Part I

Draft Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ESIA
Akhalkalaki district occupies volcanic plateau of Javakheti, having wavy surface and
containing hills and canyon-like gorges. Most of the area has only grassy vegetation. Major
landscapes include:
Canyon-like gorges.
Lava plateaus with mountainous steppe vegetation.
Foothills with steppe-meadows.
Complex of wetlands and meadows on the banks of lakes, or former lakes, with
water and wetland vegetation.
Subalpine and alpine meadows with grass located over 2200 meters.
Along this section important
landscapes include Ktsia-Tabatskuri
Managed Reserve, which
encompasses Lake Tabatskuri
(Figure 4.1-8.), wetlands of highconservation
value (Nariani Veli and
Ktsia wetlands), and Mt. Tavkvetili.
These areas provide habitat to rich
biodiversity and endemic species of
flora and fauna, including many
important nestling and migratory
birds. This section also includes
Tetrobi Managed Reserve, which
supports ecosystems and
biodiversity similar to those of Ktsia-
Tabatskuri. The areas around the
lakes of Panishgel and Jamushgel,
Figure 4.1-8. Winter in Tabatskuri Lake area
and near the nearby village
Kizilkilsa, are characterized by high-mountain sedge-dominated wetlands. Finally, there are
a few groves of artificial pine forest intended for soil protection and water regulation near
village Kizilkilsa.
The rugged relief of Aspindza district is richly vegetated by tree and grass plants, forming the
following landscapes:
Terrace bottom of river valleys with mountain steppes and shrubs.
Middle-mountains with oak-hornbeam, beech, mixed deciduous-coniferous (pinebeech-dark
coniferous) and pine forests. Oak and beech characterize the lower
forests, pines the upper forest.
Subalpine and alpine meadows with steppe grasses.
Sensitive sites in this section in Aspindza district include the outskirts of the villages of
Damala and Oshora, where the line crosses forested areas.
The main landscapes of Akhaltsikhe district are moderately dry sub-tropical plains, humid
and moderately humid mountain forest, mountain steppe, and subalpine zones. These
include:
River floodplains with riparian (tugai) forests.
Terraced river valleys, with mountain steppe and phryganoid vegetation.
Middle mountains with hornbeam-oak and beech forests.
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