Georgian forests cover approximately 40% of the country's surface and are highly diverse. They are divided between mountain and plains forests, with mountain forests making up 98% of the total forested area. Georgian forests contain many endemic and rare tree species, making the country's forests ecologically important on a global scale. The forests are mostly state-owned and represent a variety of coniferous and broadleaf tree species, with over 400 wild tree and shrub species found overall.

1. Information search – Natalie D’emur
May 2012 year
Forest resources in Georgia country
Forest resources
Despite its small territory, Georgia is marked by highly diversified nature. Approximately 40% of its
surface is covered by forests. Georgian forests are divided by landscape conditions into mountain and
plane forests. Mountain forests cover 98% of the total wooded area, and plane forests – 2%, which are
more common on the Kolkheti lowland and in the downstream areas of the Mtkvari, Alazani, Iori,
Khrami and some other rivers. Forest diversity is manifested in the mountains, where the geological rock
slope inclination and exposition has a significant impact on the forest biological specificities, due to the
great diversity of their origin, growth and development conditions.
Geographically, forests in Georgia are distributed unequally. Parallel to regions rich in forests (Abkhazia,
Adjara, Svaneti, Racha, Borjomi Valley, Baghdati, Sachkhere, Akhmeta and other regions) there are
regions scarcely covered with forests (Dedoplistskaro, Ninotsminda, Akhalqalaqi, Gardabani, Tsalka,
Kazbegi , etc.).
Almost intact forest stands, which have the greatest conservation value, have been preserved in
Georgia. Intact fir – and beech-trees, fir-groves in Georgia are very rare, with no analogies in European
or Asian countries.
There are 25 “hot spots” acknowledged worldwide by the Environmental Organizations in terms of bio
diversity. One of them is Caucasus, particularly Georgia.
Caucasus region is one of the Global 200 WWF eco-regions, which are selected by WMF based on
criteria, such as: variety of selections, number of endemic plants, taxonomic unification, the unique
historical development of evolution processes, flora and fauna, the wide variety of plant types and rare
biomes on global level. Therefore, Georgian forest represents a special phenomenon and its
preservation and sustainable use are of a big importance, not only on the regional, but on international
level.
Source – Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of GEORGIA

2. Information search – Natalie D’emur
May 2012 year
Approximately 400 wildly growing species of trees and scrubs of the 123 botanical genus and families
could be found in Georgian forestry. There are presented 182 forms and 91 variations of these species,
among them: 153 species of trees, 202 species of scrubs, 11 species of Lianas.
Out of 153 wild growing species, the height of 51 is above 25 meters.
Index of great originality of Georgian dendroflora is high percentage of endemic species (61 Georgian
endemic species and 43 Caucasian species).
The existence of the pure and mixed groves is the clear sign of the biological and ecosystem diversity
and its complicated structure.
Despite the fact, that there are different species of trees and scrubs growing in Georgia, they are still
presented with the small amount of wood groves. 16 % of the total surface is covered by
coniferous forests, 83.6 %- by broadleaf forests, 70.5 %- by hardwood forests and 10.8 %- by lightwood
forests.
It should be noted, that in world’s botanical dictionary exists two Georgian tree names: - Dzelqva
(Zelkova carpinibolia (Pall) C. Koch.) and Lapani (Pterocarya pterocarpa (Mchx). Knth).
Forests in Georgia are owned by the State.
Total area of Forest Fund (except forest fund on the territory of the Abkhazia’s Autonomous republic)
makes 2 605 449 HA. The area, which is subject to the LEPL “Agency of Natural Resources” of the
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, makes 1 961 098 HA., including forest-covered area of 1 843
432 HA, i.e. 94 %. 507 611 HA. is subject to the LEPL Agency of Protected Areas (of the Ministry of
Environment Protection) and 136 790 ha. is subject to Forestry Agency of Adjara.
The total wood plant resource on the territory, subject to the LEPL “Agency of Natural Resources” , is
306 010 thousand cubic meters. Among them approximately 92 % (281 529 cubic meters) are wood
species (fir-trees, pines, spruces, beeches, oaks, hornbeams..), and 8%- other species.
Source – Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of GEORGIA