News
The Department of Environmental Supervision identified 191 cases of illegal forest use in February 2026
Employees of the Department of Environmental Supervision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture identified 191 cases of illegal forest use from February 1 and February 28, 2026.
Of the identified violations, 142 relate to the illegal harvesting and transportation of timber, while 49 concern breaches of technical regulations by sawmills and the operation of illegal sawmills. Eighteen of these violations contain elements of a criminal offense. The case materials have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for further legal action.
In February 2026, nine unregistered sawmills were sealed.
In total, more than 180 cubic meters of illegally harvested timber were seized.
The highest number of cases was recorded in Kakheti- 59, followed by Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti - 42, Samtskhe-Javakheti- 24, Shida Kartli - 14, Adjara - 14, Kvemo Kartli - 10, Imereti- 9, Guria- 9, Mtskheta-Mtianeti- 7, and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - 3.
The Environmental Supervision Department’s patrol and rapid response teams conduct continuous 24-hour monitoring nationwide and implement preventive measures to ensure the timely prevention, suppression, and detection of illegal logging and other environmental violations. Immediate action is taken in response to every report received through the Ministry’s hotline (153). As a result, in the first two months of the current year, 308 cases of illegal loggingwere recorded nationwide.
Within the framework of combating poaching and other environmental crimes, the Department actively employs modern technologies, while enforcement mechanisms and sanctions have been strengthened.
