Waterlogged Territories and Ecosystem Protection
Waterlogged territories — wetlands, spring heads, the sources of reservoirs and rivers — are listed outright in the list of protected ecosystems under the environmental protection law. This page describes that list, the instruments for protecting rare species, and the system of protected areas — three tiers that together protect a waterlogged territory.
The List of Protected Objects
Natural ecosystems, landscapes and territories must be protected from pollution, disturbance, damage, degradation, depletion and destruction. Protection extends to: the sea coastal zone; wetlands, spring heads, the sources of reservoirs and rivers, glaciers, caves; sub-alpine and floodplain forests; valuable forest massifs; green-zone forests; sanitary protection zones and territories. For the protection of waterlogged territories this list defines the circle of objects with which any intervention proceeds with regard to environmental protection norms.
Rare Species — the Red List and Red Book
Endangered wild animals and wild plants are registered in the Red List and the Red Book of Georgia, and the procedure for their compilation is determined by Georgian legislation. Waterlogged territories are often named precisely as the habitat sphere of such species — so inclusion in the Red List is one of the most important criteria for protecting a waterlogged complex.
The System of Protected Areas
The formation of the system of protected areas serves the protection and preservation of the self-contained natural-cultural environment and its individual components. The law establishes categories of protected areas that give this system an organized structure. For a waterlogged territory this means that one route of its protection is precisely inclusion in these categories and the respective management regime.
The three tiers of wetlands protection complement one another: the general list of protected ecosystems bounds any impact; the Red List defines the special regime of rare species; and the system of protected areas encloses the most valuable complexes within a permanent management frame. Together they create the whole picture by which the legal fate of a waterlogged territory is decided.
The law likewise names the categories of protected areas precisely: a state reserve, a national park, a natural monument, a managed reserve, a protected landscape and a multiple-use territory. The existence of categories integrated into the international network — a biosphere reserve, a world heritage site and a wetland of international importance — is also admissible; the last category concerns waterlogged territories directly. Protected areas are created by decision of the Parliament of Georgia.
Practical Recommendations
First, establish whether your territory concerns the list of protected objects — a wetland, a spring head or a river source is listed outright. Second, check the Red List — the presence of rare species demands special caution. Third, find out whether the territory is within the system of protected areas — the management regime is set by separate acts. Fourth, in planning an intervention take the three tiers together, not separately.
Another aspect of the protection of waterlogged territories is that their significance is not confined to the composition of the natural environment. A waterlogged territory performs the function of water regulation — it retains water and releases it gradually, reducing the risk of flooding; it is also an important reservoir of biodiversity. Therefore its protection is not merely an aesthetic or ecological category — it concerns social and economic interests as well.
The inclusion of waterlogged territories within the system of protected-area categories creates a special opportunity: the choice of category determines the management regime — what types of activity are admissible and what measures are carried out. For a waterlogged territory this decision is especially significant because its ecosystem is fragile — a mistake in the regime requires a long time for restoration.
The connection of the Red List with waterlogged territories also bears a practical sign: if rare species are distributed on the territory, damage to their habitat entails not only administrative but also legal liability. Therefore the presence of Red-List species is a subject of separate verification.
A further practical context of wetlands protection is the connection with sanitary protection zones: the list covers sanitary protection zones and territories as well, and a waterlogged territory is often linked precisely to such zones — around sources of drinking water. This connection creates an additional instrument: in assessing the status of a waterlogged territory, the sanitary-protection regime must also be considered.
Finally, all three tiers of wetlands protection are dynamic — the Red List is updated, the system of protected areas develops, the norms change. Therefore assessing a territory’s status is not a one-time act: it must be conducted anew at each new project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which objects are subject to protection?
The sea coastal zone; wetlands, spring heads, the sources of reservoirs and rivers, glaciers, caves; sub-alpine and floodplain forests; valuable forest massifs; green-zone forests; sanitary protection zones and territories.
Where are rare species registered?
In the Red List and the Red Book of Georgia; the compilation procedure is determined by legislation.
What does the protected-areas system serve?
The protection and preservation of the self-contained natural-cultural environment and its individual components.
Which categories exist?
A state reserve, a national park, a natural monument, a managed reserve, a protected landscape, a multiple-use territory; categories of the international network are admissible as well.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assesses the legal status of a territory by all three tiers — the list of ecosystems, the Red List and the system of protected areas — and helps plan a project with the protection requirements taken into account. Contact us — a precise determination of status spares you expense and risk.