Information meetings were conducted to introduce the changes provided by the new forest code in the Guria region

The information meetings were organized by the EIEC under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, in order to introduce and discuss the changes provided by the new forest code in the Guria region. Meetings were held by the representatives of local community and non-governmental organizations,teachers and representatives of the private sector.

Ekaterine Bendeliani, the Deputy Director of the EIEC, launched the information meetings by discussing the  significance of sustainable forest management  and the necessity of increasing public awareness of this process.

The participants gained knowledge of the Georgian Forest Code, its difficulties, and the potential for implementing sustainable forest management practices in the area. They learned more about alternative energies, energy efficiency, and enhanced state control over forests.

The purpose of the information meetings is to introduce the possible benefits of society in the process of sustainable forest management and to provide information about the need for the involvement of stakeholders in this process.

The meetings were conducted within the framework of the "ECO.Georgia" project to support the reform of the forest sector in Georgia.The goal of the project is to reduce the pressure on the forest and forest loss in Georgia through sustainable forest management and conservation. At the same time, the project aims to promote the development of the market for energy-efficient and alternative fuels and to strengthen the opportunities of communities and local governments near the forest; increase their involvement in the ongoing processes in the sector, and diversify their sources of income. through the development of forest-related value chains. The project includes eight municipalities in three regions of Georgia Guria Mtskheta Mtianeti and Kakheti (Lanchkhuti Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri, Akhmeta, Telavi, Dedoplistskaro, Kvareli, and Tianeti). The ECO. The Georgia project is co-financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The Government of Georgia, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).