Part I

Draft Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ESIA
Volcanic mountains with beech-coniferous and pine forest
Subalpine meadows.
In Akhaltsikhe district the route crosses the expansion zone of Borjomi-Kharagauli National
Park, inhabited by arboreal plant communities of high conservation value.
Other important ecosystems include an area south of Atskuri, which has a high abundance
of populations of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), which is listed in the Georgian
Red Data Book. IN addition, the surroundings of village. Klde support riparian natural forests
of Tamarisk, or Salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima) White willow (Salix alba), Sea buckthorn,
Black poplar, and Gray poplar. The Akhaltsikhe (Meskheti) Depression near Skhvilisi is an
area of high endemism that is regarded as the local centre for species formation; it supports
numerous endemic and relict species and communities. Finally, the area near Vale town
has riparian forest of black poplar, willow, salt cedar, white willow, and other species. In
addition, Globe Daisy (Globularia trichosantha), a Georgian Red Data Book species, and
Eastern thorn (Crataegus orientalis), a regionally rare species, both occur here.
The Baghdati district occupies high, middle and low mountainous areas, including the
Meskheti Range. The primary landscapes are of subtropical plains, humid mountainous
forests and mountainous meadows, including:
Low plain with Colchic vegetation and oak forests.
Foothills with Colchic vegetation.
Colchic middle mountains with beech, beech-dark coniferous forests, with
evergreen understorey.
Caucasian upper-mountain landscape with beech and pine forests.
Caucasian sub-alpine landscapes with combination of meadows, high-herb
communities, elfin woods and thickets.
Alpine meadows.
Zestaphoni district is characterized by humid subtropical plains, foothills, and mountains, in
particular:
Humid subtropical floodplains with meadow-forest vegetation (alder tree)
Sloped terraced low-plain and foothills with polydominant Colchic forests of
hornbeam, oak, beech, zelkova, chestnut, alder-tree with evergreen and
deciduous substorey (ilex, nut, hawthorn, lianas)
Humid subtropical hilly plateau with oak-hornbeam forests
Humid low mountains with beech forests.
4.1.2.2 Protected areas
The corridor of the proposed transmission line passes through three protected areas:
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park and two managed reserves, Gardabani and Ktsia-
Tabatskuri. Each is described below, again from east to west.
4.1.2.2.1 Gardabani Managed Nature Reserve
Managed reserves are defined by the Law of Georgia on Protected Areas System (see
Chapter 3). The law gives details regarding their management plans and activities permitted
in protected areas. According to the law, activities permitted within Managed Reserves
comprise manipulative management to maintain or improve the value. Non-permissible
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