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promote the preservation of local biodiversity. At the
same time, where appropriate, natural landscapes
should be enriched by shelterbelts that can promote
both preservation of biodiversity and provision of
firewood to the local population, thus protecting
windbreaks from illegal logging. To mitigate the
impacts of climate change and reduce the risks of
drought and land degradation (erosion) processes,
the “Rehabilitation of windbreaks in Dedoflistskaro
region” project was proposed. The project focused
on identifying areas where rehabilitating windbreaks
could significantly contribute to the mitigation of
climate change impacts. It also looked at rehabilitating
selected windbreak areas that had deteriorated as a
result of the energy crisis, as well as mobilizing local
farmers to implement the project and take further
steps to protect the rehabilitated windbreaks.
The project identified by the Second National
Communication to the UNFCCC is currently being
implemented by GIZ, the German government
development agency, and the Austrian Development
Cooperation as the ”Support of climate-adapted
agriculture and rehabilitation of windbreaks
in East Georgia” project within the framework
of the Sustainable Management of Biodiversity
programme. More than 66 km of windbreaks have
been rehabilitated in the above-mentioned territory
during 2012–2015 and an additional 40 km will be
rehabilitated in fall 2015.
In order to promote sustainable agricultural practices,
the Sustainable Management of Biodiversity
programme provided assistance to a group of farmers
from the “Agrarian and Environmental Association”
to gain knowledge about and application of modern
environmental-friendly agricultural practices in
Shiraki Valley, such as low/no till wheat cultivation
in order to efficiently use the available moisture in
the soil; planting of legumes (for example alfalfa or
lespedeza) and/or rapeseed; and use of green manure
to protect agrobiodiversity; etc.
Unfortunately, fires in July 2015 destroyed newly
rehabilitated windbreaks. These were the result of
shepherds using the traditional method of burning
grass to encourage fast growth in common pastures.
The impact of using these traditional methods is the
complete exhaustion of the soil and severe damage to
the newly plantedwindbreaks.The fires demonstrated
that the knowledge of farmers in the area has not yet
reached sufficient levels, and that their ownership
over assets provided through donor support is also
insufficient. Therefore, some economic or social
incentives for increasing ownership of farmers and
establishment of sustainable practices of windbreak
rehabilitation and further promotion of sustainable
agricultural practices should be established.