2018- 2019 Progress at Borjomi National Park, Republic of Georgia

On our recent July 2019 mission to Borjomi National Park in the Republic of Georgia, Global Conservation reviewed the first 18 months progress together with the Borjomi Park Authorities to deploy Global Park Defense to achieve ‘No Cut, No Kill’ forest and wildlife protection.

CLICK TO SCROLL - Poaching and illegal logging are major threats to the national park and its wildlife.

Tourism is growing in Borjomi National Park, one of the most valuable natural treasures of Georgia Republic.

Illegal Logs seized from illicit logging operations deep in the national park.

Stunning mountains and intact forests make Borjomi National Park one of the finest in the Caucuses.

Borjomi Park Rangers need to protect against Georgian villagers and professional hunters and loggers who continue to work illegally deep in the park despite the best efforts of rangers and law enforcement.

Progress in 2018 - 2019 First Half

Borjomi’s new National Park Director has taken charge in the past year warning surrounding communities that illegal logging and wildlife poaching is no longer acceptable, and park rangers made their first six (6) arrests ever of illegal hunters in the park and also confiscated truckloads of illegal wood being logged within the national park.

Organizing the park into ten (10) sectors, each with the ability to rapidly respond to camera trap photos showing hunters and loggers, the park now, after a year and a half,  has the most advanced park and wildlife protection in Georgia, a model for the 22 other protected areas facing destructive illegal logging and wildlife poaching.

The Park Director has supported technology deployment and Global Park Defense systems despite a limited budget.  Surveillance of roads and trails using Cellular Trailcams enables park rangers to focus on real threats in real time from actual intruders with weapons and logging equipment.

Deploying Cellular Trailcams in Borjomi National Park. Now over 120 cameras are providing 24/7 surveillance of roads, trails and rivers.

Global Conservation has provided Cellular Trailcams, systems and training, combined with operations funding and support for rangers to rapidly respond to illegal intruders in the park.  As well, when a lead ranger was killed last year, we supported a fund for his family so his children can attend school, with additional support from Caucus Nature Fund.

Illegal wildlife poachers killed a Borjomi park ranger a few years back, creating urgency in their request for Global Conservation's support.

Global Conservation is supporting a multi-year deployment of Global Park Defense across Borjomi National Park.  Global Conservation has five goals in supporting Global Park Defense in Borjomi National Park:

1. Deployment of Global Park Defense systems and communications for all Park Rangers

2. Achieving ‘No Cut, No Kill’ within the park by increasing arrests and fines through a new citation system.

3. Increasing the size of Borjomi National Park to protect adjacent high biodiversity areas by 50-100%.

4. Improving core wildlife populations by 2-3 times for endangered species in 5 years.

5. Training of Park Rangers on Global Park Defense technologies, systems and training for rapid response and targeted patrolling.

We are advocating the expansion of Borjomi National Park with the government and development of community-based tourism to provide jobs and income to replace hunting and illegal logging. Global Conservation is also supporting new lodging and trails within the national park to help local communities derive income as a replacement income to wildlife poaching.

Global Conservation signed a Park and Wildlife Protection Agreement in 2017 with the Ministry of Environmental and Agency of Protected Areas (APA) of the Republic of Georgia.

By ramping up coverage of real-time surveillance across a large perimeter of Borjomi National Park now with over 120 Cellular Trailcams installed, Borjomi Rangers can rapidly respond deep into mountainous and heavily forested areas.

Summary of Progress in 2018 - 2019 First Half

Global Conservation progress at Borjomi National Park over the last eighteen months - January 2018 through June 2019 includes:

1.  Borjomi Park Rangers arrested 6 illegal hunters, the first such arrests in over 5 years. Previously, hunters caught in the park were only given warnings.  Arrests resulted in confiscated guns and so far 3 convictions in court.  80 percent of arrests resulted from Cellular Trailcams as part of the Global Park Defense program.

2. Borjomi National Park Director and Area Managers met with Local Villages surrounding the park, and discussed with main hunting and logging families damage they are doing to the national park and Republic of Georgia.  Alternative livelihood discussions are now in progress for potential tourism and infrastucture projects.

3. As per our agreement to invest, 15 New Rangers were hired for a total of 70, including 11 chief rangers.  New firearms, primarliy shotguns, were distributed to half the rangers and now 80 percent wear body cameras.

4. 120 Cellular Trailcams are up and running providing 24/7 real-time surveillance of key access roads, trails and rivers.

5. $5000 was donated by Global Conservation for the family of a Ranger killed in the line of duty.

6. The Park Director is now working on new and improved legislation for easier arrests and stronger procsecution, fines and judicial process. Global Conservation funds can be used to support park lawyers and cases through prosecution.

7. Ranger Stations were updated, including new radios, smartphones and communications.

8. Global Conservation deployed ten (10) Garmin Inreach Satellite GPS Communicators enabling rangers deep within the park to communicate in times of emergency and patrol logistics.
 

Poachers entering the park in the Spring by horseback.

Poachers entering the park in the Winter.

Using horses and oxen to drag out the illegally cut logs from the park.

Cellular Trailcams provide 24/7 surveillance of the national park. Greg Brown from Global Conservation provides technical advisory on surveillance and park security on recent mission.

Borjomi National Park is Georgia’s largest and most biodiverse park of 22 protected areas, teaming with bear, deer, fox and many other mammals.

Endangered wildlife within Borjomi includes Bear, Red Deer, Leopard, Fox, Wolfs and Fox.

Remaining wildlife estimates are:

• Red deer about 700
• Brown bear about 135
• Chamois about 65
• Lynx about 40

The Red Deer, also known as Cervus Elaphus, is now close to extinction, and is one of the most beautiful inhabitants of Borjomi. 

The Borjomi mountains are spectacular on a global scale, reminding visitors of Switzerland with even better forests and wildlife habitats.

World-renown photographer Andrea Pistoli was commissioned by Global Conservation for video, drone and still photos of the spectacular natural beauty of Borjomi and the work of park rangers in protection.

Borjomi Mineral Water is famous across the former Soviet Union and the springs receive hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.  Now the challenge is to increase nature based tourism to support park operations and protection.

Special Thanks to our Partners in Conservation - the Caucus Nature Fund (CNF), the Agency for Protected Areas (APA) and the Park Authority of Borjomi National Park.