The Director of the National dendrology park ?Sofiyivka?, NAS of Ukraine - Kosenko Ivan Semenovich, doctor of biological science, professor, correspondent member of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, honored employee of culture of Ukraine, accredited member of the Academy of architecture of Ukraine, member of the International Committee of historical parks and places of ICOMOS-IFLA, laureate of the State prize of Ukraine in architecture, laureate of the prize of the NAS after Y.A. Yuriev, laureate of the International prize of the ICOMOS-IFLA after professor Jan Zachwatowich. 000000009

Among the unique objects of our state historic park ?Sofiyivka? takes a special place. This is a romantic poem of water, plants and stones where amazing legends and a true story, a fairy tale and reality are combined together and there is something unknowable that gives a sense of wonder, which will last forever. According to research results of NASA ?Sofiyivka? is included in the list of objects that have the greatest on Earth energy effects on a human being.

Modern ?Sofiyivka? combines the functions of a historic gardens, world famous tourist agencies and the only in Cherkassy region research Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Main activities of the dendrology park are: the study of the natural and cultural flora of the right bank forest-steppe of Ukraine; conservation under artificial conditions in the area of the southern part of the right bank forest-steppe of Ukraine biodiversity of plants, including rare and endangered species, as well as, trees and landscape compositions of the park; carrying out of research works in the field of introduction and acclimatization of plants and protection of flora and landscape design issues of the park construction on the basis of the park; reproduction technologies development of the most valuable species of plants and their introduction in culture; scientific and educational work in the field of botany and nature protection, decorative gardening and landscape architecture.

Structural subdivisions of the park are four academic departments, three laboratories, experimental and production nursery and scientific herbarium. Scientists of the park annually take part in scientific meetings in Ukraine and abroad to present their work in the field of plant introduction and green building. Based on scientific studies monographs and articles are published in scientific journals.

?Sofiyivka? is constantly changing, improving, evolving. For the near future is planned expansion of its exhibition areas, particularly in the lower reaches of the river Kamenka on the territory of 10 hectares is planned to create a garden of ethno cultural compositions, is developed the project of a new entrance creation to the park from the highway ?Kiev-Odessa? with complex service for tourists. A scientific potential of the dendrology park will be increased, in particular today, there are prerequisites for the creation of new scientific departments - tropical plants and nut crops, the development of scientific research related to nature prevention, breeding and other directions of theoretical and experimental botany.