The newly unveiled Racha National Park in Georgia’s west and other initiatives for creating new protected territories will increase the total area of protected natural locations of Georgia by 100,000 hectares this year, Environment Minister Otar Shamugia has revealed.
Shamugia called the move for the Park, unveiled at Monday’s Government meeting, a “new opportunity” for the region that would contribute to widening the total area of protected habitats - currently at around 800,000 hectares.
In the Racha National Park initiative, up to 50,894 hectares of land in western Georgia's Racha region have been designated to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems of local forests, promote tourism in the area and create new jobs.
Photo: georgiantour.com
It will be located in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti regions and involve the construction of an administrative center in the locality.
This is a new opportunity for the region, first of all for us to protect our unique nature that we have in this region and biodiversity, to take care of it. At the same time, it is an opportunity for the region to develop relevant ecotourism services, employ local people, earn income and develop businesses", the Environment Minister said on Monday.
Photo: georgiantour.com
Last year German state development bank KfW and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia signed a grant agreement of €24 million to implement the Biodiversity and Sustainable Local Development - Georgia project.
From the grant money, €16.25 will be spent on establishing new protected areas in Georgia, including the upcoming Racha protected area, the Ministry said.