The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, David Songulashvili, visited the Javakheti Protected Areas along with the media representatives.

As part of a one-day media tour, the Minister and journalists visited Lake Madatapa and Lake Bughdasheni, exploring the region`s natural, tourism, and cultural potential. During the tour, they focused on safeguarding Javakheti`s unique ecosystems, conserving its rich biodiversity, promoting ecotourism, and creating new opportunities for communities living in and around the protected areas.

"Javakheti`s protected areas comprise one of Georgia`s most distinctive high-mountain ecosystems and are crucial for bird diversity and the conservation of migratory species. Lakes Madatapa and Bughdasheni have been designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention and provide critical habitat for numerous bird species during migration periods.

"Our goal is to ensure that the development of protected areas fully complies with the principles of nature conservation. In this regard, we aim to safeguard our unique ecosystems and biodiversity and create greater opportunities for the sustainable development of ecotourism", - said David Songulashvili.

As part of ongoing efforts to safeguard Javakheti`s natural heritage, a project aiming to restore the bezoar goat population is being launched in the Tetrobi Strict Nature Reserve.

The project, aimed at restoring the bezoar goat population and strengthening the ecological integrity of the Javakheti ecosystem, will be implemented in close coordination among the National Wildlife Agency, the Agency of Protected Areas, and the Tbilisi Zoo.

Georgia currently has 112 protected areas, spanning more than 1,066,175 hectares in total and covering over 15 percent of the country`s territory. The development of protected areas, the conservation of natural heritage, and the expansion of ecotourism opportunities are among the top priorities of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture. The number of visitors to Georgia`s protected areas continues to grow each year. During the first eight months of the current year, nearly 900,000 visitors visited Georgia’s protected areas, including more than 500,000 international visitors. Last year, protected areas recorded a record number of visitors.