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David Songulashvili: “Forest protection is our top priority; accordingly, we are actively implementing a comprehensive reform in this field”
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. David Songulashvili, attended the ceremony marking the delivery of high-mobility vehicles and specialized equipment to regional National Forestry Agency offices.
The Deputy Minister, Mr. Giorgi Tskrialashvili, and the Head of the National Forestry Agency, Mr. Besik Amiranashvili, also attended the event.
The National Forestry Agency acquired 45 high-mobility vehicles, 14 drones, 300 camera traps, and body cameras to enhance the prevention of illegal logging and timber transport, as well as to improve operational efficiency.
According to Minister Songulashvili, enhancing the Agency’s operational capacity represents one of the key areas of the ongoing forestry reform, adding that plans envisage the comprehensive re-equipment of forest rangers and the optimization of their areas of responsibility to further improve the effectiveness of their operations.
“Forest protection is our priority. Accordingly, a significant reform is being implemented in the forest management area. Moreover, one of the key components of the reform is crime prevention, which requires the technical strengthening and proper equipping of the Forestry Agency. I am confident that the steps we have taken will fully ensure the achievement of our core objectives - forest protection and the prevention of illegal activities,” stated Mr. David Songulashvili.
According to Mr. Besik Amiranashvili, the 2026 budget for the ongoing forestry reform envisages additional measures to further enhance the Agency’s efficiency. Furthermore, the Agency plans to purchase 54 additional high-mobility vehicles and equip forest rangers with radio transmitters and electronic tablets.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture is implementing a major reform in the forestry sector. Within the reform, responsibility for the physical protection of forests is being returned to the National Forestry Agency. Notably, the forestry reform considers the addition of 401 forest rangers, which will reduce the area of responsibility per ranger from 10,000–15,000 hectares to approximately 2,000 hectares. Ultimately, salaries for forest rangers have been doubled as part of the reform.