Slovakia supports Georgia in the development of Community Forestry

17. December 2025

From 29 to 31 October 2025, Slovakia hosted a Georgian delegation on a study visit implemented through the Sharing Slovak Expertise (SSE) instrument. As part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Slovak Republic, this instrument significantly contributes to achieving the objectives of Slovakia’s Medium-Term Strategy for Development Cooperation 2025–2030 by sharing Slovak expertise and fostering professional dialogue.

The visit took place within the SSE project “Sharing Slovakia’s Experience with Community Forestry”, which aims to present Slovak approaches to sustainable forest management, facilitate the exchange of experience, and create space for future cooperation.

Georgian Delegation

The delegation consisted of representatives of the Environmental Protection Service of the Tbilisi City Hall:

Merab Machavariani – Environmental and Forest Policy Expert
Nikoloz Burduli – Head of the Forest Policy Department
Nato Chokheli – Deputy Head of the Environmental Protection Service
Iuza Tsereteli – Landscape Design Expert

Programme and Key Topics

Over the course of three days, the delegation participated in six expert meetings with representatives of key Slovak institutions, including:

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic – discussions on legislative frameworks, forest categorisation, fragmentation of private forests, and the implementation of the new EU Forest Strategy for 2030.
Bratislava Municipal Forests – presentation of the urban forest management model, visitor regulation, and a field visit to Kamzík, Železná studnička and Partizánska lúka.

Technical University in Zvolen – the programme concluded with a visit to the Faculty of Forestry, where university representatives introduced the system of higher education in forestry, its links to research, and modern technologies used in ecosystem assessment.
Discussions focused on new trends in study programmes, adaptive forest management in response to climate change, and opportunities for international cooperation.

Forest School Levice – demonstration of environmental education and experiential learning, including a discussion on forest management within the Podunajsko Civic Association.
National Forestry Centre – presentation of forest management governance, use of geospatial data, forest protection services, and forest pedagogy.

The programme also included a presentation by the Georgian delegation on the management of urban forests in Tbilisi, which face increasing pressure from urbanisation, climate change, and growing visitor numbers.

Results and Future Cooperation

The discussions created space for the exchange of know-how and the identification of potential areas of cooperation between Slovak and Georgian partners. The delegation positively evaluated both the professional and organisational aspects of the programme and expressed interest in continuing the cooperation through a reciprocal study visit of Slovak experts to Georgia.

Proposed areas of cooperation include:

A Memorandum of Cooperation between the Technical University in Zvolen and the Georgian Technical University
Study opportunities for Georgian students at the Faculty of Forestry
Joint projects focused on urban forest management

The study visit confirmed that Slovakia and Georgia share a common interest in modern and sustainable approaches to forest governance. The contacts established and expert discussions held form a solid foundation for long-term cooperation that may contribute to the development of community forestry in both countries.

Throughout the programme, the delegation was accompanied by Ing. Valéria Sokolíková, Project and Financial Manager at SAMRS.