E-367 GEORGIA PROTECTED AREAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Environmental Assessment, Environmental Management Plan 1. Introduction. The Government of Georgia (GoG) has requested that the International Public Disclosure Authorized Development Association (the Bank) provide support through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for a Protected Areas Development Project. This Project will help the GoG to improve the conservation and sustainable use of Georgian biodiversity. 2. The project will: (i) establish three protected areas in eastern Georgia; (ii) facilitate the creation of a national network of protected areas; (iii) integrate biodiversity conservation into forestry, range management, and agriculture; (iv) strengthen institutions responsible for biodiversity conservation programs; (iv) improve public awareness of the values and importance of Georgian biodiversity; and (v) promote regional / international cooperation for conservation of biodiversity in the Caucasus region. 3. The Implementing Agency for the Project is the Georgia Department of Protected Areas. Financing for Project preparation commenced in March, 1999. Significant analysis and Public Disclosure Authorized proposals for Project financing were developed in partnership with the Department of Protected Areas administrations of three proposed project sites (Vashlovani, Lagodekhi and Tusheti); NGOs; the scientific community, international experts, and Georgian governmental institutions (Ministry of Environment). During project preparation, an environmental review identified the potential impacts of project activities and elaborated environmental review and management plan to be undertaken during project implementation. 4. The results of the environmental review and the recommended environmental management plan were the subject of public consultations held for each protected area site between June 12 and 14,2000. Comments were recorded in minutes (see Annex 5, Summary of Consultations; full minutes are available in Georgian from the Project Implementation Unit). Issues highlighted at the consultations have been incorporated into project design and monitoring Public Disclosure Authorized plans. This environmental assessment and management plan satisfies World Bank requirements for a "Category B" project, as outlined in the Bank's Operational Policy 4.01 "Environmental Assessment" and is consistent with GoG environmental procedures . 5. The project is expected to be appraised in June, 2000; presented to the World Bank Board of Directors in September, 2000 before becoming effective in November 2000. Summary of Findings and Consultations. 6. Potential alternative scenarios for this Project include reduced financing for biodiversity management, or a strict focus on protected areas management. Due to the extensive planning and investments needs to stabilize the status of biodiversity in the region during this period of transition, existing government resources and international financing efforts directed to forest Public Disclosure Authorized biodiversity will not ensure protection of globally significant biodiversity in the expanded designated areas. In termnsof protecting biodiversity in the Caucasus region, it is unlikely that the ' Buildingpermits from the Ministry of Environmentwill be requiredprior to the constructionof anynational park infrastructure. limited expenditures will have a significant impact on continuing damage to these fragile habitats. The sustainability of the protected areas are also most likely served through the promotion of well-managed tourism -- for purposes of both public awareness and education as well as the chance for the protected area administration and local communities to develop the potential for revenue-generation. To limit the project to the implementation of protected areas management plans, and reduce technical assistance to the integration of environmental and biodiversity management principles into the production landscape would ignore one of the largest threats to Georgian biodiversity-namely the destruction, degradation and fragmentation of habitat across the country. 7. The main environmental issues that have been identified under the environmental review and management plan are (i) the impact of construction of national park infrastructure, including administrative buildings, checkpoints and guard stations, trails and tourism interpretation facilities; (ii) the potential increase in recreational use of the national parks; (iii) change in natural resources management use; and (iv) linkage to the proposed World Bank Forestry Development Project (expected to begin implementation in 2002). 8. All project activities are to be integrated into site-specific protected area or regional, landscape-level management plans, and all project activities will be implemented accordingly. The environmental management plan (Annex 1 and 2) summarizes the specific mitigation measures, their costs and implementation arrangements for each environmental issue. 9. Minutes of the public consultations2 on the draft Environmental Assessment and Management Plan were held for all three project sites between June 12 and 14, 2000. 2 A fullsummary of the meetingsare documented in Annex3. Thefull minutes are available in Georgianupon requestfrom the ProjectPreparation Unit in Tbilisi, Georgia GEORGIA PROTECTED AREAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT EnvironmentalAssessment L ProjectDescription 10. This Project will help to improvethe conservationand sustainableuse of Georgian biodiversity. The projectwill: (i) supportthree protectedareas in eastern Georgia;(ii) facilitate the creation of a national network of protectedareas; (iii) integratebiodiversity conservation into forestry, range management,and agriculture;(iv) strengtheninstitutions responsible for biodiversityconservation programs; (iv) improvepublic awarenessof the values and importance of Georgianbiodiversity; and (v) promoteregional / internationalcooperation for conservationof biodiversityin the Caucasusregion. Project Components: 11. Component A. Support Protected Areas Planning: The project would assist the Departmentof ProtectedAreas, Ministryof Environment(MoE), and Departmentof Forestry (DOF), Academyof Sciencesand NGOsto developa representativeprotected area networkplan for the whole country and to prepare a detailedforest land use plan for the CentralCaucasus that balances forest conservationand utilization. Al. Preparation of a National Protected Area System Plan: The objective of the Protected Areas Systemplan is to providedecision makers with recommendationson the creationof an ecologicallyrepresentative network of protectedareas to protect and managethe country's biodiversity,and which balancesthe needs of its local communitiesand economicsectors (e.g. forestry and agriculture).The final plan for the national systemof protected areas with multiple managementobjectives would be submittedto the appropriateexecutive and parliamentarybodies for endorsement.Activities will include: * The synthesisof existinginformation and field studies to fill gaps (biological,geological, hydrologicaland cultural systems,ownership and user rights, economicactivities, and legislativeinformation); * The developmentof a systemsplan through a broad consultativeprocess, which will outline network plan objectives,recommendations for boundaryand category gazettement, planningmethods, participatory and partnershipmechanism for managementand implementationpriorities; and * Public awarenesscampaign before and after governmentendorsement of the national protectedarea systemsplan. A2. ProtectedArea Planfor Central CaucasusMountains Ecoregion: The Central Caucasus region is rich in biodiversityand forest resources.The PADP will work closely with the proposed ForestryDevelopment Project to developa land use plan for forest conservation and use in this region- initiallyfocusing on the districtsof Ambrolauri,Lentekhi, Oni and Tsageri.A Central CaucasusCommission backed up by a technical multidisciplinaryteam has alreadybeen set up (duringthe preparationof the ForestryDevelopment Project) for the purposes of preparingmodel land-useplans for the managementof all existingnatural resources,including both the protectedand forested areas availablefor sustainable management.Areas identified for protectedarea status during this process would eventually be reallocatedfrom the Departmentof Forestryto Departmentof ProtectedAreas. This project would co-finance: * Technicalassistance and field studiesto collect and synethesizenecessary information; * Analysisof the opportunitiesand constraintsfor sustainablenatural resources managementin the CentralCaucasus Mountain region; * Economicand socialanalysis of "highest and best use" of the region's natural resources; * Consultationand the preparationof a generalprotected area plan for the regionwith respect to protectedareas, wildlifecorridors and land use planning. 12. Component B. Promote Conservation and Use of Biodiversity Inside and Outside of ProtectedAreas:The projectwould assist the Departmentof ProtectedAreas, Ministry of Environment(MoE), and Departmentof Forestry,Ministry of Agricultureand local municipalitiesto address biodiversityissues both insideand outside of protectedareas. B]. Implement Management Plansfor Tusheti National Park, Vashlovani National Park and the Expanded Lagodeckhi Nature Reserve: Management plans or guidelines have been preparedfor three protectedareas in Georgia:Tusheti National Park (115,800 ha), VashlovaniNational Park (44,796ha) and the expandedLagodeckhi Nature Reserve