Advances and Perspectives of Biodiversity Research and Conservation in Georgia

The first international scientific conference''Advances and Perspectives of Biodiversity Research and Conservation in Georgia'' was held on May 20-22, 2019. The conference was organized by the National Botanical Garden of Georgia. The following employees of Batumi Botanical Garden participated in the conference and delivered speeches: Davit Kharazishvili – Deputy Director of Batumi Botanical Garden, Julieta Jaqeli – Head of Exotic Plants Department, FerideChaidze – Coordinator of Exotic Plants Department, Nino Memiadze – Head of Local Flora and Conservation Department, Marine Tatarashvili – Head of Decorative Plants Department, Nino Manvelidze–Head of Phytosanitary Department and Gia Bolkvadze – Head of Infrastructure and Landscape Development Department.

Within the framework of the conference, representatives of Georgian responsible state institutions,environmental non-governmental organizations, scientific research institutions and botanical gardens signed the Memorandum of Cooperation in order to establish the National Network of plant conservation and to support its activities.

The goal of Memorandum is to exchange the information on works carried out regarding plants conservation in the territory of Georgia, evaluate and analyse the results of plants conversation activities, plan joint conservation works and achieve strategic goals, that are important instruments in the process of development of the national plants conservation strategy and in terms to establish the mechanisms for its implementation.

The Memorandum of Cooperation unites the following organizations:

Niko Ketskoveli Botanical Society, The National Botanical Garden of Georgia, The Institute of Botany at Ilia State University, The Union For Sustainable Development – EcoVision, Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture, Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN),World Wildlife Fund(WWF), The Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia, The branch of the Union of Cultural, Arts and Educational Institutions of Kutaisi - Botanical Garden of Kutaisi, Biological Farming Association “Elkana“, The Scientific-Research Center for Conservation of Species “NAKRESI“, Botanical Garden of Batumi, Environmental Information and Education Center, Botanical Garden Center of Zugdidi municipality, National Wildlife Agency and IvaneJavakhishvili Tbilisi State University.