As the New Year festivities draw near, the relevant departments of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture are intensifying measures to oversee the extraction and transportation of coniferous trees.

The National Forestry Agency urged the public not to destroy natural resources and to opt for artificial Christmas trees instead.

“The fine for illegal harvesting, transportation, or breach of regulations concerning the sale of coniferous trees is set at GEL 2,000 for the first offence. Repetition will lead to criminal prosecution. Additionally, the environmental damage caused will be assessed. If the damage exceeds GEL 1,000, criminal proceedings will be initiated against the offender, which may include a fine and/or imprisonment for a period of 1 to 3 years. In cases of large-scale illegal tree felling where environmental damage surpasses GEL 3,000, the penalty will be imprisonment for 5 to 7 years. Each violation will be subject to the sanctions prescribed by law,” said Kakha Tsertsvadze, Head of the National Forestry Agency.

Coniferous trees can be legally obtained from nurseries, plantations, private plots, or through importation. When selling legally sourced trees, the seller must present appropriate documentation confirming lawful ownership. If the tree is obtained from a private land plot or an artificially cultivated nursery, a certificate of origin is required for transportation, issued by the local municipality’s city hall.