“Our Goal Is to Ensure That Protected Areas Develop in Full Accordance with Nature Conservation Principles”
Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili visited the Javakheti Protected Areas alongside media representatives.
During the one-day media tour, the minister and journalists visited Madatapa and Bugdasheni lakes and explored the region’s natural, tourism, and cultural potential.
The tour focused particularly on protecting Javakheti’s unique ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, developing ecotourism, and creating new opportunities for communities living near protected areas.
“The Javakheti Protected Areas represent one of Georgia’s outstanding high-altitude ecosystems, particularly important for protecting bird diversity and migratory species. Madatapa and Bugdasheni lakes are designated as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance and provide vital habitats for numerous bird species during migration. Our goal is to ensure that protected areas develop in full accordance with nature conservation principles, preserving unique ecosystems and biodiversity while creating more opportunities for ecotourism,” said Davit Songulashvili.
As part of efforts to protect Javakheti’s natural heritage, a bezoar goat reintroduction project is being launched in the Tetrobі Managed Reserve. The project will be jointly implemented by the National Wildlife Agency, the Agency of Protected Areas, and the zoo. It aims to restore the bezoar goat population and strengthen Javakheti’s ecosystem.
Georgia currently has 112 protected areas, covering more than 1,066,175 hectares and accounting for over 15% of the country’s territory. Developing protected areas, safeguarding natural heritage, and expanding ecotourism opportunities are among the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture’s key priorities.
Visitor numbers at protected areas continue to grow each year. During the first eight months of this year, Georgia’s protected areas welcomed nearly 900,000 visitors, including more than 500,000 international visitors. Last year, visitor numbers reached a record high.
