Geoecological Assessment of the Land Use Structure of Ternopil City United Territorial Community

Abstract

Purpose. To assess of the land use structure of Ternopil city united territorial community and justify the priority areas for its optimization. Methods. Descriptive, comparative-geographical, geoinformation, statistical, mathematical, geoecological analysis and optimization modeling. During the study, special methods were used to determine the anthropogenic load, coefficients of ecological stability and anthropogenic transformation of the Ternopil city united territorial community. Results. Analyzing of the land use structure of Ternopil city united territorial community, it was found that the share of natural lands within it is only 32.5%. The main geoecological problems of the land use of Ternopil city united territorial community are the imbalance of land structure, the lack of master plans of rural settlements and territorial boundaries, the lack of inventory and regulatory monetary valuation of land. The coefficient of anthropogenic transformation of the territory of Ternopil city united territorial community is 6.7, which corresponds to the category of highly transformed landscapes. The coefficient of ecological stability of the Ternopil city united territorial community is 0.28, the territory is ecological unstable with a score of anthropogenic load of 3.22. The geoecological assessment of the land use structure of Ternopil city united territorial community, testified the need to optimize the structure of land and to introduce effective scientifically sound measures. Conclusions. To correct and improve the situation, bringing the territory of the Ternopil city united territorial community to ecological stability, it is necessary to implement optimization measures. In the study we have developed an optimization model of land use in the Ternopil city united territorial community, which provides for the reduction of arable land by 18%, increase in forest cover by 12% and bringing the share of natural lands to the optimal 50%. The implementation of such an approach requires a change in the purpose of individual land plots and the organization of their landscape-adapted use.