Racha and LikhiRidge
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Region, Georgia
Restoring the lifeline between the peaks
Nestled in northwestern Georgia, the Racha region and the Likhi Ridge form part of the Caucasus Mountains and are home to an extraordinary array of plants and animals, including the endemic East Caucasian tur, Caucasian black grouse, and Caucasian snowcock. Around 8,000 people live in this mountainous region, carrying on rich traditions deeply tied to the land.
But illegal logging, poaching, insufficient grazing, unsustainable forest management, and mining activities have led to habitat degradation and fragmentation. The Society for Nature Conservation (SABUKO), BirdLife’s Partner in Georgia, is ready to lead urgent efforts to ensure this unique landscape thrives for future generations.
Our Future Vision
The Racha-Likhi Ridge is now home to a network of well-integrated protected areas, managed by local communities. Restored wildlife populations once again roam freely between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. Local communities sustainably harvest forests, and pastures are regularly grazed by both livestock and wild herbivores. The region’s natural beauty, rich culture, and local cuisine attract eco-tourists from around the world. There are no active mining sites in critical ecosystems and former mining areas have been fully restored.
RACHA AT A GLANCE
+300
Species
+5
Habitats
153,710
Hectares
Habitat types
temperate forests, grasslands and meadows, high mountain krummholz, sub-nival and nival areas
Key Species
Caucasian Black Grouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi), Great Rosefinch (Carpodacus rubicilla), (Carpodacus erythrinus), Caucasian Snowcock (Tetraogallus caucasicus), Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra), East Caucasian Tur (Capra cylindricornis), Alpine Longhorn Beetle (Rosalia alpina), Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), Kolchic Box Tree (Buxus colchica)
Size:
153,710 hectares (65,632 hectares are already protected areas)
Designations
National Park, Managed Reserve, Biodiversity Hotspot, Key biodiversity area, Emerald Sites
Main causes of degradation
logging, mining, degradation from land-use changes, insufficient grazing, hydropower development, poaching, and climate change
Our plan: Restoring the ridge for nature, people and the planet
To reconnect and protect this unique landscape, we will:
- Establish new protected areas within the Racha region and creating ecological corridors to connect areas with a protected status.
- Sustainably manage 50,000 hectares of subalpine forests and grassland
- Reintroduce the European Bison and implement a sustainable grazing regime for domestic livestock.
- Evaluate and mitigate existing human-wildlife conflicts by using advanced conflict management strategies and best practices, ensuring sustainable coexistence while effectively navigating the challenges associated with species reintroduction.
- Create eco-friendly economic opportunities for local communities,including sustainable farming and timber production, improved pasture management, and eco-tourism development.
- Develop policies and laws to improve population states and habitats of key species and ensure public participation.
- Involve and support up to 150 conservation experts, whose knowledge will drive ecological sustainability across Georgia and contribute to long-term environmental protection.
“At the heart of our vision is the understanding that humans, with their rich cultural diversity, are a part of nature. The future of the Racha-Likhi ridge depends on protecting and restoring its biodiversity while using resources sustainably so everyone benefits.”Irakli Matcharashvili – Director of SABUKO
We gratefully acknowledge to support of the Sigrid Rausing Trust.