Kyiv has got rain gardens: what is this novelty and what is it for

Kyiv has got rain gardens: what is this novelty and what is it for kyivcity.gov.ua

Anna Velyka

This is a common practice in Europe and the USA

Rain gardens have been installed in almost all districts of the capital to avoid flooding.

The Kyiv City State Administration (KMDA) talked about special landscape solutions.

Rain gardens are special artificial depressions in the terrain, which are planted with moisture-loving perennial plants. Thanks to the peculiarities of the root system, they collect and retain rainwater from a certain area. Employees of communal enterprises set up 9 such kindergartens in different districts of Kyiv. For this, locations in the city that suffer the most from flooding were chosen.

kyivcity.gov.ua

Photo: kyivcity.gov.ua.

"Typically, when rainwater hits asphalt or concrete, it flows into sewers, which can cause flooding during heavy downpours. Rain gardens, thanks to a special structure of drainage layers and vegetation, slow down the movement of water, reduce the load on the drainage system, and, therefore, reduce the risk of flooding," said Volodymyr Prokopiv, deputy head of the KMDA for the exercise of self-governing powers.

According to Oleksandr Vozny, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Adaptation to Climate Change of the KMDA, rain gardens increase biodiversity and help adapt the urban environment to climate change. They create additional natural space, favorable, in particular, for pollinators.

kyivcity.gov.ua

Photo: kyivcity.gov.ua.

The director of "Kyivzelenbud" Yuriy Bakhmat said that all rain gardens in the capital were arranged by district communal enterprises to maintain green spaces by their own efforts without attracting additional budget funds.

In the future, the city authorities plan to scale up the project of arranging rain gardens.

kyivcity.gov.ua

Photo: kyivcity.gov.ua.

Earlier, EcoPolitiс talked about reasons for the sharp decrease in the number of sparrows in the capital.

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