Climan

🌿Studying of the ecosystems in Kutaisi

☘️In frameworks of the International Highlight Event of Erasmus+ Project “Synergy of educational, scientific, management and industrial components for climate management and climate change prevention/CLIMAN” that took place in Georgia 16-20 September 2024, the project teams had the opportunity to study cave ecosystems, which are rich in the area around Kutaisi. In the mountains of Georgia there are many caves with unique ecosystems, underground lakes and rivers. Many of these caves contain traces of dinosaurs. Kumistavi is a kind of a network of caves with separate halls. The total length of the network is about 22 kilometres (only 1420m are accessible). Prometheus Cave is located in the west of Georgia, 20 km from Kutaisi, near the town of Tskaltubo. It is the most famous and largest in the country. On its example, the delegation members could practically learn the peculiarities of karst systems. Karst is defined as processes occurring inside the earth and associated with water. Karst processes are said to occur when underground water dissolves rocks, leaches them, washes them out, which results in the formation of cavities, internal voids. This leads to subsidence, the emergence of soil failures, and subsequently buildings and structures are deformed and destroyed. Also karst processes include waterlogging of mine workings, tunnels. Taking into account the fact that the territory of Ukraine has about 67 per cent of karst reliefs, the topic was especially relevant for the Ukrainian part of the consortium.
🌿Karst hazard arises from a combination of the following conditions: changes in relief; degradation of the vegetation layer; pollution of ground and surface waters; pollution of precipitation and the atmosphere in general.
✅As a result of karst processes taking place in certain territories, various cavities and voids are formed: dips, ravines, caves, wells, sinkholes, mines, underground canals, karst bridges. Colleagues from Kutaisi shared innovative information on what types of works are necessary in engineering surveys (hazard and risk assessment from natural and man-made processes; justification of measures for engineering protection of the territory; geological, hydrological and geodetic works and studies in the process of construction; local monitor of the territory; local monitoring of the construction process). In the conditions of fast and abrupt climatic changes the issues of engineering protection of territories and reduction of danger, damage and risk from exogenous geological processes are especially urgent.

The Project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.

🌿Practical Training “Climate Change - Mountain Systems as an Indicator of Climate Change Impacts” in Machakhela National Park in Georgia within Erasmus+ Project “Synergy of educational, scientific, management and industrial components for climate management and climate change prevention.”🌱

🌿Within the framework of the Erasmus+ Project “Synergy of educational, scientific, management and industrial components for climate management and climate change prevention/CLIMAN” in the period from 16-20 September in Georgia with the organisation and technical support of Batumi State University Training “Climate Change - Mountain Systems as an Indicator of Climate Change Impacts”, that aimed to research impact of human activity on climate and mountain ecosystems as an indicator of this influence, was organized. The practical component of the seminar was held in Machakhela National Park on 18 September. Like all other protected areas in Adjara, Machakhela National Park was also established with an important mission to preserve the unique biological and landscape biodiversity, as well as the long-term protection of the Kolkha Forest ecosystem. And also for the development of tourism and recreational activities in the natural environment. Machakhela National Park is located in the municipality of Khelvachauri, in the Machakhelistskali Valley, at an altitude of 300-350 metres above sea level, 30 km from Batumi. The park was established in 2012 and its total area is 8733 hectares.
The territory of the National Park is represented by vegetation, which is located on the slopes of the Machakhela River, surrounded by forest. Almost the entire territory is covered with chestnut, beech, hornbeam and alder forests. Here one can find such relict and rare species as Colchian boxwood, chestnut, Colchian walnut, Georgian walnut, Pontic rhododendron, berry yew, birch bark and others.

🟢The participants of the training received important information on how human activities influence the climate on the planet and how mountains are a sensitive indicator of this influence. Members of the consortium, including teams from different countries, were able to see in a practical context that changes in mountain ecosystems can provide an early indication of what is likely to happen on the plains, and thus mountains act as early warning systems. New insights into how climate change is affecting mountains were gained, as well as practical confirmation of the critical importance of engaging in procedures to develop new strategies to cope with current global warming trends.

✅Workshop participants hiked over 2 kilometres of mountain trails and gained practical experience that due to their altitude, slope angle and direct exposure to the sun, mountain ecosystems are easily destroyed by climate change. The study of the waterfall system confirmed the knowledge that mountains provide fresh water for half of the world's population. The organisers of the workshop demonstrated with practical examples how climate change will affect water availability and will have important implications for irrigation, urbanisation and industrialisation and hydropower generation, using the example of the hydro system of Machahela National Park. The workshop participants learned that almost half of the world's biodiversity centres are located in mountainous areas. As part of the CLIMAN project's key tasks, a collective decision was made to continue working on research to develop integrated measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation. As well as to continue implementing the knowledge gained into the educational processes of partner universities in order to train a new generation of climate managers.

Many thanks to the project team of Batumi State Unviersity for organization of the wonderful practical training!👏👏👏

The Project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.

Second day of Sustainability Training within CLIMAN project was devoted to sustainability plans of each partner, lecture on "Sustainable Bioenergy Utilisation" by Mirko Barz (HTW Berlin, Germany) and group discussions.