The Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture is tightening its control over Boxtree cutting in Georgia.
The ministry announced that cutting, uprooting, or damaging boxwood branches is punishable by fines ranging from GEL 500 to 2,000. If environmental damage exceeds GEL 1,000, the case is treated as a criminal offence. Boxtree can only be harvested from privately owned nurseries and artificially cultivated plantations with a relevant certificate of origin issued by the local self-government body.
“Kolkhuri Boxtree (bza), a species protected by the Red List, is prohibited from being harvested in state forest territories. The National Forestry Agency urges residents to abide by the law and warns that any violations will be strictly punished,” stated Kakha Tsertsvadze, head of the National Forestry Agency.
