[Falkor-info] Georgian Forests

[info@falkor.org]

Forwarded on request of CENN:


Please forward and FAX!!!!, this is NOT the famous email about the Brazilian Rainforests, it is 
real, in Georgiaand happening TODAY! We started this fax-campaign last night (in Georgian and we 
didnt find out any earlier) and around 1 o'clock at night the Minister of Forestry Affairs called 
our Director on her mobile phone to ask what the hell was going on.... Media Exposure and "Actions" 
are so completely new here that we can still try to make an impact! Lets scare the minister and 
have him receive some faxs from around the world so that he notices he is being watched???!!!!!

Thanks,

Yours,
Tabitha van den Berg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Colleagues in Georgia and abroad,
We would like to inform you that today, on May 31, the Ministry of Environment Protection and 
Natural Resources of Georgia, despite the public protest, brought the issue of the long-term 
leasing of the State forests for consideration at the Government Session. The public and 
stakeholders have already developed their position statement on this issue that states that any 
reform in the forestry sector should be based on the National Forest Policy and Strategy. 
Privatisation of the forest in the form of 49 years leasecontracts worries us deeply. In a country 
withwhere rules are merely a waste of paper, corruption runs deep, effective control and 
maintenance schemes for environmental protection do not existand respect for nature is lowin 
general, we feel strongly that there should be NO PRIVATISATION un till the National Forest Policy 
and Strategy is developed and actively enforced.Who would start building ahouse without thinking 
about its design before?
Westrongly encourageyou to join our public protest campaign by sending the following letter to 
the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia for attention to the 
Minister George Papuashvili, to the following fax number: (+995 32) 275 737



  Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia
                                          Att. Mr. George Papuashvili


Subject: Long-term Leasing of the State Forest Resources

Mr. Papuashvili,
We were informed that today, on May 31, 2006, the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural 
Resources of Georgia brought the issue of the long-term leasing of the State forests for 
consideration at the Governmental Session. The public and stakeholders have already developed their 
position statement on this issue that strongly disagrees with the main principles of the reform 
developed by the Ministry without stakeholder consultation. The reform intends introduction of long 
term leasing of State forest without intersectoral approach, feasibility study and economical 
analysis of consequences. 
Although the public is convinced that reforms are essential in the forestry sector, we think it is 
inadmissible to start reform in the sector until the National Forest Policy and Strategy are 
developed in the participatory manner and agreed with all stakeholders. These documents should 
serve as starting-point for the development of environmentally and economically feasible form of 
reform. The above mentioned document is still in the process of development. 
Therefore, we appeal to you to halt the consideration of this issue until the National Forest 
Policy and Strategy are developed and approved by all stakeholders.
Sincerely yours,

Name: _____________________________
Organization: _____________________________