News
Implementation of the Rustavi Floodplain Forest Restoration-Development Project Begins.
The First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili, delivered remarks at the presentation of the Rustavi floodplain forest restoration-development project.
“The Rustavi floodplain forest restoration-development project is a vivid example of successful cooperation between the central government and the municipality. Through joint efforts, we have developed a comprehensive restoration plan supported by GEL 900,000 GEL allocated from the Environmental Fund. The project envisions not only the rehabilitation of a unique ecosystem but also the creation of recreational infrastructure for public benefit,” said Mrs. Tandilashvili.
According to Mrs. Tandilashvili, restoring the floodplain forest will be a significant step toward improving air quality in Rustavi.
Rustavi Mayor Mrs. Nino Latsabidze led the presentation, while Mrs. Maia Bitadze, Chair of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, MP Mr. Irakli Shatakishvili, representative of Rustavi and Gardabani communities; and Mr. Levan Kharabadze, State Representative of Kvemo Kartli region delivered the opening remarks. The Deputies of the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. Kakha Kakabadze and Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili, also attended the event.
Mrs. Maia Bitadze underlined the importance of the Environmental Fund in financing ecological initiatives:
“The Rustavi Floodplain Forest Project is the first to be implemented through the Environmental Fund. We created this fund to implement ecological initiatives by using funds collected as compensation for environmental damage,” Mrs. Bitadze stated.
According to Rustavi Mayor Mrs Nino Latsabidze, public engagement played a crucial role in shaping the project.
“The floodplain forest is one of Rustavi’s most valuable natural assets—an essential ecological resource. That’s why it is vital for all of us to take part in its restoration and sustainable development,” Mrs. Latsabidze said.
Currently, around 900 saplings have been planted as part of the initial phase. The project aims to rehabilitate a 320-hectare area of floodplain forest, including the planting of 20,000 endemic species such as oak, elm, and silverberry. Additionally, the plan includes:
Establishment of tourist and educational infrastructure
Installation of photo traps to monitor wildlife
Construction of water filtration barriers to prevent solid waste from polluting the Mtkvari River
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia prepared the Rustavi Floodplain Forest Restoration and Development Document in collaboration with Rustavi City Hall under the “Save Nature – Georgia” initiative. The project is fully financed by the Environmental Fund.
The targeted area includes both banks of the Mtkvari River within Rustavi’s city limits, between the Old and New Bridges—a zone that suffered severe ecological damage during the energy crisis of the 1990s.