Ecotourism can make travel beneficial to conservation and sustainability efforts, demonstrating the significance of protecting the integrity of our local ecosystems and cultures.
The development of ecotourism, travel without harming the nature and its habitants, is thus vital for each country’s sustainable economy.
In Georgia, we have seen many projects implemented in Protected Areas with a focus on attracting tourists, to the detriment of biodiversity: seeing noise and light generated, the reduction of and pressure on habitats, leading to conflict between humans and wild nature. Ecotourism, however, promotes a harmonious coexistence with that very nature.
With these benefits in mind, to boost ecotourism in Georgia, the Society for Nature Conservation -SABUKO, BirdLife partner, on November 27 hosted the opening of new infrastructure in the picturesque Chachuna Managed Reserve in Dedoplistskaro municipality. The event was attended by its partners, donors, and the representatives of the National Environment Agency and the Agency of Protected Areas.
The recently inaugurated ecotourism infrastructure, welcoming nature enthusiasts, is a result of a project initiated within the framework of the Small Grants Programme (SGP) of the Global Environmental Fund (GEF). This project, conducted from 2021 to 2022, was implemented in Georgia through collaboration between the United Nations Development Program, the Agency of Protected Areas, and was also co-funded by the Endangered Landscapes and Sea Scapes Programme: Kakheti steppes project.
SABUKO has arranged a perfect hub for hikers and nature lovers, a supplementary feeding station for vultures, a birdwatching space to make it easier for guests to watch them as they fly and feed, a campsite, and a cozy, eco-friendly cottage for eight persons right on the river bank, with all the necessary comfort inside and surrounded by amazing nature. This new project gives guests the chance to rest peacefully and at the same time closely observe some of the rare wild species living in Chachuna.
Due to the outstanding biodiversity and landscapes of Chachuna, the ecotourism activity planned here has great potential. Most importantly, the income received will be used for the protection and development of the same protected area.
The opening event of the new ecotourism infrastructure also hosted an exhibition of photographer Natela Grigalashvili, showcasing her photos of the Chachuna Reserve. Under the Artists’ Residence Program, supported by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, the photographer worked for a year in the reserve to document the interaction between humans and nature.
Giorgi Chikorashvili, Project Manager, noted at the opening: “The new tourism infrastructure will allow visitors to observe closely and learn more about the rich local biodiversity and rare species living in the exotic Chachuna Reserve. Spending a few days here will definitely make them fall in love with nature even more.
“Importantly, the tourism infrastructure was arranged in such a way as to bring minimum harm to nature, while in parallel considering tourists’ needs and expectations. Another important motivation to build it here was increasing the protection of local nature and habitats, as along with raising awareness, attracting more tourists and nature defenders to the spot will provide further prevention of illegal activities and vandalism in the reserve, such as poaching, though rangers constantly patrol on the territory. Each new tourism location has a relevant management plan aimed at causing minimal disturbance to species and providing for their protection and better living conditions. Increasing tourism flows to Chachuna will promote it as a new, exciting travel direction for hikers and nature enthusiasts alike, while the income received from tourism activities will be used for conservation of the reserve and protection of its unique biodiversity.”
How it all started – Saving unique floodplain forests in Kakheti
SABUKO launched a project “Restoring Gallery Forest and Grasslands in the Iori River Valley” in 2019. The initial phase of the project focused on the Chachuna Managed Reserve, addressing significant degradation issues caused by unregulated grazing. The ongoing second phase extends its scope to include Chachuna, Kotsakhura, Samukhi, and Vashlovani, encompassing an extensive territory, with the total coverage exceeding 25,000 hectares.
The Iori floodplain forest, and floodplain forests in general, are of particular importance for biodiversity and are rapidly declining and disappearing worldwide. In addition to being important for the species as a shelter (especially during the summer heat) and foraging, the floodplain forest is also vital for the Iori River.
The Iori River is the only river that flows through Chachuna. Water from the Iori River goes into the Dali Reservoir, where it leaves behind heavy debris. When the water comes out of the reservoir, it doesn’t have the debris anymore. This means that the riverbed is getting deeper and narrower, and the water can no longer reach the edges of the river. As a result, the floodplain forest is drying up. This happens especially in the summer. The health of the floodplain forest and the Iori River are very closely connected.
SABUKO arranged a special gabion that catches and collects the water, and several hectares of floodplain forest have now been stabilized. A documentary film was prepared on this topic, where interested viewers can learn about the problems in Chachuna in general. The studies conducted on the spot in terms of biodiversity show that as a result of various measures implemented by SABUKO, such as the arrangement of fences to prevent the chaotic sheep movement and grazing, and the installation of that gabion on the river, new plants characteristic to the floodplain forest have (re)appeared and the area of the floodplain forest has expanded.
The situation has also been significantly improved in terms of species restoration. As such, hydrologists and ichthyologists working on the ground claim that the amount of fish in the river, as well as other local species, has increased, which is thanks to the gabion. Now it is planned to arrange additional gabions for better results.
Such measures can lead to partial restoration of unique floodplain forests on the ground and thus save the homes of local wildlife, which includes rare species of animals and birds currently on the Red List.
Landscape degradation and erosion
Yet another problem SABUKO’s team encountered in Chachuna is the depletion and erosion of the landscape, which is a direct threat to biodiversity. The main cause of depletion is the large number of sheep grazing chaotically, uncontrolled. A plan was needed to ensure the shepherds grazed the sheep in specific sections so that they no longer enter where they grazed the previous days and, as such, the grass has time to grow and the soil keeps its fertility. To do this, SABUKO’s team helped all farmers develop a rotational grazing plan and stick to that plan. As the representatives of SABUKO explain, the farmers themselves had noticed that over the years, there was less and less grass left, and they had to buy more and more feed for the sheep, thus increasing their costs. “Therefore, in the first year, four and then two more farmers joined us, and the remaining 30 now actively cooperate with us,” they note.
As these areas are used as pastures, where the shepherds spend almost half of the year, it was also important for the SABUKO team to help them get more benefits and income as a result of their work.
“Farmers would increase their number of sheep to make more profit. We came up with a way to create an alternative to this, and proposed working on getting additional benefits from the sheep they have, be it wool, cheese, or something else. Now, we are working on the branding of sheep’s cheese and the products produced in this area in general to ensure better sales and income for them,” note SABUKO representatives.
The SABUKO team will continue to spare no efforts to revitalize the ecosystem and ensure sustainable use of natural resources in the Iori River Valley, something which the new ecotourism project only adds to, as well as the popularization of the Chachuna Reserve as a new, attractive must-see.
By Ana Dumbadze
