Trostianets Dendrological Park

Trostianets Dendrological Park [Trostjanec’]. A dendrological park in Trostianets, Ichnia raion, Chernihiv oblast, 205 ha in size and administered by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The park was constructed starting in 1834 by the estate owner I. Skoropadsky (1804–87) (photo: Ivan Skoropadsky), who made its development a lifelong undertaking (he was even buried there). The original site consisted of a flat, treeless stretch of steppe valley. Local varieties of trees (pine, fir, birch, oak, poplar, and the like) were introduced first, and from 1840, various imported trees were brought onto the site. Several theme areas were developed, including Monomakh's Hat, The Pine Bouquet, the Birch Bouquet, and The Crown. Work began on an area of man-made hills 20–30 m in size (called Shvaitsariia ‘Switzerland’) in 1858. Artificial lakes and ponds were added. No large structures were erected on the site, so that its natural features would remain prominent. Footbridges, columns, and stone baby, however, were placed there.

By 1890 all work on the park had been completed. In 1920 the park came under the control of the local authorities, and in 1940, after being declared a nature preserve, it came under the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR. The Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR was placed in charge of the park in 1951. Today approx 520 types of trees and plants grow there. The park is also used as a research center.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]