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The new “Rule on Forest Use” will not limit access of population to dog rose, blackberry, raspberry and etc.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia has determined that the new rule for forest use will ensure that population has access to non-timber products in forest, such as dog rose, blackberry, raspberry and etc. The new regulation does not limit population toward using non-timber resources. Moreover, upon request of private sector – commercial usage will also be permitted, which had been limited prior to adopting the new regulation.Therefore, there was absence of legal means for accessing non-timber resources, therefore, interested persons couldn’t have capacity for handling business legally and undertake export actions, not limited to realization. The latter will boost economic opportunities for the country.
The new rule for forest use has set forth permission for legal persons to utilize non-timber resources in forests for commercial use. These persons will have to apply for a permission to the forest management bodies and receive the respective permit for the duration of one year. A person, who holds the permit will be responsible to provide an annual report on acquired resources and pay a fee for utilizing natural resources, as set forth by the legislation.
The Government of Georgia adopted the “rule on forest use”; the respective by-law has been fully harmonized with the new “Forest Code” adopted by the Parliament of Georgia in May 2020, and entailing sustainable management principles of forest.
The new “rule on forest rule” has determined legislative mechanisms on sustainable management and use of forests, which will safeguard sustainable use of Georgia’s forest resources upon enhancing, as well as improvement of characteristics, protection and maintenance of ecological worth of forests.