We, Georgians, do love talking about how unique our nature is and how much we admire it, but when it comes to protecting it, helping it to overcome the inevitable, destructive effects of global warming, and goodness knows how many other kinds of threats, who is it that truly puts all the effort into saving it, into saving what we love? Well, the Society for Nature Conservation, SABUKO, is one that comes to mind. It’s been over a decade since the team of well-educated, well-experienced experts started their mission of protecting and conserving Georgia’s biodiversity. Out of the projects they’ve worked on throughout these years, restoring degraded grasslands is what I’m going to tell you about this time. As a GT journalist, I was invited to the amazing Kakheti region and its Chachuna Managed Reserve to observe and write about a project that aims to tackle the widespread issue of grassland degradation.
Our journey begins in Dedoplistskaro municipality, where Giorgi Chikorashvili, SABUKO’s Natural Resources Program Manager, accompanied by biologist Gio Khubashvili, visits his parents’ house to load the pickup truck with hay clippings his father has stored to protect them from moisture and mold. These hay clippings, which will play a crucial role in the experiment, are made up of grass mowed from around the project area. The reason behind it is simple: SABUKO’s goal is to check if restoring severely degraded grasslands in Chachuna is possible, and for that purpose, no grass other than from that area can better help them conduct the experiment. After they finish loading the truck with hay clippings, David Chikorashvili secures them in the bed of the pickup with a strong rope, because a difficult road lies ahead, and we can’t afford to lose any of it.
The road from Dedoplistskaro to Chachuna Managed Reserve is a long one. Within the over three-hour journey, you experience stunning natural landscapes while constantly being reminded of the risks that come with taking this route. Through sun or fog, on paved roads or muddy trails, across sweeping fields and beneath towering cliffs – indeed, the path we traveled was nothing short of remarkable. And the hay clippings that Giorgi’s father had secured in the truck survived it all. That man truly knows his job.
We reached the Chachuna Managed Reserve and one of the two test plots that SABUKO has there. In addition to the Chachuna Managed Reserve, the Society for Nature Conservation also maintains experimental plots in the Samukhi Valley and the Vashlovani Protected Area. A few days before our arrival, the SABUKO experts released sheep into the surrounding area so they could graze the grass and prepare the site for the experiment. This enclosed area, which does not exceed 1 hectare, is protected by an electric fence. SABUKO is one of the rare organizations in Georgia that uses such a protection system. The electric fence, powered by solar, has a dual purpose: on one hand, it protects the enclosed area and the animals within it, and on the other, it prevents the animals inside from leaving the area. Most importantly, a few wooden posts, driven into the ground, with the finest electrical cables attached to them, ensure that there is no physical barrier between the enclosed area and the surrounding environment.
Giorgi and Gio unload the material from the truck and spread it over two-fourths of the area, distributing the hay evenly across the designated zone. We’ll get back to the role this material plays in the study, but first, the two must return to the truck and head to the nearest farm to collect another essential component – sheep manure. By conducting this experiment, SABUKO’s top priority is to help local shepherds by restoring degraded grasslands, which, if successful, will provide them with more grazing area for their livestock. By collecting sheep manure from the locals, they not only involve them in the study, but also test whether they can rely solely on their livestock and the manure they produce – a strategy that would significantly reduce their expenses.
After loading the truck with sheep manure, Giorgi and Gio drive back to the experimental plot and begin spreading. How does the experiment work? The one-hectare plot of land is divided into four equal sections. Each section has a specific role in the study. On one-fourth of the area, only sheep manure will be spread. On another, only hay clippings (grass) will be applied. A third section will receive a mix of both sheep manure and hay clippings. The final quarter will be left completely untouched, serving as a control to help assess how much impact the different treatments have.
As for why they chose these two materials, let’s break it down. As I mentioned earlier, the hay clippings that the two brought to the experimental zone consist of grass mowed from the surrounding area. Their purpose is to serve as ground cover in this region, where droughts have been lasting longer in recent years. The rainwater that does fall tends to evaporate quickly due to the lack of vegetation, without having time to soak into the soil. The hay spread over the designated zone will act as a protective layer, helping rainwater penetrate the ground. Hay often contains residual plant seeds, which, over time, will make their way into the soil and support the growth of new grass in the area. The sheep manure is a natural fertilizer, is both important for improving soil quality and readily available to local shepherds. The SABUKO team wants to make the process of restoring degraded grasslands as cost-efficient for locals as possible.
With both the hay clippings and sheep manure now spread over the designated area, we prepare to head back to Dedoplistskaro, leaving nature to play its part. The SABUKO team will visit once a month to check on the experimental area and the electric fence. The sun and wind, rain and mist will help both sheep manure and the hay merge with the soil. Next year, SABUKO experts, accompanied by Ilia State University students, will visit to monitor the progress. They will evaluate the soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) using high-resolution images from a professional drone, and later share the results not only with the wider scientific community but with practitioners and land users for communication purposes. The same process will continue for the next few years and will end in 2027.
In a world where environmental challenges are growing more urgent by the day, it is non-governmental organizations like SABUKO that quietly but powerfully lead the charge. Their work goes far beyond experiments and data collection – it is about long-term commitment, community involvement, and finding real solutions for real problems. What SABUKO is doing in Chachuna, and in other regions across Georgia, is not just about saving grasslands; it’s about building a future where people and nature can thrive together. Their team of passionate experts, driven by science and grounded in local knowledge, reminds us that meaningful change comes only with dedication, consistency, and care.
By Erekle Poladishvili
