Review of Active Fire Locations Threatening Borjomi Nature Reserve
August 20, 2008
This map illustrates satellite-detected active fire locations near the nature reserve of Borjomi. Fire data from the MODIS satellite system indicates active fires were located outside of Borjomi, approximately 9-10 km east of the park boundary, with smoke and ashes blowing to the west over the park. The fires were first detected on the morning of 15 August 2008 and continued for at least 24 hours. Imagery recorded on 17 and 19 August shows no active fires, however there is still smoke visible. As shown in the image map from 17 August, the visible fire scar is approximately 450ha in area. Map Scale for A3: 1:290,000; Projection : Pulkovo 1995 GK Zone 8N; Datum : Pulkovo 1995.
Fire Data : MODIS Aqua - Terra (NASA)
Fire Processing : U.of Maryland, NASA
Fire Dates : 7 - 20 August 2008
Analysis : UNOSAT
Protected Data : WDPA 2007
GIS Data : USGS, UNEP, UNOSAT
Map Production : UNOSAT (20 August 2008)
Click here for UNOSAT imagery.
Source: Reuters AlertNet: Alerting Humanitarians to Emergencies, August 2008
Firefighters, Turkish Planes Battle Blaze in Southern Georgia
August 18, 2008
Georgian firefighters are battling a forest fire spread across up to 500-hectares in the Adigeni district of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, southern Georgia.
At the Georgian side’s request, Turkish fire-fighting airplanes dropped water on the fire on August 16.
Firefighters have failed to control the blaze because of strong overnight winds on August 16, officials said.
“Currently, the fire poses no threat to nearby settlements, and now we are trying to prevent the fire from spreading to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park,” Environment Minister Davit Tkeshelashvili said on August 16.
He said that Georgia hasn’t had a forest fire this large for 20 years.
The fire broke out in the vicinity of the resort town of Abastumani in the Adigeni district overnight on August 15.
Georgia asked Turkey to provide fire-fighting airplanes, and Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili thanked his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul for his assistance during a phone conversation on August 15.
The Turkish Minister noted that this assistance was “a logical step” towards a country with which Turkey has close ties, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.
Turkey provided Georgia with a similar assistance in September, 2004, when a forest fire broke out in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.
Source: Civil.Ge Online Magazine, August 2008
www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=13321&search=borjomi%20fire
Energy Ministry of Georgia to Publicize the Study Proposed Khudoni Hydropower Project
July 15, 2008
The Energy Ministry of Georgia will publicize the study proposed Khudoni Hydropower Project (HPP). They will meet with residents of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and discuss with them the possible environmental and social impact of Khudoni HPP. As Black Sea Press was told at the Energy Ministry, the Ministry received the strategic environmental impact assessment of Khudoni HPP from Serbian company SEEC, a report that placed Khudoni in the context of other power supply alternatives.
Furthermore, The Ministry of Energy of Georgia has received the Phase I screening report on environmental and social impact assessment of the Khudoni HPP from French-Italian Consortium BRL Ingenierie/ARS Progetti, which is the report prior to developing the full environmental impact assessment and the resettlement action plan that would be needed should a decision be made to build the hydropower plant. The Ministry of Energy of Georgia will hold public consultations on the studies for the proposed Khudoni HPP project on July 28-31, 2008, with the population of Samegrelo - Zemo Svaneti region and other interested parties, according to the following schedule: Jvari - July 28, Mestia - July 29, Khaishi - July 30, Zugdidi - July 30, Tbilisi - July 31. They said at the Ministry that the studies for the proposed project included: a technical and economic feasibility study of the Khudoni HPP being carried out by a Swiss company Colenco Power Engineering/Stucky.
Source: Black Sea Press, July 2008
* Let us remind that the World Bank has allotted $6 million for funding of pre-design works under construction of KhudoniHPP. The funds are intended for study of the situation at the construction grounds, preparation of the project and ecological expert examination. Total construction cost of KhudoniHPP makes USD 500 million. International consortium will probably be established for the purpose of the project implementation. It will consist of the donor organizations and private investors. Furthermore, the consortium will be responsible for attraction of the investments and implementation of the KhudoniHPP construction project. Construction of KhudoniHPP was launched in early 1980s, however was soon closed down under pressure of the Georgian Greens Party. KhudoniHPP is situated on the Inguri River, 30 km up-stream from InguriHEPS. Around USD 150 million was spent on the construction project at that time. The designed capacity of the plant is 600-700 MW
Mtirala National Park Meets Tourist Season Ready
July 10, 2008
Mtirala National Park Administration was organized the presentation, which was attended by Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Recourses of Georgia, Head of Agency of Protected Areas and Head of Tourism Department of Achara Autonomic Republic Temur Diasamidze.
The presentation was organized, about tourist season approaching, for Georgian tour operators and owners of guest houses to know about Mtirala National Park’s tourist potential and new tourist infrastructure projects. Mtirala National Park will be equipped during a month.
Source: Agency of Protected Areas, July 2008
www.dpa.gov.ge/index.php?lan=en&id=55&iid=286
Agency of Protected Areas Has Conducted Seminars to the Teachers of Tbilisi’s 50 Schools
July 10, 2008
The Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia, the Head of Agency of Protected Areas Giorgi Shonvadze had given the certificates to the teachers of Tbilisi schools. Teaches had gotten this certificates for listening the seminar according to subject – “The Meaning of Protected Areas”. 120 teachers of Tbilisi’s 50 schools had attended the seminar. The seminar was held with participation of the Agency of Protected Areas and USAID. Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia had selected the participant schools. The film presentations and Photo-exhibitions had hold during the seminars too about protected areas of Georgia.
The purpose of these seminars was to grow interest about protected areas of Georgia and introduction environmental protection abilities at schools.
After seminars the knowledge of the teachers had been raised about protected areas. In the future they are planning to organize student conference at schools and to organize trips on the protected areas. Resembling activities will be continued for the other region school’s teachers by Agency of Protected Areas.
Source: Agency of Protected Areas, July 2008
www.dpa.gov.ge/index.php?lan=en&id=55&iid=285
Letter From Georgia: Birdwatching by a Remote Monastery
May 22, 2008
On a trip last month through the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia, where we were reporting on the budding recovery of the Georgian winemaking traditions and efforts to combat wine fraud, we decided to take the long road back to Tbilisi, the capital, and use our travel time to tour Georgia’s border with Azerbaijan. There, we heard, we would see not only some of the earliest and most remote sites of Georgian Christianity, but we might glimpse the beginning of the spring raptor migration, a wonder even more timeless. Our next appointment in Tbilisi was not until the night; we risked a few-hours jog off the main route.
Slide Show: Birding in Georgia The trip took us from the lush southern slopes of the Caucasus, the snow-cloaked peaks and black soils of Georgian wine country, to the semi-arid desert that borders the Azeri steppe. The road, a buckling stretch of Soviet asphalt that eventually gives way to a dirt track, passed from Sagarejo to David Gareji, an ancient monastery, where we planned to climb the dry ridge into the wind, to see what was soaring northward, bound for the breeding season ahead.
WHY: For me, watching birds has two principal meanings. First, it is about slowing down, about noticing. I have watched for birds since childhood, almost always as a complement to other things. This has been especially true in my fishing and hunting, where the process of entering the environment, and silently attuning yourself to water and land from which you hope to feed, opens your senses to the wild sights and sounds that envelop you throughout each day - if only you let them in. This occurs not just when I am outdoors in search of a meal. Birds are almost always there, somehow, to be seen on hurried walks to the subway station, or from passing trains and cars. Looking for birds allows me to pick up the currents and natural borders that a working life can obliterate from view and from thought. Even the most incidental bird watching delivers insights and affirmations about the vagaries of the seasons, the subtle shifts of streams and tide, the boundaries of vegetation and habitat, and motions of air, weather and planet.
Archive Footage: Hunting the Republic of Georgia
May 19, 2008
The former Soviet republic did everything it could to keep American hunters out. Now, as a newly formed democracy, the Republic of Georgia welcomes Jim Baker as one of the first Americans to hunt the country’s game animals. Join Baker as he treks the wild, steep mountains and rugged forests of Georgia, hunting a triad of Chamois, Tahr and wild boar.
Source: Ruger’s Adventures; 2008
To view the 20 minute video clip you will need the Joost Player found here.
Georgia Opens New Oil Terminal
May 16, 2008
The President of Georgia has opened Kulevi oil terminal today. Prime Minister of Azerbaijan was attending the event. Owner of the Kulevi is the Georgian-Azerbaijan company Sokar-Energy-Georgia, which has invested 380 mln U.S. dollar in the construction of the terminal and plans to grow the invested funds up to 480 million. Kulevi terminal is capable to pump over 9 million oil product.
Source: Rustavi 2 Broadcasting; May 2008