Involvement of local communities is one of the main prerequisites of effective management of any protected area. This way local communities may develop the ownership over the park and its biodiversity and choose to support nature conservation. Certain important steps have already been taken in this regard in the Borjomi region. However local participation in biodiversity monitoring, as one of the forms of public participation, is yet to be utilized. Local guides are among the key members of the local community. They can act as mediators between the park and local community because they regularly interact with the park through their activity and spend substantial time in the field. The project intends to initiate strong local participation in the management of BKNP and especially in biodiversity monitoring through involving such local groups as local NGOs, guides, students of Borjomi origin, students of local high schools and other active members of local community through specially designed activities including: trainings, eco-camps, taking part in field activities, documentary shooting, and a micro-grant program.

The project intends to strengthen the capacity of the local NGOs for them to become actively involved in the biodiversity monitoring activities in the park. The local NGO partner of the project ? The Samtskhe-Javakheti Media Centre will support the project implementation on the ground and liaise with other local NGOs. Eco-camps will be organized for local NGOs and students of universities and local high schools, at which the participants will learn simple methods of biodiversity monitoring. The most active and motivated participants will then take part in real monitoring work in BKNP. Local guides will receive training in ecotourism and biodiversity monitoring. Based on the BKNP management plan, NACRES and Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) have developed a key species monitoring plan for BKNP which involves biodiversity monitoring using modern technologies such as drones as well as other conventional methods. For the successful implementation of that plan, the capacity of the BKNP employees (natural resources specialists and rangers) will be substantially increased through trainings that will involve both theoretical sessions and field practical. All biodiversity monitoring equipment procured by the project will become the property of the park.