Box tree treatment in Nakerala gorge
Archil Nikoleishvili, the Head of the National Forestry Agency, visited Racha-Lechkhumi region, where he got acquainted with the process of treatment groves of Colchian box tree in the gorge of Nakerala.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, within the framework of the “National Action Plan for the Rescue of the Colchian Box tree” has been taking measures to combat the invasive parasite - box tree moth in the forest fund territory since 2016. The bushes of the damaged Colchis box tree were treated with a biological preparation in the regions of Imereti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Racha-Lechkhumi Kvemo Svaneti, in total on 550 hectares. Pheromone traps have also been used against the parasite.
This year, experts, academia, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations have decided to focus on conservative actions, to allocate experimental areas and treat them with chemical preparations.
A natural grove of 20 hectares in the gorge of Nakerala was chosen as an experimental area, which in 2019 will be processed 3 times, while in groves of box tree in the Imereti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regions control and monitoring activities will continue using pheromone traps.
The National Forestry Agency, in addition to measures to combat the parasite, carries out breeding of the Colchian box tree with the aim of its reproduction and return to nature.
