Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
Name	Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
Iucn category	II
Photo caption	Forested ridge in the central massif
Location	Samtskhe–Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Guria, Imereti, Georgia (country)
Nearest city	Borjomi
Area km2	850
Established	1995
Governing body	Protected Areas Agency of Georgia

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is a major protected area in Georgia (country), spanning parts of Samtskhe–Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Guria, and Imereti. The park conserves mixed Caucasus temperate forests and alpine ecosystems on the Borjomi Gorge and Trialeti Range, serving as a landscape-scale refuge connecting the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus. It is internationally recognized for its biodiversity, cultural heritage, and mineral springs tied to the Borjomi mineral water industry.

Overview

The park was established in 1995 under the auspices of the President of Georgia and later expanded with support from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), United Nations Development Programme, and Global Environment Facility. It encompasses core zones, regulated recreation zones, and buffer areas adjacent to municipalities such as Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Kharagauli, Khashuri, and Baghdati. The landscape links to transboundary conservation initiatives involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey through Caucasus ecoregional planning led by organizations including WWF-Caucasus Programme Office.

Geography and geology

Situated on the southern slopes of the Trialeti Range, the park includes ridges, plateaus, and deep gorges formed during the Alpine orogeny. Elevations range from about 700 m near Borjomi to over 2,000 m on peaks such as Mount Likani and adjacent summits. Geology features andesite and limestone outcrops, Quaternary deposits, and karst formations that influence spring emergence feeding the Mtkvari River (Kura). The park's soils and microclimates are shaped by continental influences from Anatolia and humid airflows from the Black Sea.

Biodiversity

The park harbors mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests dominated by European beech, oriental oak, hornbeam, silver fir, and Norway spruce. Fauna includes large mammals such as brown bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), wolves (Canis lupus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and Caucasian chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Avifauna features golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), vulture species, Common crossbill, and migratory species using flyways linked to Paleartic migration routes. The park supports endemic and relict plants of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot including species documented by botanical surveys from institutions like the Institute of Botany (Georgia) and Tbilisi State University. Freshwater habitats sustain invertebrates and fish linked to studies by the Georgian National Academy of Sciences.

History and conservation

Historically the area was part of medieval principalities and saw infrastructure developments during the Russian Empire and Soviet Union eras, including railway lines connecting Tbilisi and Poti that facilitated spa tourism to Borjomi resort facilities patronized by figures from the Tsarist and Soviet periods. Conservation momentum in the 1990s drew on international partnerships with WWF, UNDP, and bilateral support from governments such as Germany and Sweden. The park's legal framework references national protected areas legislation enacted by the Parliament of Georgia and incorporates objectives aligned with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Recreation and tourism

Recreation includes hiking on trails such as the Borjomi-Kharagauli trail network, cycling, horseback riding, and visits to cultural sites like the Romanov Palace in Likani and historic monasteries in Vardzia and Rabati Castle in Akhaltsikhe. Spa tourism centers on Borjomi mineral water bottling facilities and thermal springs, attracting visitors from Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Europe. Tour operators and NGOs collaborate with local municipalities including Borjomi Municipality to promote sustainable ecotourism, linking itineraries to transit hubs like Tbilisi International Airport and rail services at Borjomi railway station.

Management and protection

Management is overseen by the Protected Areas Agency of Georgia with input from the IUCN, WWF, and community organizations such as local unions and guide associations. Zoning, anti-poaching patrols, fire management, and visitor education programs are coordinated through park directorates and municipal councils of Kharagauli and Borjomi. Funding sources include government allocations, donor projects from the European Union, revenue from visitor fees, and partnerships with conservation NGOs like Fauna & Flora International.

Threats and research

Threats include illegal logging linked to regional fuel demands, habitat fragmentation from infrastructure projects such as road upgrades on routes connecting Tbilisi and Akhaltsikhe, climate change impacts documented by climatologists at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, and tourism pressures near sensitive sites like Likani Park. Ongoing research programs address population monitoring of brown bear and Eurasian lynx, forest dynamics assessed by the Georgian Centre of Forest Science, and hydrological studies of mineral springs by hydrogeologists collaborating with Technical University of Munich and regional institutes. Conservation science in the park contributes to broader Caucasus hotspot planning with partners including BirdLife International, IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and academic networks across Caucasus University and international universities.

Category:Protected areas of Georgia (country) Category:National parks of Georgia (country)