News
New grant agreement for Georgia’s Protected Areas
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili and the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Munkhtuya Altangerel signed a grant agreement on the project ‘’ Enhancing Financial Sustainability of the Protected Areas System in Georgia’’ . The agreement amounts to 9,785,000 US dollars under which the Agency for Protected Areas will receive 1,826,484 USD from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF).
The project " Enhancing Financial Sustainability of the Protected Areas System in Georgia" envisages financial sustainability in 12 target protected areas.
Specifically, the target areas include: Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Vashlovani Protected Area, Tusheti Protected Territory, Tusheti Protected Landscape, Mtirala National Park, Javakheti National Park, Kazbegi National Park, Algeti National Park, Kintrishi Protected Area, Machakhela National Park, Pshav-Khevsureti protected territories .
The grant will facilitate to the improvement of financial sustainability and capacity building in the protected areas system. Within the frame of the project, consultations will be provided, strategic documents will be created, new technologies will be introduced, inventory will be purchased etc.
Implementation of the project will facilitate to the development of eco-tourism in the protected areas, which will further improve the socio-economic situation of the residents living nearby protected areas.
The 5 year project will be implemented by the financial support of the Global Environmental Fund (GEF), UNDP, Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) and Bank of Georgia.