LEAFY FORESTS OF BILOHRUDIVSKY FOREST

Abstract

«Bilohrudivsky forest» is an educational-and-scientific production department of Uman National University of Horticulture, where the students' educational, scientific and industrial training is conducted with the aim to prepare highly qualified specialists in the forestry sector. The forest came is located in the southwestern part of Cherkasy region within Buh and Syniukha physical-and-geographical region of the Southern Steppe Dnieper Upland. The territory in respect of geomorphological relation is represented by a plateau divided by the Umanka river and its tributaries of Kamianka, Dmytrushka and Bilohrudivka stream, where the main forms of relief were formed – plateau-like terrain, gully-and-ravine systems and river valleys that constitute watershed area between the rivers Umanka and Revuha. Climatic conditions of a forest camp are stipulated by its close location to the steppe zone of moderate belt and are moderate-continental with mild winters and warm summers. Increase in average air temperature by +1,8°С is observed according to average long-term data compared with average annual data for 2014 2016 (Uman weather station). The amount of precipitation increased by +67.3 mm and relative air humidity by 7 % at 1 p.m. Oak tree is the predominant solid deciduous specious in Ukraine. Plantations of oak are usually occupied by 81,6 % of forest lands in «Bilohrudivsky forest». Middle-aged oak and ash trees predominate 47,5; 51,2 and 68,0 % respectively, in both State Forest Fund of Ukraine, «Uman forestry» State Enterprise and in «Bilohrudivsky forest». There is a tendency to ageing of forests which will contribute to contamination of their sanitary condition. The total area of the lands of the forest fund of «Bilohrudivsky forest» is 473,7 hectares, of which 460,7 hectares are covered with forest vegetation, including 332,6 hectares under forest crops. The lands not covered by forest vegetation occupy 13,0 hectares. Forests that perform sanitary-and-hygienic and health-improving functions occupy the area of 465,5 hectares. The most attractive for recreational and health-improving functions are 127,6 hectares of natural forests where bio-margins can occur. Plantations that perform protective functions are field-protected forest belts of 8,2 hectares. Fresh hornbeam leafy forests (D2-gD) which dominate at 90,5 % of the forest camp area are the most widely represented in «Bilohrudivsky forest». Other varieties are found within the fresh hornbeam leafy forests. Dry hornbeam leafy forests (D1-gD) are found on the upland of the relief in small inclusions, and wet hornbeam leafy forests (D3-gD) can be seen in the saddles. I category of growth class includes 340,6 hectares or 74,0 % of forest plantations, of which 282,8 hectares of common oak and 50,4 ha of common ash. The significant majority of plantations have a density of 0,7 0,8 units – 47,6 and 25,6 % respectively are plantations of common oak which occupy the area of 270,9 hectares, common ash of 57,5 hectares with a small share of other woody species of 460,7 hectares of land covered with forest greenery lands. Plantations with density (0,7 0,9) need cuttings, and with density of 0,6 and less need carrying out of reconstructive cuttings.