Balancing development and conservation needs of stakeholders in the Tusheti Protected Landscape

摘要

Public governance and civil society play an important role in the preservation of the environmental and cultural values of the specific region of Tusheti. This area is an interesting study object also due to its unique governing model and different management issues including the historical background of the region and the current growth of tourism. In the region, where there is a significant number of initiatives supported by donors, a management plan for the protected landscape was prepared and put into practice and selected measures were implemented. Our evaluation of the activities was focused on relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impacts and sustainability of outcomes. On the basis of the formulated conclusions, a few recommendations related to process and system nature, implementation and replicability of approaches are suggested. The results show an increase in tourism in the region, which leads to an improvement in the quality of life of the local population. On the other hand, it represents a threat to natural and cultural values, historical identity and uniqueness. The Management Plan is an excellent platform for stakeholder cooperation and implementation of specific measures to protect this exceptional territory.