Help "Nature and People" Foundation organize regular monitoring and pest protection of young plantings of Colchis boxwood in the Republic of Adygea, where this unique and almost extinct species is being returned to the wild.
The evergreen Colchis boxwood is a true treasure of the planet. It survived the Ice Age and has survived to this day as it was about 20 million years ago. In the wild nature of Russia, Colchis boxwood can only be found in the Caucasus. It is listed in the Red Book and is under threat of extinction.
According to experts, about 99% of natural boxwood have already been destroyed. Previously, boxwood was cut down for its exceptional wood, comparable in hardness to ivory. Now this species is on the verge of extinction due to the invasion of a butterfly - the boxwood moth. This pest was brought to Russia in 2012 with planting material of ornamental boxwood.
"Nature and People" Foundation is implementing a long-term project to return boxwood to the wild nature of the Caucasus. In 2024, 3,500 boxwood seedlings were planted in nature in the Tsitsinsky forestry of the Republic of Adygea. In the summer-autumn period of 2025, it is necessary to regularly check the plantings to increase their chances of successful survival. If the butterfly is detected, it will be possible to treat the plantings with biological preparations in time, which will help the plants cope with the pest. During the warm part of the year, both caterpillars and moths can be found on plants. Spring-summer treatment, if they are found, is especially important, as it will help to most effectively reduce the number of pests.
