On March 6th 2024, the first meeting of the Coordination Council for the National System of Biodiversity Monitoring took place. The Council was created by the initiative of the Biodiversity and Forestry Department under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia with CNF’s support under the UNDP/GEF project “Enhancing Financial Sustainability of Protected Areas System of Georgia”.
The meeting was welcomed by the first Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Nino Tandilashvili and the Executive Director of CNF, Elizabeth Messud.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of the creation of the Coordination Council to support the ongoing process in the country that aims at strengthening of biodiversity monitoring national system, including its institutionalization. CNF’s Executive Director acknowledged an important role the Council will have to advance the ongoing reform and expressed the readiness to continue its support within CNF’s objectives and mandate.
The Council unanimously elected Zurab Gurielidze, the Tbilisi Zoo Director as the Chair of the Council.
The representatives of different public institutions, including the Agency of Protected Areas, National Forest Agency, research institutions including Ilia State University, Tbilisi State University, non-governmental organizations, such as Nacres, Campaster, Regional Environmental Centre presented their work on biodiversity monitoring. The Regional Conservation Director of CNF, Tamar Pataridze overviewed CNF’s ongoing support for strengthening biodiversity monitoring processes in the country and discussed the possible support in the future.
The Council also discussed the working format of the Council and tentative timetable and topics for the upcoming meetings.
