







































Georgian Geographical journal 

2021, Vol.1 (1) 54-62 

PROTECTED AREAS AND NATURAL 

LANDSCAPES – AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR FOR 

SUSTANABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ECOTURISM 

IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS  

Elene Salukvadze1 

Abstract 

Development of ecotourism requires providing conditions for creating reserves, national parks 

and other protected areas, which are the main objects of ecotourism of nowadays in Georgia. 

At present the country counts 90 different statuses of protected areas. Preserving them in their 

natural form and using their potential for ecotourism is of high significance nowadays. There 

is a tight relation between tourism and environment. Unaffected nature provides adequate 

quality of life for local tourists, whereas for foreign travelers it is an incentive to visit Georgia 

to see the natural monuments of the country. The paper shows the significance of protected 

areas in the development of ecotourism in Georgia on the example of two mountainous regions 

– Guria and Racha. The work considers a scientifically corroborated hypothesis that there is a 

great potential of transforming the first newly formed protected area in Guria – Pontine Oak 

Reserve and the high quality landscapes (mixed and dark-coniferous forests and sub-alpine 

meadows) on the territory of adjacent (4 km distance) resort Bakhmaro and its vicinities into 

national park in the future. The work shows that against the background of planned protected 

areas, there is a resource potential in Racha, which will enable to create a category of protected 

areas in the near future in the region. It, in its turn, will provide improvement of social-economic 

conditions of the region. For the fulfillment of the work we used the material of field 

expeditions and observations carried out in 2009-2016 in resort Bakhmaro and its vicinities and 

in 2019 in Racha. 

Keywords: Ecotourism, Protected areas, Natural - resources potential. 

 

Study Area 

Ecotourism is tightly associated with protection of rare and endemic species of flora 

and fauna, the most of which are exotic and at the same time are the objects of 

ecotourism. Eventually, it includes the whole natural-territorial complexes – 

landscapes as well. Quite often, tourists and holidaymakers make advantage of not 

passive but active travelling and rest in nature. 

Ecotourism, especially in association with protected natural territories, contributes 

to nature protection. The majority of protected areas, especially national parks, are 

formed in order to protect the ecosystem and develop tourism in the region. 

Worldwide Fund actively supports development of ecotourism for Nature (WWF), 

which makes researches for encouraging ecotourism in developing countries. The fund 

has greatly contributed to the formation of Borjomi-Kharagauli national Park in 

Georgia. 

 
1 Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography of the Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State 

University. Tbilisi, Georgia 



Georgian Geographical journal 

Development of ecotourism in the mountainous regions of Georgia is primarily 

determined by its nature, which is diverse, unique and attractive, and at the same time, 

it can be used for cognitive and adventurous goals. Moreover, in its every component 

we can meet resources for healing, recreating, rest, sport and aesthetics. International 

nature protecting organizations (European Landscape Convention, WWF etc.) are 

actively involved in formation of the network of protected areas in order to preserve 

the high-mountainous ecosystems.  

In June, 2019 the first protected area – Pontine Oak Reserve was formed in Guria. 

Founding a protected area provides protection, restoration and preservation of the 

biological diversity of the natural ecosystems, flora and fauna, especially the species 

of wild animals and plants on the verge of extinction, which are listed in the “Red 

Book” and “Red List” of Georgia. 

Pontine Oak Reserve is located in the Chokhatauri Municipality of Guria Region   

and covers a 443-ha territory (mineral (acidic) water area) of the forest territory of 

Chokhatauri. It is located near the Bakhmaro-Chkhakoura arterial highway, on a small 

segment of the Lashi Mountain, in the ravines of the rivers Telvanis Ghele and 

Dzegvelas Ghele. Pontine Oak is an ancient species, which has been entered in the 

“Red Book” of Georgia and is on the verge of extinction. In Georgia, it is presented as 

small groups or specimens. The height of its distribution varies from 800 m to 1250-

1850 m above sea level. Pontine Oak is a high bush or a small tree. In Georgia its 

distribution area starts from Abkhazia, continues to Adjara and Guria and reaches the 

slopes of Karchkhali, Murghuli and Ponto mountains in Turkey. Generally, in Georgia 

it is presented as small groups or specimens in Kintrishi Protected Area, in the 

vicinities of the national parks of Machakhela and Mtirala. Large copses of Pontine 

Oak are met only on the Bakhmaro Ridge. Pontine Oak grows on well-illuminated, 

south-eastern and south-western slopes, in dark grey soil.  Pontine Oak copses are met 

in the belt of beech forests, also sparse and warped sub-alpine forests. 

The species of Pontine Oak is an extremely interesting plant. In fossilized flora 

there is not yet found any Pontine Oak or any species somehow similar to it. Generally, 

in the diverse family of oaks (approximately 600 species) there is no species more or 

less similar to it. Therefore, its uniqueness is quite obvious.   

In Pontine Oak Reserve the vegetation cover is presented as four kinds of 

formations: 1) the Pontine Oak copse, in formation of which other species do not take 

part (pure copse); 2) a formation in a Colchian mixed forest; 3) a formation in a beech 

forest with a Colchian undergrowth; 4) a formation mixed with a birch forest 

(Surmava, Moistsrapishvili, 2018). 

The landscapes with mixed and dark coniferous forests and sub-alpine meadows in 

the vicinities of Pontine Oak Reserve, which are located in the territories of resort 

Bakhmaro and its adjacent area, make a precondition and have a great potential for 

creating a category of either a national park or a protected area in the future. 

Establishing a national park will contribute to the protection of the unique nature of 

resort Bakhmaro and its vicinities and social-economic development in the region. In 

the national park there can be arranged seven different kinds of areas: a zone of 

traditional use, a zone of effective protection, a restoration zone, a visitors’ zone and a 

historical-cultural zone managed by the administration together with the population. 

In the zone of traditional use, it will be admitted to use the natural renewable resources 



Salukvadze E. 

and thus, mowing, grazing, wood chopping, gathering non-timber forest formations 

like mushroom, berries, etc. will be available for the local residents, 

The need of transforming Pontine Oak Reserve into a national park in the future 

can be supported by the fact that the territory of Pontine Oak Reserve is covered with 

well-preserved forests characteristic of the landscapes of the north-western part of the 

Lesser Caucasus, it is located on the area adjacent to resort Bakhmaro and here Pontine 

Oak copses have been preserved in the best state. As far as the territory is located 

separately and is difficultly reachable and well-protected, we can consider it as a 

“shelter” for species of animals and plants. Among them are many endemic and relict 

species. The forests here are characterized with relict undergrowth, among which are 

evergreen shrubbery: Cherry laurel (Laurocerasus officinalis), Rododendron pontic 

(Rhododendron ponticum), Holly (Ilex colkhica), Butcher’s-broom (Ruscus ponticus) 

etc. This will enable to preserve the bio-diversity of the northwestern part of the Lesser 

Caucasus. On the territories of Pontine Oak Reserve and adjacent resort Bakhmaro and 

its vicinities, by distribution type, we can distinguish the following ones out of the 

existing 41 timber plant species (Results of Chokhatauri Forest.., 2017): well 

distributed (5), distributed (19), rare (9) and very rare (8) species (Fig.1.).  

 
           

Fig. 1 Characteristics of forest wood species in terms of distribution 

well distributed and distributed timber species include those shown in (Table 1):   

 
   Table 1. List of tree species and their status 

1

2

3

4

v
Very common

Common

Rare

Very rare

 Wooden species Very  

Distributed 

 

Distributed 

№ English name Latin name   

1 Caucasian alder Morus alba +  
2 Caucasian hornbeam Carpinus caucasicus +  
3 Oriental beech Fagus orientalis +  
4 Oriental hornbeam Carpinus orientalis +  
5 Cherry laurel Laurocerasus officinalis +  
6 Caucasian fir Abies nordmaniana           + 
7 Caucasian spruce Picea orientalis  + 
8 Caucasian pine Pinus sosnowskyi  + 



Georgian Geographical journal 

 

 

 

 

Rare and very rare distributed timber species include those shown in (Table 2). 

                                                                                                  
Table 2. List of tree species and their status 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pontine Oak Reserve offers good possibilities for ecological education and 

ecotourism development. Resort Bakhmaro adjacent to Pontine Oak Reserve (4 km 

distant from the reserve) and resort Nabeghlavi (20 km distant from the reserve) make 

good conditions for development of recreational zones. Considering it will be a quite 

timely and necessary activity (in case of creating a national park) for improving the 

state of the unique coniferous forests on the territory of resort Bakhmaro and its 

vicinities. The resort territory is mostly covered by dark coniferous forests, namely, 

spruce and fir trees. These landscapes are the mostly loaded (in the way of recreation 

digression, forest clearance, and livestock grazing). The landscapes are characterized 

with sparse forests. Although there is quite considerable quantity of young growth, in 

early summer, when the population drives the wintering cattle to the area, then it 

becomes extremely ill-used. Among the territories adjacent to the resort, the most area 

(9.2 km2, i.e. 25% of the whole territory) is covered with sub-alpine secondary 

meadow-shrubbery and sub-alpine meadows. Quite a large territory is covered with 

secondary meadows, which are at some places covered with weed (false hellebore, 

mat-grass, wild sorrel). The general image in regards to landscape is as follows: dark 

coniferous forests (spruce and fir forests, fir forests, spruce forests) are dominating. In 

the eastern part of the resort, we meet pure beech forests (1.65 km2, i.e. 4% of the 

whole territory), also beech and dark coniferous forests (area 2.59 km2, i.e. 7% of the 

whole territory). Only a small territory is occupied with pine forests (0.34 km2, i.e.1% 

of the whole territory) (Salukvadze, Khechikashvili, et al. 2010). 

The general load made by holidaymakers (c. 10 000 people) together with cattle 

owners, who live here temporarily and seasonally often leads the dynamics of the 

natural complexes (landscapes) to deplorable conditions. Sparsity in the forest is great. 

9 Georgian oak Quercus iberica  + 
10 Caucasian Willow Salix caucasica  + 
11  Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa  + 

Wooden species Rare Very rare 
№ English name Latin name   
1 White mulberry Morus alba  +  
2 Field maple Acer campestre  +  
3 Norway maple Acer platanoides    +  
4 Caucasian lime Tilia caucasica      +  
5 Litwinow’s birch Betula Litvinovi      +  
6 Pontic oak Quercus pontica    +  
7 Lebanon cedar Cedrus Libani  + 
8 Wych elm Ulmus glabra  + 
9 Walnut Juglans regia  + 
10 Wild service tree Sorbus torminalis  + 
11  Yew Taxus baccata  + 
12 Black mulberry Morus nigra  + 
13 European ash Fraxinus excelsior  + 



Salukvadze E. 

Trees damaged by bark beetles are frequently met here. The quantity of growing plants 

is quite fair, though still insufficient as a result of unmanageable forest chopping and 

cattle grazing, which is now often observed even on the territory of the resort (in 

summer a certain part of the Adjarian migratory population drives its cattle to this 

territory to use pastures. They live the whole summer season here, make dairy products 

and sell them at the very place). Consequently, many cut trees are met at many places 

alongside the river Bakhvistskali. The forest is sparse. An anthropogenic load after 

certain time causes changes in the state of landscapes. In its turn a landscape is 

characterized with self-restorability, which provides its resistance to influencing 

forces. However, when the load is intense, i.e., it takes place for a long period, then the 

resistance of the landscape reduces and it starts to degrade. The degree of damage 

caused by exogenic and endogenic forces increases, the intensity of disintegration and 

washing away of upper layers of soil becomes stronger, which leads to ecocide in the 

landscape. The following processes take more times and cause destruction in the main 

geologic foundation (basic rocks), which, in its turn, results in geo-cide in landscapes, 

i.e., a complete destruction (Beroutchashvili, Nesterenko, 1973).  

Arrangement of a national park, on the one hand, considers the local social-

economic and traditional-cultural requirements, and on the other hand, its main 

function is to protect and preserve wild nature. A national park zone must cover 

especially vulnerable ecosystems and those, which have not yet undergone 

anthropogenic changes. 

In case Pontine Oak Reserve becomes a national park in the future it must be 

effectively protected, i.e., become a zone of strict control.  

A zone of traditional use. Usage of certain resources must be admitted, for 

example, using those resources that do not have much influence on the environment 

and are easily manageable. The population living in the vicinities of the national park 

should be allowed to make traditional use of the territory. Such usage must be easily 

manageable and this will be a quite timely activity as far as the population (migratory 

stockbreeders) has been using the alpine meadows of the territory adjacent to resort 

Bakhmaro for pasturing. Considerable increase in the intensity of grazing caused great 

ecological problems in the Alpine zones and forest landscapes: activation of erosive 

processes, risk of pollution in the best mountain drinking water springs, undesirable 

changes in the local flora and fauna, etc. For elimination of the above-mentioned major 

restrictions should be imposed on livestock quantity, grazing intensity and seasonal 

cattle migration. It is necessary to build special roads (corridors) for cattle migration. 

Pasturing should be strictly controlled.  

Restoration zone.  Distinguishing restoration zones is required to restore the 

landscapes of the territories, which have undergone considerable degradation as a 

result of anthropogenic influences. 

It would be reasonable that restoration processes took place without human 

involvement as to prevent violation of the consequence in natural processes and self-

restoring mechanisms of the landscapes. Fortunately, on the territories adjacent to 

resort Bakhmaro, despite the deplorable state of the forests, the positive fact is 

observed that young plants are growing intensely in the places, which are not easily 

reachable for cattle. 

Auxiliary zone. In the auxiliary zones the population will be allowed to use the 

lands within the park (cultivable land, forest and etc.), which will be subject to the 



Georgian Geographical journal 

protection requirements of the national park. This will provide protection and 

preservation of the natural landscapes and at the same time will bring economic 

benefits to the population.  

Zoning of a national park, besides strict control areas and traditional zones, also 

considers distinguishing so called wild nature, where it is advisable that the 

environment was not significantly changed by human activities and it would be the 

most characteristic landscape of the park. This zone must include places with high 

recreation value and unique natural characteristics, also historical and cultural 

monuments: in Bukistsikhe – the remains of a castle dated back to early feudal age, in 

Goraberezhouli – a castle wall (the end of XVII century) and a church (XIX century), 

in Ganakhleba – a monastery complex “Udabno” (middle centuries), a church 

(developed middle centuries) in Zemo Erketi and etc., also the memorial museums of 

Nodar Dumbadze, Ana Kalandadze, Nikolai Marr, Mose Gogiberidze and the Local 

Museum of the region. 

The national park may become a tourist center in Guria region, while it requires 

organizing various tours with ecological and educational purposes. Scientific 

investigations also could be carried out by students and scientists. 

It is significant to reveal and use the energy resources (small hydroelectric powers 

on the rivers of Bakhvistskali, Gubazeuli and Supsa) on the territory of the national 

park. 

The other region for our studies, Racha, is located in the northeastern part of West 

Georgia. It, on the Central Caucasus, on the south slopes of the main ridge of the 

Caucasus includes two administrative centers: municipalities of Ambrolauri and Oni. 

The complex, segmented relief and severe climate conditions, high-hypsometric 

location, extreme land shortage, great inclination of slopes do not make any favourable 

conditions for development of land farming here. Extracting of barite and arsenic has 

been stopped whereas these ores made a great contribution to the mining industry of 

not only the region but the whole country as well. The state of the demography in 

Racha is poor (the number of population in Oni Municipality is 613 and Ambrolauri 

Municipality it is 9129). Consequently, Racha is a less populated mountain region of 

Georgia. The significant part of population has abandoned their residences in really 

existing villages, which have only maintained the official status of village nowadays.  

Nowadays in the region of Racha ecotourism has become an economic activity with 

a sustainable growth. The number of guest houses, hostels and small cottages for local 

and foreign tourists is increasing.  

The territory on the Central Caucasus is among the planned protected areas. The 

area also includes Racha region (Oni Municipality) with its intact nature, diversity in 

vegetation, animals and birds, beautiful landscapes and exotic natural monuments, 

ancient historical and cultural heritage. Before 90-ies of the past century, tourism was 

a substantial part of the industry in Racha. However, the unmanaged tourism activities 

led to disastrous results here – the vulnerable high-mountain ecosystems were 

damaged and collapsed, the environment became highly polluted. Creation of 

protected areas will provide preserving unique ecosystems. 

The planned protected area on the territory of the Central Caucasus includes the 

northern part of Racha on the main ridge of the Caucasus – on the southern slopes of 

the peak Chanchakhi (4461 m), mountain Pasismta (3779 m), mountain Tsitelimta 

(3691 m), the ridges Gezevtseki (3452 m), Gurdzievtseki (3325 m) and Mamisoni 



Salukvadze E. 

(2829 m), the territories of the rivers Lukhuni, Zopkhitura, Chveshura and 

Chanchakhistskali, the divide ranges of Shoda-Kedela, and etc. The main goal of 

creating a protected area in Oni Municipality is protecting the ecosystems of the source 

of the river Rioni and its tributaries, which flow from the main ridge of the Caucasus, 

also the high-mountain ecosystems around the glaciers feeding these sources, water 

ecosystems and the forest ecosystems stabilizing them. 

The prioritized goals of creating the protected areas are: protection of the unique 

and rare ecosystems; preservation of the ecosystems of the mountain Pasi and the ridge 

Shoda-Kedela in their natural state; preservation, protection and reproduction of the 

relict and endemic plants and animals distributed in the region that have entered in the 

Red Book; protection of the hardly survived sub-alpine forests and their constituent 

arboreal plants: Litvinov birch tree, Caucasian rowan, high-mountain maple tree and 

etc.; protection of the less changed ecosystems around the river Rioni and its 

tributaries; protection of the ecosystems of the forests around the resorts of Shovi, 

Utsera, Sortuani and Skhepuri with enormous recreation potential in order to stabilize 

the climate in the area; protection of cultural heritage, restoration and conservation of 

historical-cultural monuments, support for improvement of the social-economical state 

in the villages (Glola, Ghebi, Tchiora, Lagvanta, Sakao, Khideshlebi and etc.) adjacent 

to the protected area. 

There are various types of landscapes, separate ecosystems and cenosis in the 

protected area. Among the vegetation cover, together with the representatives of 

xerophilous plants (oak, pine trees, etc. in the forests), we can meet shrubbery and 

herbaceous plants here, also relict plants of Colchian type. We can also meet wide-

leaved forests with oak, chestnut and hornbeam, beech trees, mixed dark-coniferous 

forest of spruce, fir, pine and beech (1100-1800 m), sub-alpine warped and sparse 

forests (1800-2500 m). In the forest there is a great quantity of wild fruits and berries 

and resources for hunting. Out of the presented plants here, 33 species of relict and 

endemic plants have entered the Red Book of Georgia (Table 3). Among them are 

Georgian hazelnut, chestnut, walnut tree, sea buckthorn etc. Among the representatives 

of fauna, the lynx, otter, black vulture, griffon vulture and others are met. 
 

 Table 3. Plants included in the Red Book of Georgia, common in the Racha region 

Name of the plant Relics Endemics Brief description 

Yew + - Tree 
Colchis boxwood + - Tree 

Georgian nut + + Tree 

Chestnut + - Tree 

Hartvis oak + - Tree 

Imeretian oak + + Tree 

Walnut tree + - Tree 

Colchis bladernut + - Tree 

Common  bladernut + - Tree 

Sea-buckthorn + - Buch 



Georgian Geographical journal 

 
Scarcity of landscapes in the planned protected area of Racha is caused because the 

eastern boundary of the protected area coincides with the boundary of West Georgia. 

Thus, here we meet meadows of sub-alpine cereals characteristic of East Georgia and 

forests covered with xerophilous oak, hornbeam and tall scrubs characteristic of the 

mountain regions of East Georgia but rare for West Georgia, the geo-botanical zone of 

the Central Caucasus is also presented. Virgin forests have survived on the territory of 

Oni Municipality. The area of the forests covers 8960 ha, 12% of the whole forest 

territory (Kandelaki, 2012). 
It is possible to build small hydropower stations on the quick mountain rivers that 

would improve the energy supply for the population. It is also possible to manage trout 

farms on the rivers. Collecting healing plants and making medicine from them, 

collecting wild fruits, berries and mushrooms and producing food from them, 

collecting fir seeds, reproducing and breeding seedlings, and use of resources for 

hunting will provide improvement in the social-economical state of the region.    

In the vicinities of the planned protected area of Racha we can meet numerous 

churches and towers belonging to middle and late centuries, for example the church in 

Utsera, the castle in Chidrota, the church of Archangel of Ghebi (developed middle 

centuries), tower Dedagvtisa (Mother of God), the medieval church in Gloli, Tamar’s 

Castle and etc. 

Conclusion 

In Guria and Racha, the mountainous regions of Georgia, which have severe natural 

conditions, difficult social-economic conditions and vulnerable demographic situation 

(decreased reproduction, abandoned and emptied villages) and deteriorated ecologic 

state, development of tourism, namely, ecotourism will contribute to rationalization of 

land management. Using more territories for tourism purposes will bring more benefits 

to the region than using the lands for farming and industry would do. Development of 

ecotourism requires creating protected areas that will provide protection, restoration 

and reasonable use of natural or transformed territories distinguished for their 

biodiversity, also creating favourable conditions for sustainable development of 

recreation, health care and ecotourism in the natural and historical-cultural 

environment. 

After creating a national park in Guria and Racha the local population will return 

to the abandoned homes and the income received from ecotourism will improve their 

economic conditions. 

Development of ecotourism in the high-mountainous regions of Guria and Racha 

will provide preserving the natural beauty of the unique territories, decrease the full 

load on the environment, raise awareness of the population and provide education in 

nature exploitation for nature managers, broaden knowledge in pupils and make their 

relation harmonious with the nature.  

It is important to transform certain natural areas into protected areas and protect the 

mountain ecology. 

Common persimmon        + - Tree 

Yellow water lily        +          - Perennial herbaceous plant 

Cyclamen colchicum         -         + Georg. . Perennial herbaceous plant 



Salukvadze E. 

Inventorying and creation of databases of natural and historical-cultural resources 

of the regions is of great importance. The database should be periodically updated with 

the information on the state of the environment; the cases of violations in ecological 

nature management should also be noted.  

 

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