Floodplain Forest
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Increase amount of floodplain forest
Improving
Iori River Valley
Georgia
Problem: Long-term overgrazing by sheep has hindered the regeneration of new trees in this area. Furthermore, the construction of the Dali dam disrupted natural flood patterns essential for floodplain forest species to thrive, resulting in a gradual loss of floodplain forest extent.
Action: fences were erected to exclude sheep, and controlled water releases from the Dali dam were implemented to encourage the natural regeneration of the floodplain forest tree species, who require or prefer moist soil to thrive.
Indicator: an increase in the area of floodplain forest will indicate a reversal of previous trends and that the restoration actions have been sufficient for restoring the floodplain forest extent through regeneration and improved condition.
Methods
Restoration measures (including the reintroduction of flooding events and the restriction of sheep grazing) were implemented downstream of the Dali dam. Satellite imagery was obtained for the floodplain forest areas both above and below the dam, corresponding to the control and treatment areas, respectively. These images were subjected to analysis to determine the extent of the floodplain forest in the years 2019 (when the restoration measures were initiated) and 2022, with the aim of evaluating any short-term changes resulting from the restoration efforts, which began in 2020. The classification of forested regions was accomplished using random forest models, validated through on-site fieldwork conducted in sample plots. During these field studies, researchers verified the presence or absence of trees and integrated this reference data into the classification model to enhance its accuracy.
SABUKO erected fences around the floodplain forest area to protect the naturally regenerating tree species from grazing by sheep. Photo: SABUKO
Results
When comparing data from 2019 to 2022, the forested area in the restoration site increased by 64 hectares while in the control area decreased by 62 hectares (although potential error rate for these classifications was quite high) since the Dali dam began releasing water in 2020.
The progress observed in the intervention’s effectiveness is promising, particularly when contrasted with the potential further reduction of forest cover if no action had been taken, as observed in the control site. However, it’s important to note that a mere two years is insufficient for significant forest recovery. Additionally, there exists a degree of uncertainty inherent in the classification methodology employed, which means these results only capture early, albeit promising, trends. SABUKO remains committed to the ongoing monitoring of forest cover in the treatment and control areas. We anticipate reporting a continuous change in forest cover over time, which will closely align with the total area that now experiences periodic flooding (11,600 square meters) from the Dali dam.
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