2008 Annual Report Sustainable Use, Livelihoods Make Georgian Plan a Breakthrough
A conservation group in the Republic of Georgia has realized a milestone for the Caucasus Hotspot with a landmark management plan balancing sustainability and development while opening the door for transboundary cooperation along the West Lesser Caucasus biodiversity conservation corridor.
With CEPF support and input from all stakeholders, the Association for Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (Mta-Bari) has developed the management blueprint for the buffer zone surrounding Mtirala National Park. Roughly 20,000 hectares of mostly pristine mountain forest fall under the purview of the document, which identifi es areas for intervention and lays the groundwork for careful land use.
“The plan contains needed guidelines for sustainable use of natural resources and generation of alternative livelihoods, such as beekeeping, grape cultivation and small-scale tourism,” explained Zurab Manvelidze, project coordinator and Mta-Bari chairman. “It is the first of its kind in the hotspot and should serve as an important template for work in other protected areas of the Caucasus.”
Unique geology, terrain and climate have made the Caucasus among the most biologically diverse regions in the temperate world. A quarter of its 6,500 species of vascular plants are found nowhere else on Earth – the highest level of endemism in the temperate zone. However, unsustainable use of forests, poaching and overharvesting of decorative plants are major threats to the buffer zone and the park.
Beyond establishing a framework to counter these threats, the management plan, which
has been approved by the Georgian government, has also served as a launch point for
discussions on transboundary cooperation with Turkey. Its Jamili Biosphere Reserve is
a short distance from the Mtirala buffer zone and borders a proposed protected area in
Georgia’s Machakhela region. Close cooperation between the countries would strengthen conservation in the region while promoting tourism and other economic opportunities for communities.