Construction of a visitor centre in Javakheti National Park begins

Construction of a new visitor centre in a protected area in southern Georgia has begun.

The first stage of work to create the Javakheti Protected Areas Administrative and Visitor center building began today to preserve and protect one of Georgia’s treasured areas.

Javakheti became a protected area in 2011. The land developed into a National Park and now consisted of numerous wetlands including Madatapa, Bugdasheni, Khanchali, Kartsakhi and Sulda lakes.

There are many lakes on the Javakheti plateau, including the biggest lake in Georgia, named Paravani. Five of the country’s eight largest lakes are also located here.

Didi Abuli Mountain is the highest point of the National Park, measuring 3,300 meters above sea level.

The higher areas of the National Park are among the coldest places in the country. The land is characterized by a dry continental climate and a low average temperature. In winter, Javakheti lakes often freeze for long periods of time.

Territory of Javakheti Protected Area. Photo by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The National Park’s mountainous grasslands are nestled on Georgia’s borders with Armenia and Turkey.

Establishment of Javakheti National Park was supported by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) together with the German Development Bank (KFW) and the South Caucasus Office of the project implementing party World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

In 2013 the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources approved a Management Plan of the area, prepared by WWF. The plan will outline how the National Park should be managed for the next six years.

Moves to build a visitor centre in Javakheti National Park was implemented as part of the wider project to establish the National Park, and was carried out by the Agency of Protected Areas of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia.