Previous state
Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is surrounded by Mtatsminda Mountain, a 700-hectare area characterised by steep terrain and rocky soil. In the 1920s and 1930s, pine trees were planted in and around the city, a practice that continued from the 1940s to the 1960s as part of Stalin’s Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature. This reforestation project aimed to combat erosion and stabilise water supplies in the semi-arid landscapes of the USSR’s east. As part of this initiative, Tbilisi officials planted a monoculture of black pine (Pinus nigra) on Mtatsminda, using dynamite to create planting terraces on the mountain’s steepest slopes. The pines added organic matter to the rocky soil, changing its composition, especially within the planting zones.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, the ensuing political and financial chaos led to the degradation of urban public spaces across Georgia, including Mtatsminda Mountain. In 2015, the ageing pine plantations, affected by pests and fungi, experienced mass die-offs, becoming both a fire hazard and a public safety concern.
Aim of the intervention
The Tbilisi Urban Forest project aimed to improve habitats for biodiversity, increase resilience to climate change and create new recreational opportunities for locals and tourists. In 2020, Tbilisi city officials proposed a plan to replant the 700-hectare urban forest with nearly 40 native and climate-adapted species. This would improve public amenities such as campsites and hiking trails, and protect the land from further degradation and private development. A research team of planners and scientists assessed the conditions and produced a detailed ecological restoration plan, including measures to stabilise and rehabilitate the informal network of paths and shelters.
Tbilisi-based landscape and urban planning firm Ruderal was selected to design the pilot reforestation projects, developing and testing an innovative approach to urban reforestation that would integrate ecology, technology and aesthetics through two on-site planting initiatives.
Description
The proposal was for a strip planting system designed with ecological and cultural considerations in mind. Areas of diverse plant communities were adapted to the specific soil and slope conditions within the urban forest. Existing trees were integrated with new saplings, shrubs and plants to create a multi-strata habitat for wildlife and a rich and welcoming environment for visitors.
A parameter-based design tool was developed to visualise planting scenarios, optimise species mix according to nursery availability, and simulate how the plantings would evolve over time. This innovative tool is adaptable for future reforestation efforts across Europe.
Unlike other urban projects that use imported trees, this project directly supported indigenous plant nurseries and strengthened the city’s connection to its surrounding ecosystem. This local approach also dramatically reduced the project’s carbon footprint.
The reforestation strategy included the use of “nurse plants”, fast-growing species that provide shade and protection and improve soil conditions for new seedlings, increasing their survival rate. These plants provide early visual evidence of the project’s progress and impact.
Assessment
The transformation of Tbilisi’s urban forest demonstrates that, despite the challenges of implementing a project of this scale and complexity, it is both possible and beneficial to approach public space from a perspective that recognises biodiversity as an urban asset. In addition to improving the forest, the project also became a laboratory for developing advanced tools that can be used in near-future situations requiring similar transformations.
Although initially controversial among local residents due to the difficulties of implementation, public perception has improved over time. Regular users of the trails are now the first to comment on the benefits of the project.
[Last update: 30/10/2024]
