As part of the National Forestry Program, a public discussion on the proposed amendments to the Forest Code was held at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, with the participation of representatives of state institutions, academia, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia shared the glimpses of the discussion held at the Agricultural Ministry of Georgia, on its official Facebook Page on February 4, 2026, Wednesday. The Ministry also shared a small note about the meeting along with its glimpses.
During the meeting, the parties emphasized the restoration of degraded forests and the strengthening of forest protection as key priorities. Accordingly, the proposed amendments to the Code aim to improve monitoring and control systems, including enhancements to forest protection mechanisms. The reforms also aim to simplify business processes and optimize costs.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia said, “The planned amendments to the Forest Code are intended to strengthen the protection of forest resources and forest arrays through the use of modern technologies and technical equipment, as well as to increase the number and qualifications of foresters and forest rangers.”
“Notably, as part of the reform, and with the support of the Government of Georgia, salaries of employees in the forestry sector have increased significantly as of January 1, 2026,” the minister added.
“At the same time, the reform envisages increased engagement of the commercial sector, enhanced transparency of operations, and cost optimization. These measures aim to establish a competitive market and ensure accessibility of forest resources for entrepreneurs,” stated Zurab Ezugbaia, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
Under the draft law, responsibility for forest protection is returned to the National Forestry Agency, considering the recruitment of 401 additional forest rangers, which will ultimately reduce the area managed by each ranger from 10,000–15,000 hectares to approximately 2,000 hectares.
Furthermore, to enhance the effectiveness of forest protection and monitoring, the National Forestry Agency will undergo a comprehensive technical upgrade and will be equipped with modern technological tools.
