Gov't approves new rule on forest use: what does it include?
As part of the new rule access to forest resources, both timber and non-timber, as well as wood waste, which is actively used to produce alternative and environmentally friendly energy sources, will be improved for the population, public and business sectors. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The government of Georgia has adopted a new rule on forest use that establishes a legal framework for sustainable forest management and use, while improving, protecting and preserving forest resources, announces the Ministry of Environment Protection of Georgia.
As part of the new rule access to forest resources, both timber and non-timber, as well as wood waste, which is actively used to produce alternative and environmentally friendly energy sources, will be improved for the population, public and business sectors", says the ministry.
The ministry added that access to forest resources will be based on a completely open and transparent process.
The production of firewood and timber will be provided only by forest management bodies, properly sorted and placed in storage areas, which are so called 'business yards', which will function in all municipalities of Georgia", said the ministry.
Selling forest resources will be possible through auction as well as through direct sale.
Prior to the adoption of the new rule on forest use, the use of forest resources for commercial purposes was prohibited.
Foresting licenses will no longer be issued in Georgia per the country’s new Forest Code, said head of the Department of Biodiversity and Forest Policy of Georgia’s Ministry of Environment and Agriculture Karlo Amirgulashvili.
Georgia has developed a new forest and land use atlas in cooperation between the Environment Ministry and Global Forest Watch project. During a presentation of the map today, Georgian Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili said the atlas makes information on environmental protection more available than it was earlier.
A new programme will be launched in 2019 to co-finance a new enterprise that will process forest waste, announces Georgia’s Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture.
The future of Georgia’s forested areas is looking bright following the launch of a new map that allows officials to monitor the growing and declining state of Georgia’s flora.