Dendrological Park "Sofijivka"

Description

The dendrological park "Sofiyivka" of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences is a research establishment of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; the park is of all-state significance. The construction of the park was started in 1796, the opening ceremony took place in May, 1802. In 1796-1832 the park belonged to the family of Pototskyi, but in 1832 it was confiscated and passed to Kyiv state chamber. In 1836 the park was subordinated to the department of military settlements, and from 1859 to Head College of Horticulture, which was later moved from Odessa to Uman. In 1929 "Sofiyivka" was announced to be a national park, it was given a status of a selfsupporting organization and till 1955 the park belonged to various departments and ministries. In 1948 a general plan of its renewal and development was approved. According to the Resolution of Ukraine's Council of Ministers of 26.09.1955, N 1184 it has been subordinated to National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine since 1955. A status of a research establishment was given to the dendropark according to the Resolution of the Presidium of Ukraine's Academy of Sciences, N 26 of 23.01.91. The dendropark "Sofiyivka" is a world-known monument of landscape gardening architecture of the end of the XVIII and the beginning of the XIX century and a monument of a city construction and architecture of Ukraine, it is included in a state register of national and cultural gain (approved by the decision of the Collegium of the State Committee of City Construction of Ukraine of 23.12.93 N 12 based on the Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 12.08.92 N 466), it is a museum of nature and landscape gardening art. At present the park is the largest center of plant introduction in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe Zone of Ukraine. Its territory was enlarged to 167,7 ha. More than 2 thousand species, forms and varieties of local and exotic plants are grown here, 108 monuments of architecture and art are kept. The park has all the grounds to be called "a pearl" of landscape gardening art of international significance. Every year 300 thousand people visit the park. The dendropark is part of the Department of general biology of Ukraine's NAS. MAIN DIRECTIONS OF THE ACTIVITIES -protection and preservation of the dendrological park "Sofiyivka" -studies of natural and cultural flora of the Southern Forest-Steppe Zone of Ukraine; -preservation of a collection of alive plants, including rare and endangered species, as well as plantations and landscape compositions in the park under artificial conditions in the southern part of the Right-Bank Forest Steppe Zone of Ukraine; -doing research in the branch of introduction and acclimatization of plants and protection of plant life, along with working at landscape park plannning in the park; -working out technologies of the propagation of the most valuable species of plants and their utilization in the country; -carrying out educational-pedagogical and scientific-instructional work in botany and protection of nature, ornamental gardening and landscape architecture. With this aim, the employees of the park study, analyse and generalize the achievements of world dendrological science and landscape gardening art, they study the possibility of their use under the conditions of the park as well as of other parks in Ukraine. The park is used for educational practice of University students, college and high school students; it is also a good place for recreation of both local residents and tourists. ORGANIZATIONAL DEPARTMENTS 1. Dendrology, park construction and ecology; 2. Introduction, acclimatization, reproductive biology of woody plants and application; 3. Physiology, selection, genetics and protection of woody plants; 4. Scientific-technical information, training experts and service workers who do research work, managerial and scientific-assisting departments and services. Estimation criteria. The construction of the park is based on a valley river Kam'yanka with its picturesque hills of local ancient oak-tree plantations and granite rocks. The very valley of "Sofiyivka" looks as if it is located in a career of natural rocks. The granite, the rocks are composed of, forms a gigantic area, and its unlimited deposits which are almost everywhere being combined with water land and architectural constructions create a sample of landscape gardening composition, where the idea of the park built in the style of mythology of Ancient Greece and Rome is interlaced with phylosophy and art, historical events of the past, all of them being penetrated with generally accepted ideas of wisdom, kindness, beauty, love and contemporaneity. [for the rest of information please check the paper file]