.
The species composition of the forests of Georgia is diverse, too. About 400 different species of trees and shrubs grow wildly, which are combined into 123 botanical genera and 56 families. Including, trees - 153 species; shrubs - 202 species; semi-shrubs - 29 species; liana - 11 species.
The forests of Georgia are managed by the National Forestry Agency. The management area is 1,804,950 ha. State forests are intended for the forest industry, national economy and the needs of the population and, most importantly, to perform huge social and ecological functions of national importance, such as forest water regulation, soil protection, climate regulation, balneology, recreation, sanitary and hygienic, aesthetic and others.
National Forestry Agency provides the maintenance and improvement of this treasure. During 25-30 years such important forest management measures as inventory, restoration, forest protection and etc. were limited and, even, stopped.
The Agency has restored the implementation of these activities. Namely:
A forest inventory was conducted in the designated areas of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Guria and Imereti on a total area of 232,127 hectares. At this stage, the forest inventory in Kakheti and Racha-Lechkhum Kvemo Svaneti continues. In 2019, it is planned to cover an area of 162,358 hectares.
In 2013-2018 forest restoration measures (natural forest renewal; forest planting; plantations of fast-growing trees; temporary forest nurseries) were implemented throughout the country in a total on 380 hectares; in 2019 is planned - 455 hectares. Forest restoration work was also carried out on burnt in 2008 and 2017 territories in Borjomi.
It should be noted, that the National Forestry Agency carries out forest restoration work with seeds collected on its own and seedlings grown in temporary forest nurseries;
During the years no measures were taken to protect the forest from parasites and diseases on the territory of State forest fund. The National Forestry Agency has held significant activities in this direction. Namely:
In 2014 the area of 1000 hectares of deciduous trees was treated from the air; in 2015 - 800 hectares;
Based on the results of a study conducted on an area of 26,000 hectares, 5,000 pheromone insect traps were placed on the territory of Samtskhe-Javakheti, with the help of which monitoring was carried out on the destruction of the spruce bark beetle. During 2013-2018 about 15 million parasites were destroyed in total. Monitoring and control activities will be held in 2019, too.
In order to improve the health of forests in contaminated locations, sanitary felling, followed by forest restoration measures, are carried out;
During 2016-2018 infected massifs of the Kolkhian boxwood of the Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti and Guria regions with an area of 550 hectares were treated with a biological preparation.
A great contribution was made by the agency in the field of education of the future generation, raising the professional level of young foresters;
In addition, it is also significant that forest management operations are carried out by residents of nearby settlements, which means that the agency takes care of the employment of the population;
The Agency has released educational literature, which will help both graduated foresters specialists of higher educational institutions, and students of professional educational institutions.
The Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia has developed a new draft law “Forest Code”, which was submitted by the Government of Georgia to the Parliament for approval. The purpose of the new code is to create a legal basis for sustainable forest management, which will ensure the protection of the biological diversity of the forest of Georgia, preserve and improve the quantitative and qualitative indicators of forest resources and properties for implementation of its social and economic functions. The new “Forest Code” will significantly improve sustainable forest management, and active public participation in this process is very important.
