INVENTORY OF WOODY SPECIES IN ROMANIAN HISTORICAL GARDENS FOR ESTIMATING THE IRRIGATION WATER NEEDS

Climate change effects can be seen in most urban areas around the globe, thus local public administrations take into consideration establishing irrigation systems when managing green areas. In Romania, more and more green areas with mature woody plants are irrigated, even historical gardens, but most projects lack the motivation behind implementing the watering systems. To establish if and when irrigation is needed in historical gardens, it is proposed to begin with a detailed study regarding the vegetation composition. This article presents the woody species data collected from three historical gardens around Romania (Cluj-Napoca City, Gornești - Mureș County, and Bucharest City). Furthermore, this information will be used to develop a methodology for estimating the irrigation water needs of woody species recorded in historical green spaces around Romania. Moreover, the inventory data and the irrigation recommendations could be also used by the local administrations for better decision making regarding planning and management in historical gardens.