New campaign targets illegal tree cutting for New Year

"Don’t cut a tree, decorate it" – Georgia has launched a new campaign to prevent illegal cutting of trees before New Year.

The new initiative encouraged large companies to choose a fir tree anywhere in Georgia and decorate it any way they want, without cutting the tree.

A tree could be selected anywhere in parks, gardens, recreational squares or elsewhere in Tbilisi and the regions.

A company employee hangs decorations on a tree for New Year. Photo by the Georgian Christmas Tree/Facebook

Georgia’s Minister of Environment and Monument Protection Gigla Agulashvili introduced the campaign, saying it was to discourage tree cutting for Christmas and New Year.

The initiative was soon joined by a number of companies who pledged to decorate trees in public spots.

A number of companies joined the initiative and decorated trees for New Year. Photo by the Georgian Christmas Tree/Facebook

In Georgia, the most common New Year trees are the Caucasian spruce (Picea orientalis) and Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana). Each of these trees need 100-120 years to grow to reach 50 metres. The trees live from 150 to 300 years.

The Environment Ministry said control would tighten on illegal tree cutting during the holiday season and those who broke the rules would be punished.