Tkachuk O. Water-regulating and soil protectiоn role of forests of Precarpathians

The object of the study - oak/beech/fir forests of Precarpathians. The aim of the study - a quantitative assessment of water-regulating and soil-protective properties of the forests of the Precarpathian, their changes under the influence of forestry activities and the development of measures to strengthen these functions. Research methods - forestry methods, soil hydrological methods, mathematical and statistical methods. Scientific novelty - the features of the water-regulating properties of the "plantation-soil" system are improved, which improve with the age of the plantations, reaching a maximum in mature stands with developed undergrowth; it was found out that, in comparison with treeless lands, the modern forest cover of the water collections of the Precarpathians is capable of increasing the regime of river flow by four times, and increasing the annual resources of underground feeding of rivers with a volume of 300 m3*ha-1; the soil-protecting role of forests in water collections and river banks is characterized, which, compared to non-forest conditions, reduces erosion phenomena 1.6-3 times and promotes the purity of open waters; the changes in the soil protective properties of the forest are assessed under the influence of selective and final cuttings and the formation of its new generation; approaches to the optimization of the wooded area of the Carpathian region have been improved taking into account the area size and height of water collections above sea level and the features of the hydrographic network; there is further developed the management of forestry taking into account the water regulation and soil protection role of the forest. Practical use -the results are the basis for preventing the intensification of surface water runoff and the development of erosion phenomena, ways for optimizing the forest cover of the territory, depending on the size of the water collections and the level of their afforestation, which can be used in the development of regional environmental programs. Forest management has been improved from the standpoint of preserving the protective properties of forests, the results of which have been introduced into manufacturer process by state enterprises, as well as in the educational process. Field of use: forestry.