The current state of windbreaks of the Left Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

The relevance of the study is related to the need to determine the current state of windbreaks as a component of the forest-agrarian landscape of a particular region. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of windbreaks. During the study, data from remote sensing of the Earth using satellite imagery was utilised, which allowed for determining field parameters, the placement of the windbreak system, and their characteristics. Forest inventory works were conducted using commonly accepted methods in forest mensuration, with adjustments made specifically for windbreaks. The quality class of windbreaks was determined based on the percentage of healthy trees out of the total number, and the sanitary condition index was calculated according to established categories. The analysis of the obtained data clearly shows a decline in the quality sequence of common oak from 9 to 3 units within the plantations. The windbreaks were created using the method of oak nest planting, with oak nests placed at a spacing of 5.0×3.0 m and a total windbreak width of 15.0 m. Two additional rows of companion trees were introduced in the wide 5-metre alleys, and companion and shrub species were added within the nest rows. The analysis of the characteristics of windbreaks showed that they have protective heights ranging from 19.6 m to 23.4 m and provide reliable protection for adjacent agricultural fields. Based on the range of effective protective effects of windbreaks, it can be noted that the calculated indicators provide protection with a reliable safety margin of up to 17%. If there is a need to create new windbreaks using the nest planting method in the future, a more efficient scheme is proposed, which involves placing companion tree species in the outer rows to prevent the crowns of the inner rows from spreading towards the field. As a result of the obtained findings, it became possible to conduct a comprehensive expert assessment of the state of windbreaks according to the following criteria: forestry and inventory parameters, meliorative properties, and the sanitary condition index

Keywords

• plant composition
• mixing schemes
• design
• protective effect
• condition index
• quality class