Assessment of Forest Pests and Diseases in Protected Areas of Georgia Final report Dr. Iryna Matsiakh Tbilisi 2014 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content, findings, interpretations, and conclusions of this publication are the sole responsibility of the FLEG II (ENPI East) Programme Team (www.enpi-fleg.org) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Implementing Organizations. CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ............................................................................................................................. 3 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Background information ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Literature review ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Results and Discussion ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Mtirala National Park and Kintrishi Protected Areas .................................................................................... 8 Ajameti managed reserve .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Other findings and Research ........................................................................................................................... 10 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 12 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ....................................................................................................................... 13 1.1. Status of Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................................ 13 1.2. Protected Areas .................................................................................................................................................. 15 1.3. Brief description of the research areas ...................................................................................................... 17 2. LITERAT RE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................................ 22 2.1. A brief description of the physicalgeographical and the sanitary conditions of Buxus U colchica in Мtirala National Park and Kintrishi Protected Areas .......................................................... 22 2.2. Boxwood Diseases .............................................................................................................................................. 23 2.2.1. Shoot Blight of Boxwood – Calonectria pseudonaviculata (anamorph Cylindrocladium buxicola) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 23 2.2.2 Other Boxwood Diseases ............................................................................................................................... 27 2.3. Boxwood Pests ..................................................................................................................................................... 30 2. 2. A brief description of the physical‐geographical and the sanitary conditions of Imeretian Oak in Ajameti managed reserve ......................................................................................................................... 31 2.4. Imeretian Oak Diseases and Pets ................................................................................................................. 33 3. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................... 36 3. 1. Field Research ................................................................................................................................................... 36 3. 2. Laboratory Work .............................................................................................................................................. 37 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................. 40 4.1 Mtirala National Park ....................................................................................................................................... 40 4.2. Kintrishi Protected Areas ................................................................................................................................ 45 2 4.3. Ajameti Managed Reserve .............................................................................................................................. 49 5. Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................... 66 5.1. Proposals for the conservation management on the territory of Kintrishi Protected Areas and Mtirala National Park ..................................................................................................................................... 66 5. 2. Proposals for the conservation management on the territory of the Ajameti managed reserve ........................................................................................................................................................................... 68 5.2.1. Protection and conservation the best‐preserved areas of old‐growth Imeretian oak stand ............................................................................................................................................................................... 68 5.2.2. Restoration of forests with a predominance of Imeretian oak ................................................. 70 5.2.3. Environmental, educational and recreational activities .............................................................. 71 Other Findings and Research ............................................................................................................................... 73 References .................................................................................................................................................................... 81 Annex A.......................................................................................................................................................................... 97 Mtirala National Park .............................................................................................................................................. 97 Annex B ....................................................................................................................................................................... 100 Kintrishi Protected Area ..................................................................................................................................... 100 Annex C ....................................................................................................................................................................... 102 Ajameti Managed Reserve .................................................................................................................................. 102 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. IUCN category status of some of the further research areas in Georgia ............................ 16 Table 2. IUFRO tree classification .................................................................................................... 36 Table 3. Factors affecting the deterioration of health conditions of oak forests in Ajameti ............... 53 Table 4. The list of insects found in Imeretian oak stands of Ajameti managed reserve .................. 55 Table 5. Pathogens species composition found in Ajameti managed reserve .................................. 57 Figure 1: Map of forest distribution in Georgia (data of National Environmental Action Programme of Georgia 2012 –2016) ........................................................................................................................ 13 Figure 2: Map of the distribution of protected territories in Georgia (data of National Environmental Action Programme of Georgia 2012 –2016) ..................................................................................... 15 Figure 3: Location of Мtirala National Park (data of Agency of Protected Areas) ............................. 17 Figure 4: