Table 3 Suitability scores of the selected criteria

Socio-economic

Distance from protected area (C1)

> 6000 m

4000–6000 m

2000–4000 m

< 2000 m

Population density (C2)

15361–56,616

15,361–56616

6185–15,361

< 6185

Distance from road (C3)

0–200 m

200–800 m

800–1000 m

> 1000 m

Physiography

Elevation (C4)

0–1600 m

1600–2000 m

2000–2600 m

> 2600 m

Slope (C5)

0–5%

5–10%

10–20%

> 20%

Geology

Lineaments density (C6)

10–210

220–410

410–480

> 480

Soil quality (C7)

> 187

187–187

163–187

< 16

Litology (C8)

Precambrian and Archean formations

Infracabrian and Georgian language training

Acadian, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous formations

Quaternary, continental Miocene and Eocene formations

Surface water

Distance from river (C9)

> 2000 m

1000–2000 m

500–1000 m

< 500 m

Distance from dams (C10)

> 6000 m

4000–6000 m

2000–4000 m

< 2000 m

Climate

Wind direction (C11)

NE–SW

N–S

NW–SE

W–E