Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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A New National Park to set up in the Guria region.

The final boundaries of Guria National Park were marked, following the completion of the survey and preparatory works in the Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti municipalities.

The draft law on creating a national park was presented to the population, facilitating a public discussion.  Moreover, the establishment of a new protected area in Guria is the joint initiative of the administration of the region and the Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti municipalities.
Since 2019, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Tbilisi office has conducted studies and - with the financial support of the Swedish Embassy - the unique natural resources and ecosystems of Guria have been assessed, the species of plants protected by the CITES Convention and endemic plants, types of forests and meadows of Georgia included in the International Red List have been evaluated. Their ecological state and potential for tourist development have been assessed, and zoological studies have been conducted.

Creating a national park in Guria will support the protection of unique ecosystems and biodiversity, increasing awareness of the region, sustainable development of ecotourism and region, and the employment of the local population.

During the public discussion, the representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and the Agency of Protected Areas of the Republic of Uzbekistan provided detailed information to the local government and society. The residents living in the surrounding areas, representatives of non-governmental organizations, local self-government, local Action Groups (LAG), and other interested persons attended the meeting.