STAGES AND PREREQUISITES OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND FORMATION OF PHYTOMELIORATIVE WORKS IN CRIMEA

Pogorelskiy Andrey Nikolaevich

The development of phytomelioration in Crimea can be segmented into five periods: - First Period (1877 - 1910-14): This period marks the commencement of phytomeliorative work in Crimea. Activities included planting the first protective forest strip near the Shatalov estate and establishing the first water-regulating forest plantations on the slopes of Tepe-Oba near Feodosia. - Second Period (1914 - 1935): During this era of state restructuring, no phytomeliorative work was conducted in Crimea. - Third period (1937 - early 90s). This period can be described as the start of phytomeliorative activities both in the mountainous and in the steppe part of Crimea. The majority of the protective forest strips were created, and their total area reached 130 thousand hectares by the early 90s. - Fourth Period (from the early 90s to 2014): Funding for the forestry sector decreased and forest plantation preservation controls diminished. This led to unauthorized deforestation and forest fires. - Fifth period - (2014 - to the present day). No reforestation work was done during this period, except 2020 - 2022 when 300 hectares of protective forest plantations were planted.

Keywords:phytomelioration; protective forest plantations; forest strips; forest improvement work