Racha National Park, more projects to increase Georgian protected areas by 100,000 hectares
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. Photo: georgiantour.com
Tweet 
Share
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.
The Georgian Government will create the Racha National Park green area in the west of the country, with new jobs, preservation of biodiversity and sustainable management of natural resources among the goals of the project.
A new protected area will be created in western Georgia’s Imereti region to protect biodiversity and endangered species in the locality, the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture announced on Tuesday.
A new national park will be set up in western Georgia's Guria province to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems of local forests and promote tourism in the area.
German state development bank KfW will help Georgia implement a 'Biodiversity and Sustainable Local Development - Georgia' project with a new grant of €24 million, announces the Ministry of Finance of Georgia.