Innovative Plans for Nature-Friendly Ecotourism Development Unveiled for State Forest Fund Lands in Eight Municipalities of Georgia
Kutaisi, 29 July 2026 — Around 40 representatives of the National Forestry Agency, local authorities, local communities, and partner organisations gathered at Gelati Residence Hotel in Kutaisi to discuss and endorse innovative plans for nature-friendly ecotourism development on State Forest Fund lands across eight priority municipalities in Georgia.
The plans were developed for 13 priority forest areas, including:
- Samegrelo–Zemo Svaneti Region: Ecotourism infrastructure is planned in the municipalities of Tsalenjikha(Chales forest area near the village of Muzhava, and Jvari forest area near the villages of Chqvaleri and Intra), Chkhorotsku (Mukhuri and Taia forest areas near the village of Mukhuri), and Martvili (Tsachkhuru and Salkhino forest areas).
- Imereti Region: The project covers Baghdati (Vani–Baghdati forest area in Khani Forestry), Vani (Sulori forest area near the village of Inashauri), Kutaisi (Tskaltubo–Kutaisi forest area in Tskhunkuri), Kharagauli (Rikotkhevi forest area), and Sachkhere (Mokhva and Kvereti forest areas).
"As Georgia positions itself as a country with significant ecotourism potential, developing nature-friendly tourism infrastructure within forest areas is one of the National Forestry Agency's key priorities," said Natia Iordanishvili, Deputy Head of the National Forestry Agency under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
"At a time when forestry reform in Georgia is entering an active phase, these development plans are both timely and highly practical. They contribute to sustainable forest management while promoting the multiple-use functions of forests," said Karlo Amirgulashvili, Head of the Forest Department at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
The initiative is being implemented under the European Union-funded EU4Environment Programme ("Greener Economy in the Eastern Partnership Countries"), with support from the World Bank.
The project is carried out in close cooperation between the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA), the National Forestry Agency (NFA), and the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus).
