COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

(“Launching the Conservation of Georgia’s Natural Monuments”) (http://www.nacres.org.), in which
the objects of high conservation value in the ecosystems of beech forests are included.
The first logical step for resolution of the problem of the ex-situ conservation of species diversity is
a formation of a living collection and seed banks in botanical gardens, protected areas and in the
areas attached to education or scientific research centers.
ForesT research
Currently the Vasil Gulisashvili Forest Institute performs the administration of the project
“Afforestation and optimization of harvested Beech stands in Adjara for supporting sustainable
development” The project goal is to study the existing situation of the ecosystems in the beech forest
areas of the Adjara region affected by felling activities; study the influence of these ecosystems on
the protective ecological functions and devise science-based measures for the recovery of the forest
ecosystems.
In order to address the problems of sustainable management of forest resources in accordance with
the strategy and action plan of Georgia on biodiversity (web-site: http://www.nacres.org/pdf/bsap_
ge.pdf), the following strategic principles must be taken into account:
• The ecosystems of virgin forests are substantial and important for the preservation of the general
functional state of the forests;
• Sustainable utilization and management of forest ecosystems must make possible the preservation
of their main environmental processes, biological diversity, fertility and renewable capacity;
• Complete inventory of forest resources is essential for sustainable management of forest
resources;
• Sustainable utilization and management of Georgian forests must contribute in the preservation
of local and global ecosystems;
• The conditions are to be considered, which damage or cause deterioration to the general functional
state of Georgian forests;
• The fundamental environmental functions of Georgian mountain forests must be considered;
• Considerable part of Georgian mountain forests are to be preserved in a more or less virgin state
and respectively they are to be considered as the resources of international importance;
• It should be taken into account that sustainable utilization and preservation of forest resources
and their flora and fauna may be provided by coordination of the national policy and international
efforts.
The above requirements are the main purpose and tasks for development of forestry based on the
principles of sustainable development and are as follows:
• Elaborating, implementation and analysis of demonstration projects for estimation of new and
traditional forms of management of forest resources;
• Providing of moratorium on timber logging in old forest stands and forests of high conservation
value and implementation of priority principles for the protection of stands of such type of
forests;
• Use of methods of planning of land utilization and zoning in management of these forest
resources;
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