Kolkheti National Park and wetland areas have been named among the Georgian areas that will be listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands are the first natural World Heritage property nominated by Georgia.
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites are the most important part of the Caucasus Eco-Region and the Black Sea Basin. Granting World Natural Heritage status to protected areas will help increase Georgia’s awareness, develop ecotourism, share international management experience, attract visitors and increase their number.
The Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands are situated in Georgia, within the Autonomous Republic of Adjara as well as the regions of Guria and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. They are a series of seven component areas, which are located along the warm-temperate and extremely humid eastern coast of the Black Sea.
They consist of an altitudinal series of the most typical Colchic ecosystems running from sea level to > 2,500 m a.s.l. The main ecosystems are ancient deciduous Colchic rainforests and wetlands – particularly percolation bogs and other mire types of the distinct Colchic mire region.
The World Heritage List currently features 213 natural locations such as the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland and the West Norwegian Fjords.