“Urban forest” emerged as an umbrella concept describing the approach to managing tree and forest resources, close to communities for their socio-economic and environmental well-being. It developed in the North America in response to increasing pressure on green spaces along with the expansion of concrete jungles, as well as the need for green areas for communities in urban settings.
Urban forests stand out from other forest types due to their nearness to human communities and relatively elevated variety of species and forest configurations. It benefits from a management approach, which is often centered on preserving tree well-being and ecosystem prosperity.
Urban forests have numerous benefits for households, health, welfare and wildlife. Recreational zones for city inhabitants allow children to play in ecologically clean green spaces, which is a healthy alternative to indoor screen activities, prevalent to our culture these days. Urban forests also serve as mechanisms for noise cancellation from busy traffic, help prevent air pollution and provide psychological getaway from the cluttered urban jungles.
As demonstrated, Europe is well-aware of the benefits derived from the synthesis of urban forests in the city life. In Lithuania for example, in the city of Kaunas, there is an oak urban park governed with the minimal human intervention, where the perennial structure of the forest is preserved. Such parks offer people the pleasure of seeing the exceptional flora and fauna in its natural habitat. The urban forest offers various locations for sports and recreational activities, as well as spiritual and educational purposes. Denmark is also abundant with city parks, green spaces and urban forests: the historic part of the capital – Copenhagen is home to the famous Tivoli gardens.
Along with the world, there is increasing demand for green spaces in big cities of Georgia as well. Generally, more than half (57%) of the population in Georgia lives either in the capital or in urban settlement, while 43% remain in rural areas. These indicators have been relatively stable since 2012, however there has been a big shift in 2011, when approximately 16% of the population moved from rural to urban areas. This puts pressure on cities to offer recreational green spaces to its inhabitants for them to maintain quality lives. In Kutaisi, which is the third largest city, the community and the decision-makers acknowledge the importance of urban forests for residents’ wellbeing. Green public spaces and urban forests in Kutaisi have an important role in the educational, ecological, recreational activities considering climate, historical and cultural factors of the city, and offer a multitude of benefits to its residents, from ecological services to cultural enrichment.
However, despite the public demand and acknowledgement, the media and civil society frequently discuss lack of urban forests as an issue in major Georgian cities, including Kutaisi. According to the 2019 report of the Public Defender of Georgia, there is around 8 sq. m. of green area per citizen in Kutaisi, which is way less than the average indicator for Europe, equaling to 30-50 sq. m.
The good news is that Kutaisi has developed the concept for the city’s Master Plan, which reflects its unique character and spatial nuances. The 2022 document integrates important steps and vision to address the issue of developing urban forests and green spaces in the coming years in the city. Some of the plans include the development of the Botanic Garden, urban forests and city parks, river islands, a boulevard and etc.
It says that Kutaisi’s Mukhnari forest/park has the potential to turn into an urban forest. Along the city peripheries there are vast green spaces, which can adopt the recreational purposes. Another important project for Kutaisi, as per the Master Plan concept is the creation of “Blue+Green” corridor, which means cultivation of green spaces along the river bank, which luckily did not turn into the transportation pathway as it is the case in Europe in the past century.
Although there might exist areas with the urban forest potential in the cities, without tailored management to transform them into attractive citizen destinations, they possess less of a public value. For example, hippodrome in Tbilisi has a great potential to serve as a long-desired central park of the capital, however lack of adequate infrastructure and accessibility, as well as poor safety and ecological standards in the surroundings currently ignite very little interest and desire in Tbilisi residents to spend time there. Urban forests require willingness, efforts and resources, both human and financial, to turn them into visitors’ hot spots.
In general, insufficient funding and inadequate management practices can hinder the maintenance and preservation of urban forests. This includes issues like limited resources for maintenance, inadequate personnel, and a lack of community involvement. However, understanding the function and value of urban forests can promote management decisions that on the one hand improves local economies and on the other, avoids any negative impact to the environemnt by the excessive number of visitors and at the same time supports its conservation. It is crucial to plan ecosystem services in a proper way that also covers recreational services focused on the local residents. Urban forests in Kutaisi can be invaluable assets that contribute to the city's sustainable development and well-being of its residents.
Within the project “Low Carbon Solutions through Nature Based Urban Development for Kutaisi City”, REC Caucasus, with GEF financial support, committed itself to assist the Kutaisi Municipality in strengthening planning and institutional frameworks promoting sustainable development in Kutaisi. The project aims to facilitate investment in low emission electric public transportation and green city development;