THE INFLUENCE OF WOODLOTS ON THE PHOTOCLIMATE OF GREEN AREAS AND THE QUALITY OF RECREATION

Abstract

The quality of people's recreation in urban green areas (parks, municipal forests etc.) is remarkably influenced by the availability of sunlight. Especially the intended shaping of woodlots (landscape architecture) can have a very positive local impact on the sense of thermal comfort, diversified sun exposure, etc. The appropriate tree cover can regulate the degree of insolation of the site in the daily and seasonal aspects. The optimal structure of tall green forms (e.g. spatial and age structure, species composition) is the condition to achieve it. Due to the proper spatial arrangement of trees, it is possible to expose places that should be in full sun, keeping other areas in the periodic partial shade. The desired solar exposure can also be obtained by the selection of tree species (tall, low, broadly branched, columnar, etc.), the proper planting density and the distribution of trees regarding other forms of land development (topography, water system, road layout, buildings, etc.). Tree stands with a luminous, loose and airy structure have particular recreational and hygienic values. During recreation in a bright tree stand of parks and forests, the availability of sunlight has long been recognized as having great health-promoting importance due to the increased natural possibility of skin synthesis of vitamin D3 (the so-called "sun vitamin"). Also, with the favourable availability of solar radiation, the therapeutic impact of urban green areas becomes significant, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.