On December 22, 2024, a conference titled “Presentation of the Spatial Parks Cluster of Ukraine: Joint Development and Plans for 2026” was held in Kyiv at the Astarta Business Center.
The event brought together directors and experts from leading arboretums, botanical gardens, and nature parks of Ukraine, as well as representatives of the scientific community, business sector, and European programs.
The Cluster Director, Bohdan Shapoval, together with the management team, presented a vision for development through 2026, featuring six key projects in the fields of science, education, tourism, culture, digitalization, and ecology. These include the creation of a national plant catalog, a landscape design school, joint tourist routes, artistic residencies, a mobile application, and a water resources laboratory.
During an active discussion, participants (representatives of Sofiyivka, Oleksandriya, the Syrets Arboretum, Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, the Botanical Garden of Lviv University, the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, and others) addressed current challenges: staff shortages, the need for grant and legal support, and limitations to digitalization due to infrastructure constraints. It was agreed to revise the format of the unified plant catalog and to strengthen the Cluster’s role as a project office for preparing applications and attracting funding.
Representatives of the EU programs Horizon Europe and Creative Europe emphasized opportunities for scaling Ukrainian case studies in Europe and joining international consortia. A working meeting was scheduled for January 2026, and the launch of the Immersive ECHO grant implementation was agreed upon.
The conference confirmed that the Spatial Parks Cluster of Ukraine is becoming a powerful platform for systemic development, international integration, and support for even the smallest institutions.
We thank all participants for the constructive dialogue! Together, we are making Ukrainian parks stronger.