News
The Department of Environmental Supervision Identified 1,124 Cases of Illegal Forest Use in Eight Months
As part of efforts to combat illegal forest use, employees of the Department of Environmental Supervision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture identified 1,124 cases of illegal forest use between January 1 and August 31, 2026. Of these, 136 cases contained indications of criminal offenses, and the relevant materials were forwarded to the appropriate authorities for further action.
Of the identified violations, 810 cases involved the illegal harvesting and transportation of timber, while 314 cases concerned violations of technical regulations by sawmills and instances of illegal activity.
In the first eight months of 2026, 47 unregistered sawmills were sealed.
By region, the highest number of violations - 265 cases - was recorded in Adjara. A total of 204 cases were identified in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, 191 in Kakheti, 152 in Imereti, 81 in Samtskhe-Javakheti, 55 in Kvemo Kartli, 49 in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, 45 in Guria, 40 in Shida Kartli, and 35 in Mtskheta-Mtianeti.
Seven violations were also recorded in the capital. In Tbilisi, Environmental Patrol and Rapid Response officers identified three illegal sawmills during the eight-month period, as well as three cases of violations of the technical regulations governing sawmills and one case of illegal timber transportation.
The protection of natural resources and the prevention, suppression, and detection of illegal use of forests are a top priority for the Environmental Supervision Department. The Department’s crews conduct continuous 24-hour patrols nationwide, and immediate action is taken in response to every report received through the Ministry’s hotline (153).
