Kintrishi Strict Nature Reserve
Kintrishi Strict Nature Reserve is a protected area in Kobuleti Municipality, Adjara region of Georgia in the upper part of the Kintrishi River at an altitude of 300–2,500 meters above sea level between the village of Tskhemvani and Khino Mountain in the Meskheti Range. It was established in 1959 to preserve relict humid forests and wetlands, in addition to its high number of endemic and threatened flora and fauna. Because of the ancient forests and high biodiversity within the nature reserve, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021 as part of the Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands site.
Geography
The broader Kintrishi Protected Areas include the Kintrishi Strict Nature Reserve and Kintrishi National Park.The Kintrishi Strict Nature Reserve is located in the valley of the river Kintrishi, which originates from Mount Khino and discharges into the Black Sea near the resort town of Kobuleti. At its lowest elevation, it is at above sea level, and its alpine pastures are at elevation of. Kintrishi Strict Nature Reserve is bordered from the north by the Kobuleti forest administration, from the east by Shuakhevi Municipality, from the south by Keda Municipality and from the southwest by Mtirala National Park.
In the high mountains of the reserve, at a height of, there is the small Tbikeli lake. The nearby lake Sidzerdzali is outside the boundaries of the reserve.