Green Areas: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Green areas

Dushanbe is one of the most picturesque and green cities of Tajikistan. Basic elements of green plantations here are:

• green areas within housing estates and residencies;
• cultural and recreational green plantations (parks, squares, avenues);
• water-protection, scientific and popular green areas (zoo, botanical gardens);
• green areas near office blocks, along streets.

Green areas take about 22% of city's territory. If we summarize total area of grass-plots, close crowns of the trees and shrubbery, then green area will be equal to 76% of populated area of Dushanbe (NILOP data).

Green areas are mainly located in the central part of the city and fragmentary in the outlying districts and microrayons. Among four administrative areas, Frunzensky district is less favorable than others. There are many residential and industrial areas, but shortage of green plantations.

Suburban green area, which is extremely necessary in arid and hot climate of Dushanbe, is virtually absent, with the exception of new evergreen plantations on the eastern hills. In surroundings of Dushanbe only grain-crops, maize, rice and cotton filed are widely distributed.

Fast-growing and somewhat decorative tree species are prevalent in Dushanbe: American maples, plane trees, various poplars, weeping willows, horse-chestnuts, Indian lilacs, locusts, etc. Evergreen and local wild species of trees are not widely used for decorative green planting.

According to recent botanical researches, about 90 tree species may be planted in Dushanbe's conditions, including 33 high-perspective tree species. Annually, central botanical garden in Dushanbe cultivates the hundreds of young plants to assist planting of greenery in the city. However, diversity of tree species in the parks, squares and avenues remains poor and even light deterioration may be observed.

Planting of trees remained behind of the present urban area and modern environmental necessities. In Dushanbe, most of green plantations are concentrated within housing estates and along main streets, while industrial green zones are not big enough. In view of reconstruction and enlargement of roads, many green areas are shortened.

Complexity in creation of new green plantations in Dushanbe and its surroundings is generally concerned with regular irrigation.

Many essential efforts have been undertaken by City Administration to restore and enhance the state of greenery in Dushanbe. Some of highlights are restoration of parks and squares, recovery of decorative grass-plots, placing of flowerbeds.

Statistics of greenery planting is as follows:

• In 1999 - 115 thousand young plants;
• In 2000 - 65 thousand young plants;
• In 2001 - 58 thousand young plants;