G.Info:State of the Environment - Georgia - Forests

In 1930 - 1950-s there has been intensive industrial cutting activities going on in the country with grave consequences for the forests. More then half of the forested areas were degraded, about 0.5 mill ha forests were lost, high productivity stocks of forests were destroyed which resulted into the acceleration of erosion processes. During the last 20-25 years annual timber production decreased about 10 times. Last few years were characterized by the activation of natural disaster processes in certain mountainous areas of the country (Achara, Svaneti, Racha) which also effected the state of the country's forests. Recent intensive deforestation activities were unprecedented in the history of the country. This is mainly due to the almost complete reduction of the timber import from Russia after the declaration of independence (this used to be total to 2 - 2.5 mill. m3, more then 85 % of country's requirements). Besides, sharp reduction into the import of the fuel was largely compensated by the illegal forest cutting by the population.