Wildlife law in Georgia is one of the most important parts of the environmental protection law: it covers the protection of natural ecosystems, the use of wild flora and fauna resources, the regime of endangered species, and the system of protected areas. On this page you will find a complete description of these four layers and of what each of them requires from the subject of activity.
Protection of Natural Ecosystems
Natural ecosystems, landscapes, and territories must be protected from pollution, disturbance, damage, degradation, depletion, and destruction. This general goal is given concrete force by a list of objects subject to protection: the sea coastal zone; wetlands, springheads, the sources of water bodies and rivers, glaciers, caves; subalpine and floodplain forests; valuable forest massifs; green zone forests; sanitary protection zones and territories.
Any activity connected with the use and management of natural ecosystems, landscapes, and territories, and their management regime, is carried out taking into account the norms and requirements of environmental protection, while the matters connected with their use and management — including land use planning and zoning — are determined by Georgian legislation. This means that any project impacting wild nature stands before a double check: against the goal of protecting the ecosystem and against the regulation of use.
Protection of Wild Flora and Fauna
For the self-reproduction of wild flora and fauna resources and the conservation of biodiversity, their removal from the environment is strictly limited and subject to licensing — except for the granting of the right to prepare timber as a result of an auction conducted by the forest management body provided for by the Forest Code. Licensing here is the instrument of controlling the removal of a natural resource: the state determines the permissible volumes in advance.
Any action that may harm the world of wild flora and fauna, their habitat, breeding areas, and migration routes is prohibited. This prohibition is broad and covers not only direct extraction but also damage to the habitat — the protection of the living environment is a central element of wildlife law. The procedure for the protection and use of wild flora and fauna in Georgia is established by Georgian legislation.
Endangered Species
Wild animals and wild plants under the threat of extinction are registered in the Red List and the Red Book of Georgia. This registration is the basis of special protection: a species included in the list demands heightened attention both at the level of licensing and of general actions.
The procedure for compiling the Red List and the Red Book of Georgia is determined by Georgian legislation — that is, the lists themselves and the procedure for their updating are resolved by separately established rules. When acting upon wild nature, reconciling with these lists is a mandatory step: if your activity concerns a territory or resource where such a species lives, you should expect additional requirements.
The System of Protected Areas
The categories of protected areas are: state reserve, national park, natural monument, managed reserve, protected landscape, multiple use area. Each category has its own management regime, and it is precisely the category that determines what kind of activity is permissible on a given territory.
Georgia admits the existence of categories included in the international network of protected areas — biosphere reserve, world heritage site, wetland of international importance. Protected areas are created by decision of the Parliament of Georgia: including a new territory under protection is a legislative decision and is not left to the discretion of an administrative body.
What This Means for Activity
When planning a project connected with wildlife you have four checks: whether your activity concerns an ecosystem subject to protection; whether the removal of a resource requires a license; whether the territory is a protected area and to which category it belongs; and whether a species included in the Red List lives in that area. The answers to these four questions determine in advance the legal framework of your project.
Keep in mind that the prohibition on damaging habitat and migration routes is an object of broad interpretation: even projects that do not directly concern fauna may touch upon their range. Therefore, considering the wildlife component at the environmental assessment stage is always advisable.
The International Dimension and a Practical Orientation
The existence of categories included in the international network of protected areas means that the national system is aligned with the global classification: the biosphere reserve, the world heritage site, and the wetland of international importance are reflected in the Georgian space as well. Practically, this means that in assessing a wildlife project, expecting international standards is justified.
One more practical orientation: the list of protected objects — from wetlands to glaciers — determines the territories where any impact demands heightened attention. When planning a project on such a territory, first establish the exact status, then the management regime; only after that is the form of use selected, with the relevant sanction risks taken into account.
Conclusion
Wildlife law can be viewed as four layers: the goal of ecosystem protection and the list of objects; the licensed removal of wild flora and fauna and the protection of habitat; the regime of the Red List and Red Book; and the system of protected area categories. Reading the layers together gives you the legal map against which any decision connected with wildlife must be checked.