Analysis of plantings and landscaping state of Popudrenko Park in Kyiv

Abstract

Aim. The article aims to analyze the state of plantings and improvement of the green zone where Popudrenko Park is located, in comparison with other parks created in similar conditions in protective green areas near roads and metro lines. Methods. Green spaces along Brovarsky Avenue and the Metro line "Darnytsia" – "Chernihiv" – "Lisova" were studied. Green spaces and landscaping of Popudrenko Park were analysed separately. The range, parameters, and condition of trees and shrubs had been determined. Results. Studies had shown that there were only 39 pine trees left in the Malyshko park, which is also part of the protective green zone of Kyiv. In Popudrenko Park, 70 taxa of woody plants were identified, including only 7 taxa of the hairpin and 63 taxa of deciduous trees and shrubs with a predominance of sick fast-growing and short-lived plantings of foreign origin. The modern area of the park is much smaller than on paper, as it was reduced due to the construction of a new entrance to the "Darnytsia" metro station and partially transferred to the markets near the old and new Metro entrances. Besides, the park's area continues to shrink due to clothing tents from Europe, which blocked access to the park. Some of the tents are already set up around the trees. The park has outdated landscaping that requires reconstruction of the road network and sites, restoration of drinking water pumps, registration of entrances from the "Darnytsia" and “Chernihiv” metro stations, improvement of the species composition of plantings, treatment and removal of fruit trees. Conclusions. Popudrenko Park was created based on the remains of a pine forest. Century-old pines growing in the park are part of the protective green zones, so they must be protected by the current legislation, the current state tax service and sanitary protection standards of Ukraine. Also, they are included in the parks created in the protection zone and secondary have another degree of protection – the status of the park's vegetation. Although the territory of the park became part of the nature reserve fund of Ukraine, received the status of a monument of landscape art of urban significance. It is not protected correctly: part of the park's territory is used by the owners of stalls and open markets. Therefore, it is necessary to add one more indicator to the existing protection indicators: the inclusion of age-related pines in the current registers of protection of age-related trees as natural botanical monuments of Ukraine. The basis of the park should be pine forests, as it was 100 and 50 years ago, as it remained on the territories of other parks and squares along Brovary highway and the Metro line "Darnytsia"–"Chernihiv"–"Lisova". Therefore, one should plant young pine trees, as was done in Kioto Park and Malyshko Park.