# Uncovering the past of a historical park in Ukraine using tree rings

Yulia Prokopuk, Oleksandr Sylenko, Nataliia Doiko, Nina Dragan, Maksym Netsvetov

► To cite this version:

Yulia Prokopuk, Oleksandr Sylenko, Nataliia Doiko, Nina Dragan, Maksym Netsvetov. Uncovering the past of a historical park in Ukraine using tree rings. Dendrochronologia, 2025, 91, pp.126328. 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126328. hal-05033583

HAL Id: hal-05033583

https://hal.science/hal-05033583v1

Submitted on 14 Apr 2025

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access
archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci-
entific research documents, whether they are pub-
lished or not. The documents may come from
teaching and research institutions in France or
abroad, or from public or private research centers.

L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est
destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents
scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non,
émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de
recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires
publics ou privés.

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
1

# Uncovering the past of a historical park in Ukraine using tree rings

2

Yulia Prokopuk a, c, d, Oleksandr Sylenko a, b, Nataliia Doiko b, Nina Dragan b, Maksym Netsvetov a, c

3

ªInstitute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 37, Academician

4

Lebedev St, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine

5

ᵇThe “Olexandria” State Dendrological Park of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Bila

6

Tserkva-13, 09113, Ukraine

7

ᶜBIOGECO, University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Cestas, France

8

ᵈDendrolab IBL, Forest Research Institute, Raszyn, Poland

9

10

## 1. Introduction

11

Throughout history, gardens and parks have served not only as venues for leisure but also as mirrors reflecting and shaping the societal values and historical changes of their times. In Europe, the tradition of creating intricate gardens and parks dates back centuries, with various styles of landscape architecture spreading across borders and adapting to local tastes and cultural demands. Among these, the English landscape garden style has been particularly influential since the late 18th century, laying foundational principles for modern urban forestry and public parks (Rogers, 2001).

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Olexandria park in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine — originally founded as an English-French romantic garden in the remote province of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the end of the 18th century — exemplifies the transformation of private gardens into public parks and their profound societal influence in the region over more than two centuries (Jaroszewski and Rottermund, 1968; Galkin, 2013). This park has transcended its initial recreational purpose to become a cultural and historical landmark (Kosarevski, 1961). Owned by the influential Branicki family, its strategic

19

20

21

22

23

24
location and the region's economic significance as an agricultural hub have made the estate in Olexandria an important destination for political, literary, and artistic visits, enriching its historical value with diverse narratives and descriptions (La Garde, 1824; Lippoman, 1832; Jankowski, 1886; Aftanazy, 1993, 1997).

Despite the rich legacy of Olexandria, the period from its inception to the Russian Revolution in 1917 remains underexplored, obscured by scarce documentation, contradictory witness accounts, and unverified historical hypotheses. For instance, it is suggested that the park was created on the site of an old-growth oakwood (Salatich, 1949), whereas Alexandra Branicka asserted that the area was a bare field (Vigel, 1865). The only historical map of the park studied from this period is believed to reflect the original project (Kryvoruchko, 1979). However, this contradicts another opinion that the initial project involved only the area around the residence and guest palaces (Kosarevski, 1961).

Records of cultivated tree species from the initial period of the park's creation are limited. In the mid-19th century, Olimpiada Shyshkina noted the presence of *Pinus strobus* trees, reportedly gifted to Alexandra Branicka by Catherine II, and *Picea abies*, allegedly delivered by ship from Grigory Potemkin (Shyshkina, 1848). Although these claims have not been verified, it is believed that these trees are still present in the park (Galkin, 2013). Additionally, several memorial *Larix* sp. trees and seven *Tilia americana*, planted by the tsar's family in the first half of the 19th century and by an Ottoman ambassador in the 1830s (Lippoman, 1832; Shyshkina, 1848), have either not
46 been identified or have been lost, along with *Robinia* sp. trees near the Monarch's Pavilion.
47

48 It is evident that Alexandra Branicka, niece of Russian Field Marshal Grigory Potemkin, wife of Polish Great Crown Hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki, and lady-in-waiting to Catherine II, had a rich collection of tree species. She introduced some of them to the region for the first time, such as Canadian poplar (*Populus canadensis*) (Słownik geograficzny, 1880), and shared her finds with other collectors, including her royal patroness (Vorontsov archive, 1882), as well as with botanical gardens (Aliokhin, 2004; Galkin and Rubis, 2013) (Słownik geograficzny, 1880)(Vorontsov archive, 1882)(Aliokhin, 2004)(Galkin and Rubis, 2013). Some tree genera, including *P. nigra* f. *pyramidalis*, *Larix* sp., *Picea* sp., *Betula* sp., *Quercus* sp., and *Pinus* sp., are recognizable in paintings, graphics, and old photos made throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries by Zofia Sułkowska and Michalina Bierzyńska (1820s), Willibald Richter (1820s–1830s), Napoleon Orda (1872), Ksenia Glybovskaia (1910s) and others (see review in Jaroszewski and Rottermund, 1968; Aftanazy, 1993, 1997; (Glybovska, 1910). Some trees were mentioned as being alive or in decline in the 1940s–1950s (Deriy, 1958) and in 2010s (Galkin et al., 2015) but the age of these trees was estimated only from stumps or trees’ stem diameters. Thus, the park’s history, the species of trees planted at various stages of its development, and the real longevity of exotic species in the region remain obscure.
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
To address this gap, we present the first detailed dendrochronological study, supplemented by iconographic and cartographic analyses of Olexandria park's old-growth trees, seeking to refine our understanding of its developmental stages and assess the veracity of long-held historical narratives. Moreover, this study aims to deepen our comprehension of the park's enduring influence on the landscape architecture and historical trajectories of Ukraine, Poland, and the broader Eastern European context, offering insights that may inform contemporary practices in historical landscape design.

## 2. Materials and methods

### 2.1. Olexandria park description

Olexandria park, the “Olexandria” State Dendrological Park of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, is located approximately 80 km from Kyiv, on the western outskirts of Bila Tserkva city, Ukraine (49.812553, 30.065304; Fig. 1, left). The exact year of the park's founding is debatable, but it is known that the Branicki family's ownership of Bila Tserkva began at the end of 1774 when Stanisław August Poniatowski, the monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, granted 134 villages and two cities, including Bila Tserkva, to F.K. Branicki (Słownik..., 1880). On October 12, 1781, the count Branicki married Alexandra Engelhard, and the couple chose Bila Tserkva as their main residence. The exact year they finally settled there remains unclear, although Drège (1904) claimed that by 1787 the residence was already furnished, and the park was partially paved. However, Galkin et al. (2016) consider 1788 as the year of the park's foundation; these discrepancies might be rooted in
87 prolonged and various preparation works performed during the earliest period of park development.

88

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

89

90 Fig. 1. Locator map and plan of Alexandria park in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, made

91 with OpenStreetMap. Alexandria park division according to D. M. Kryvoruchko

92 (1979): I – Large Lawn; II – Small Lawn; III – Courtyard; IV – Wedges; V – Oak Patch;

93 VI - Western Ravine; VII – Paliy’s Hill; VIII – Park Administration.

94 The current area of Alexandria park is approximately 400.67 hectares (Shynder

95 and Doiko, 2020). The altitude ranges from 145 to 172 meters above sea level, and the

96 predominant soil types are grey forest soils (Klimenko and Mordatenko, 2001). The

97 park was clearly designed with consideration for the existing landscape, which features

98 a slight inclination toward the Ros River, an existing oak forest (compare historical

99 maps, Supplementary Figs. S1-S3), and three ravines with outlets for underground springs flowing into the Ros River (Deriy, 1958). Based on the park's scenery, D.M.

100

101 Kryvoruchko (1979) divided its territory into eight parts (Fig. 1, right); however, our
study focused on trees in six of them: Small Lawn, Large Lawn, Oak Patch, Wedges, Courtyard, and Paliy's Hill.

The Small and Large Lawns form the core of Alexandria park. The Small Lawn adjoins the Large Lawn to the south and the Courtyard to the north. It is characterized by deciduous groves interspersed with occasional single conifers. Notable features include the restored Dancing Pavilion, accompanied by a growing *Larix sibirica* to the right, double or triple-stemmed *Quercus robur* known as "dancing" oaks, and the remnants of four guests' pavilions.

The Large Lawn is an irregularly shaped oval stretching from north to south, adjoining the Ros River to the south. Covering an area of almost 10 hectares, this part of the park is characterized by groves of *P. abies*, *Pinus* spp., and *Betula* spp., along with solitary introduced trees such as *Liriodendron tulipifera*, *Juglans nigra*, *L. decidua*, and *Gleditsia triacanthos*, etc. This area also includes the Tsar's Garden and follies, the Ruins and the Colonnade Echo.

The Oak Patch, located from the western to the central portions of the park, is characterized by an uneven-aged stand of *Q. robur* and clusters of *Pinus* spp. trees. A remarkable tree within this area is the triple-stemmed *P. nigra*, known locally as the *Three Graces*.

The Wedges are located east of the Courtyard, between the eastern ravines, and are divided by a cascade of ponds and a network of paths. This area is mainly covered by patches of deciduous woodland interspersed with conifer trees, particularly near the
123 paths. Within the Wedges, near two waterfalls with an open view of the Ruins, stands
124 a modern sculpture of a Roman warrior, marking the historical location of a replica of
125 the Borgesian Wrestler.

126 The Courtyard, situated in the northern part of Alexandria, consists of distinct
127 areas that are closely related both territorially and functionally. This part includes areas
128 with alleys, the Varna Garden, and the remains of the Branicki summer residential
129 complex known as Austeria.

130 The Paliy's Hill, located in the southwestern part of the park and along the Ros
131 River to the southeast, is an elevated area featuring patches of steppe vegetation on its
132 slopes, primarily surrounded by deciduous forest.

133 In analyzing the park's history, we follow Kosarevska (2008), who proposes four
134 stages of park development:

135 1. The first stage (1787-1791) involved initial preparation works.

136 2. The second stage (1796-1812) included the main works in the park under
137 the supervision of architect Dominico Botani and gardener August Stange.

138 3. The third stage (1815-1865) focused on the completion of the architectural
139 structure and natural landscape composition with the participation of gardener
140 August Jens.

141 4. The fourth stage (1865-1918) was dedicated to the maintenance of
142 principal compositions by gardeners Bartetskyi, Vitte, and Renger.
Here we do not analyse the development of the park in the following period as it
is well documented (Salatich, 1949; Kryvoruchko, 1979; Galkin and Boiko, 2018).

## 2.2. *Increment cores sampling and preparation*

During the dormant seasons from 2018 to 2022, increment cores were collected
from 40 trees growing in six parts of Olexandria park (Supplementary Table S1). The
sampled trees were selected based on their resemblance to those depicted in paintings
(Orda, 1872; Deriy, 1958; Galkin, 2013; Galkin and Rubis, 2013), descriptions and
eyewitness accounts (Lippoman, 1832; Shyshkina, 1848), historical maps
(Supplementary Fig. S2-S3), and scientific assumptions (Galkin and Rubis, 2013;
Galkin and Boiko, 2018). In this research, we primarily focused on a subset of the oldest
and most historically significant trees in the park, rather than sampling the entire
collection of exotic trees, which is mostly composed of relatively young specimens.
Additionally, cores were collected from 27 *Q. robur* trees growing within the current
park territory and from former forest areas indicated on old maps (1755-1756) to
construct the reference chronology. Two cores per tree were collected at heights ranging
from 0.3 to 1.3 m above ground level using 60 cm, 70 cm, and 100 cm long Haglöf
borers. The geographical coordinates of each tree were recorded using a Garmin eTrex
20x GPS navigator. To visualize studied trees in the park's parts we created maps using
QGIS software. Readers are also welcome to download a CSV and shapefiles, available
in the Supplement, for further exploration.
163 The sampled cores were placed in paper tubes, air-dried, glued into wooden holders,
164 polished, and scanned with an Epson V37 scanner at a resolution of 3200 dpi. Tree
165 ring boundaries were verified using a Fisher binocular microscope, and annual ring
166 widths were measured with an accuracy of 0.001 mm. Cross-dating and construction
167 of individual chronologies were performed using the CooRecorder and CDendro
168 software (Cybis Elektronik & Data AB, 2022).

169 The ages of the trees were estimated using two primary approaches: direct cross-
170 dating of individual chronologies and estimation from incomplete cores by calculating
171 the average growth over the last five years. When both methods were applicable, both
172 estimates are presented in the text, with the ring-based calculation from incomplete
173 cores shown in parentheses.

174 For trees with partial cores, age estimation was refined using pith-detection
175 techniques combined with calculations of the number of missing rings. When the
176 cores displayed visible arcs of the innermost rings, geometric methods (Norton et al.,
177 1987; Duncan, 1989) or graphical techniques based on xylem ray convergence at the
178 pith (Rozas, 2003a) were applied, with the missing rings estimated using the mean of
179 the five innermost rings in CooRecorder software (Cybis Elektronik & Data AB,
180 2022). In cases where visible arcs were absent, the length of the missing portion was
181 estimated by subtracting the sample length from the geometric radius, and the number
182 of missing rings was calculated using the mean ring width from the last 20 years.
183 While these methods introduce a margin of error proportional to the missing
segment's length, the overall estimation error typically remains within 2–4% of the
actual ring count, corresponding to approximately 10 years ((Rozas, 2003a,b).

2.3. *Chronologies statistics calculations*

The individual ring width chronologies were averaged per tree and detrended
using a cubic smoothing spline with a 50% cutoff at a wavelength of 30 years (Cook
and Kairiukstis, 1990). Standard chronologies for both the individual trees and the *Q*.
*robur* reference were developed using a biweight robust mean. We then used the
detrended standard chronologies to check the correlations between the growth of the
studied individual trees and the reference set.

To describe the annual ring width variation, we calculated the mean ring width
and standard deviation as well as an autoregression coefficient, identifying the
relationships between the growth of the previous and current years. For the detrended
reference chronologies, we computed the mean correlation between trees (rbar) and the
expressed population signal (EPS) coefficients as indicators of the mean chronology
confidence. These calculations were performed using the dplR package (Bunn, 2008)
within the R environment (R Development Core Team, 2022).

To identify years when trees showed growth responses to extreme events, we
computed pointer years and event years for the reference set and individual historical
tree chronologies, respectively, using the pointRes package (van der Maaten-
Theunissen et al., 2015) in R (R Development Core Team, 2022). For the reference set's
pointer years, we used a single intensity class with a threshold of 75% as the minimum
percentage of trees displaying deviations. For individual trees' event years, we
calculated three intensity classes—'weak,' 'strong,' and 'extreme'—based on absolute
deviations from the mean exceeding values of 1, 1.28, and 1.645, respectively.

## 3. Results and Discussion

### 3.1. Reference chronology statistics

The *Q. robur* chronology was developed from 27 individual tree-ring series
collected from Oak Patch, located west of the Small Lawn and Large Lawn, the park's
central areas. The series have life spans ranging from 162 to 245 years (Table 1), and
the composite raw chronology spans from 1776 to 2022. Notably, some of the oldest
trees in the study began their growth before the establishment of the park, highlighting
their historical significance even though they were young at that time.

The average ring width across all series varied between 1.2 mm and 3.1 mm, with
an overall mean of 1.64 ± 0.64 mm. The first-order autoregression coefficient, which
reflects the trees' growth response to environmental stimuli, ranged from 0.44 to 0.81,
with an average of 0.65, suggesting moderate to high growth inertia in response to
environmental changes.

Descriptive statistics of the detrended reference chronology (Fig. 2) reveal
significant coherence in tree growth, evidenced by a consistent between-trees
correlation (rbar) of approximately 0.57. The robustness and representativeness of the
data is further confirmed by an Express Population Signal (EPS) value consistently
225 above 0.95 from 1796 onwards (Table 2), supporting the reliability of the chronology
226 as a reference.

227 Table 1. Summary of *Quercus robur* tree-ring series included in the reference
228 chronology

<table><thead><tr><th>Series number</th><th>Series code</th><th>First year</th><th>Last year</th><th>Span</th><th>Mean ring width</th><th>Standard deviation</th><th>Autoregression coefficient</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>QRDO003</td><td>1813</td><td>2019</td><td>207</td><td>1.476</td><td>0.546</td><td>0.612</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>QRDO004</td><td>1782</td><td>2019</td><td>238</td><td>1.269</td><td>0.499</td><td>0.681</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>QRDO005</td><td>1807</td><td>2019</td><td>213</td><td>1.616</td><td>0.592</td><td>0.669</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>QRDO006</td><td>1783</td><td>2019</td><td>237</td><td>1.644</td><td>0.757</td><td>0.672</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>QRDO007</td><td>1789</td><td>2019</td><td>231</td><td>1.277</td><td>0.603</td><td>0.727</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>QRDO008</td><td>1787</td><td>2019</td><td>233</td><td>1.435</td><td>0.564</td><td>0.651</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>QRDO009</td><td>1782</td><td>2019</td><td>238</td><td>1.462</td><td>0.539</td><td>0.619</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>QRDO010</td><td>1839</td><td>2019</td><td>181</td><td>1.847</td><td>0.72</td><td>0.723</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>QRDO011</td><td>1781</td><td>2019</td><td>239</td><td>1.385</td><td>0.702</td><td>0.805</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>QRDO012</td><td>1799</td><td>2019</td><td>221</td><td>1.353</td><td>0.48</td><td>0.607</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>QRDO013</td><td>1796</td><td>2020</td><td>225</td><td>1.7</td><td>0.561</td><td>0.579</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>QRDO015</td><td>1797</td><td>2020</td><td>224</td><td>1.786</td><td>0.893</td><td>0.8</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>QRDO016</td><td>1833</td><td>2020</td><td>188</td><td>1.879</td><td>0.626</td><td>0.578</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>QRDO017</td><td>1785</td><td>2020</td><td>236</td><td>1.25</td><td>0.569</td><td>0.764</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>QRDO022</td><td>1789</td><td>2020</td><td>232</td><td>1.578</td><td>0.657</td><td>0.652</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>QRDO027</td><td>1833</td><td>2021</td><td>189</td><td>1.392</td><td>0.468</td><td>0.439</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>QRDO028</td><td>1842</td><td>2020</td><td>179</td><td>1.225</td><td>0.465</td><td>0.574</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>QRDO030</td><td>1776</td><td>2019</td><td>244</td><td>1.29</td><td>0.484</td><td>0.688</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>QRDO032</td><td>1807</td><td>2021</td><td>215</td><td>1.636</td><td>0.536</td><td>0.574</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>QRDO033</td><td>1833</td><td>2021</td><td>189</td><td>1.315</td><td>0.357</td><td>0.511</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>QRDO034</td><td>1860</td><td>2021</td><td>162</td><td>3.057</td><td>1.029</td><td>0.712</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>QRDO036</td><td>1791</td><td>2021</td><td>231</td><td>2.602</td><td>0.969</td><td>0.499</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>QRDO047</td><td>1817</td><td>2022</td><td>206</td><td>1.526</td><td>0.631</td><td>0.477</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>QRDO087</td><td>1806</td><td>2022</td><td>217</td><td>1.988</td><td>0.623</td><td>0.604</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>QRDO088</td><td>1806</td><td>2022</td><td>217</td><td>1.77</td><td>0.464</td><td>0.695</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>QRDO090</td><td>1786</td><td>2022</td><td>237</td><td>1.77</td><td>0.964</td><td>0.812</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>QRDO102</td><td>1778</td><td>2022</td><td>245</td><td>1.671</td><td>0.956</td><td>0.729</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>Series number</th><th>Series code</th><th>First year</th><th>Last year</th><th>Span</th><th>Mean ring width</th><th>Standard deviation</th><th>Autoregression coefficient</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Average</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>218</td><td>1.637</td><td>0.639</td><td>0.65</td></tr></tbody></table>

<figure><img src="image_3.png" /></figure>

<caption>Fig. 2. The reference chronology of Quercus robur in Olexandria park</caption>

<table><caption>Table 2. General statistics of *Quercus robur* reference detrended ring-width chronology</caption><thead><tr><th>Start year</th><th>End Year</th><th>Number of trees</th><th>rbar</th><th>EPS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1796</td><td>1845</td><td>26</td><td>0.47</td><td>0.95</td></tr><tr><td>1821</td><td>1870</td><td>27</td><td>0.46</td><td>0.95</td></tr><tr><td>1846</td><td>1895</td><td>27</td><td>0.53</td><td>0.97</td></tr><tr><td>1871</td><td>1920</td><td>27</td><td>0.60</td><td>0.98</td></tr><tr><td>1896</td><td>1945</td><td>27</td><td>0.69</td><td>0.98</td></tr><tr><td>1921</td><td>1970</td><td>27</td><td>0.64</td><td>0.98</td></tr><tr><td>1946</td><td>1995</td><td>27</td><td>0.48</td><td>0.96</td></tr><tr><td>1971</td><td>2020</td><td>27</td><td>0.49</td><td>0.96</td></tr><tr><td>1796</td><td>2020</td><td>27</td><td>0.57</td><td>0.97</td></tr></tbody></table>
Furthermore, the pointer years analysis (Table 3), revealed a greater number of positive than negative years, suggesting that prevailing environmental conditions generally favor the growth of *Q. robur* in this region. This trend underscores the resilience of *Q. robur* to environmental fluctuations, particularly in the context of climate change. However, some negative pointer years coincided with known drought events, such as the severe drought in Kyiv in 1811 (Putova, 2012), the widespread drought across Central and Eastern Europe in 1921 (Schrier et al., 2021) and another drought in 1964, which affected not only in the Kyiv region (Prokopuk et al., 2024) but also much of Eastern Europe (Spinoni et al., 2015).

245

<table><caption>Table 3. The pointer years of reference *Quercus robur* chronology</caption><thead><tr><td>Type of pointer year</td><td>Years</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Negative</td><td>1811, 1921, 1964, 1973</td></tr><tr><td>Positive</td><td>1783, 1831, 1880, 1891, 1907, 1932, 2006, 2013</td></tr></tbody></table>

247

## 3.2. Small Lawn

The Small Lawn, adjacent to the foundations of ancient guests' buildings and the restored Dance Pavilion (Fig. S4), was not depicted as a separate lawn on the 1835 map but as a part of an English garden spread over several parts of the contemporary park. In contrast, on the 1858 map the Small Lawn was shown as such reflecting the development of the park (see maps in Supplementary Figs. S2 and S3). Here we sampled five *Q. robur* trees (QRDO001-002 and 076-078), *P. sylvestris* (PSDO017), *L.*
255 *sibirica* (LSDO001), and *P. nigra* (PNDO008) (Figs. 3 and 4; Supplementary Table

256 S1).

<figure><img src="image_4.png" /></figure>

257

258 Fig. 3. Studied individual tree-ring-width series (TRW) from Alexandria park.

259 Tree species codes: EE – *Euonymus europaeus*; LT – *Liriodendron tulipifera*; BP

260 – *Betula pendula*; PN – *Pinus nigra*; TE – *Tilia euchlora*; PA – *Picea abies*; JN

261 – *Juglans nigra*; GT – *Gleditsia triacanthos*; CO – *Celtis occidentalis*; CB

262 – *Carpinus betulus*; LD – *Larix decidua*; PN – *Pinus nigra*; PT – *Pinus strobus*; LS

263 – *Larix sibirica*; LP – *Larix polonica*; PS – *Pinus sylvestris*; QR – *Quercus robur*; FE

264 – *Fraxinus excelsior*
QRDO001 and QRDO002, part of a grove known as the "dancing oaks," possess the longest chronologies, spanning from 1783 (1780, considering estimated rings in the missing core sections) to 2018 and 1788 (1778) to 2018, respectively. These series significantly correlate with a reference *Q. robur* chronology (r = 0.41 and 0.45), confirming the accuracy of the tree-ring dating. However, the lower correlation compared to the mean inter-series correlation in the reference dataset suggests that the trees in the Small Lawn probably faced specific disturbances.

The earliest dated rings and the estimated years of pith formation — 1783 and 1780 for QRDO001, and 1788 and 1778 for QRDO002 — suggest these trees germinated before the presumed establishment date of the park (Galkin et al., 2016). Additionally, the trunks of both oaks have split into two closely tied leaders, indicating intentional shaping to achieve the "dancing" effect. This suggests that these trees were planted as saplings or young trees during the initial preparation phase of park establishment (1787-1791).

Another group of oaks, QRDO076-078, with intact crowns, present shorter chronologies from 1797-2022, 1798-2022, and 1810-2022, respectively. QRDO076's cores were incomplete due to rotten pith, with its formation year calculated between 1750 and 1767, while in QRDO077 and QRDO078 it dates to 1787 and 1804, respectively. These series correlate with the reference chronology (r = 0.59, 0.64, 0.60), also representing the park's early history. All *Q. robur* trees in the Small Lawn share
285 some event years with the reference's pointer years, notably 1811 and 1921, both of
286 which correspond to severe or extreme drought events.

<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 4. Standardised individual tree-ring width series and corresponding event years on the left side and the Small Lawn on the parks plans on the right. Tree species codes: LS – *Larix sibirica*; PN – *Pinus nigra*; PS – *Pinus sylvestris*; QR – *Quercus robur*</figcaption></figure>

292 *Pinus sylvestris* tree's individual chronology (PSDO017) spans from 1830
293 (1828) to 2022, indicating the tree was probably planted during Jens' tenure in the park
294 (1815-1865), possibly during Alexandra Branicka's lifetime. However, this tree and its
295 location are neither depicted in historical paintings nor photographs. It weakly
296 correlates (r = 0.18) with a reference *Q. robur* series, likely due to differing ecological
297 requirements, yet demonstrates strong alignment with other *P. sylvestris* trees, with
298 correlations ranging from 0.63 to 0.79.

299 *Larix sibirica* tree (LSDO001), located south of the Dance Pavilion, has a
300 chronology spanning from 1851 (1847) to 2018, which coincides with Jens' work
301 period and corresponds to earlier suggestions about the date of the species' first
302 plantations in the park (Deriy, 1958; Galkin and Rubis, 2013). The correlation with the
303 reference oak chronology is negligible (r = 0.05), although its radial growth aligns with
304 *P. sylvestris* PSDO017 (r = 0.68) and other coniferous trees, such as *P. nigra* PNDO008
305 (r = 0.78), highlighting the shared growth drivers of *L. sibirica* and *P. nigra* in the
306 region. The introduction date of this species was previously estimated to be 1835
307 (Kalashnikova and Galkin, 2016), 1848 (Galkin and Rubis, 2013), or 1868 (Deriy,
308 1958), based on tree ring counts from the stumps of dead trees or on diameter/age
309 coefficients.

310 Positioned distinctively on the lawn, *L. sibirica* (LSDO001) appears in a photograph
311 (Supplementary Fig. S5) dated between 1910 and 1916 (Glybovska, 1910) However, it
312 is absent in paintings before the 1840s, where other conifer species are depicted at
313 approximately the same location, as seen in a painting by Willibald Richter.
314 Furthermore, the tree is not present in Orda's 1872 paintings, suggesting that LSDO001
315 was either transplanted to its current location when it was at least 25 years old or that
316 the painting was a redrawn version of an earlier work. *Pinus nigra* tree (PNDO008),
317 with a tree-ring series spanning from 1839 (1837) to 2022, suggests planting during
318 Jens' period and is the oldest specimen of the species in the park, aligning with Deriy's
319 (1958) estimation. This series weakly correlates with the oak reference series (r = 0.12)
320 but shows stronger correlations with the *P. sylvestris* trees PSDO001, 007, 017, and
321 033 (r = 0.65-0.69) and some other coniferous trees from the park. The event years of
322 coniferous species show little coherence with either *Q. robur* pointer years or *P.
323 sylvestris* in the region (Netsvetov et al., 2023), implying that the trees responded more
324 to local factors than to regional disturbances.

325 Overall, the dendrochronological data from the Small Lawn highlight the early
326 periods of the park's history. Compositions such as the "dancing oaks" and an oak grove
327 were established before 1800. The studied conifers were most likely planted during
328 Jens's tenure, approximately between 1815 and 1865, and partly during Alexandra
329 Branicka's lifetime (1754-1838).

330 **3.3. Large Lawn**

331 According to both historical maps (Fig. 5, right), the Large Lawn was initially a
332 mostly open area covered by grass. However, the earliest groves and solitary trees
333 spread across the lawn and the alleyways in its southern part had disappeared before
334 1858. Instead, new groups of trees were depicted along its eastern and southern margins,
335 suggesting that the earliest plantations were not preserved by the mid-19th century.
<figure><img src="image_6.png" /></figure>

336

337 Fig. 5. Standardised individual tree-ring width series and corresponding event years on

338 the left side and the Large Lawn on the parks plans on the right. Tree species codes: BP

339 – *Betula pendula*; CB – *Carpinus betulus*; CO – *Celtis occidentalis*; EE

340 – *Euonymus europaeus*; FE – *Fraxinus excelsior*; GT – *Gleditsia triacanthos*; JN

341 – *Juglans nigra*; LD – *Larix decidua*; LP – *Larix polonica*; LT

342 – *Liriodendron tulipifera*; PA – *Picea abies*; TE – *Tilia euchlora*
We sampled a total of 16 trees on the Large Lawn, a key section alongside the Small Lawn in the central part of the park. These trees include *Fraxinus excelsior* (FEDO001), *Carpinus betulus* (CBDO001), *Betula pendula* (BPDO001-002), *Liriodendron tulipifera* (LTDO001), *Tilia euchlora* (TEDO001), *Celtis occidentalis* (CODO001), *Juglans nigra* (JNDO01), *Gleditsia triacanthos* (GTDO01), *Picea abies* (PADO001-003), *Larix decidua* (LDDO001-002), *L. polonica* (LPDO001), and the shrub *Euonymus europaeus* (EEDO001) (see Fig.3). The individual event years rarely coincide with the reference chronology's pointer years, indicating the low suitability of the *Q. robur* chronology for cross dating these species' series (Fig. 5, left). However, *F. excelsior* shows coherence with the previously mentioned negative pointer years, e.g. 1921.

*F. excelsior* (FEDO001), growing in the historic Tsar's Garden, where the Romanov's family initiated arboreal plantings in the early 19th century, has a tree-ring chronology extending from 1879 to 2020. It shows a moderate correlation (r = 0.42) with the reference chronology as well as some coincidence of event years with reference's pointer years. Despite the presence of an inner crack in the stem leading to incomplete cores, an estimated 77 tree rings in the missing segment of the longest radius suggest that FEDO001 was already present during the foundational years of the Tsar's Garden, established in 1816 or 1818 following a visit by Alexander I (Jankowski, 1886; Galkin et al., 2015). Early 20th-century photographs, 19th-century paintings, and witness descriptions all indicate meticulous maintenance of the garden, pointing to a
364 selection of purposefully planted, rather than casual, trees. However, the precise
365 boundaries of Tsar's Garden remain undefined in existing park plans, placing
366 FEDO001 either within or adjacent to the garden's original layout. Moreover, the initial
367 plantings by the tsar's family primarily involved *Tilia* species, which are no longer
368 preserved, and no subsequent planting records have been found.

369 *L. decidua* (LDDO001), another preserved specimen in the Tsar's Garden, spans
370 the period 1851-2020, with the earliest probable planting year around 1839 inferred
371 from 12 estimated rings in sections of incomplete cores. This dating suggests the tree
372 was planted after the garden's first owner's demise, during a period managed by Jens.
373 Distinctively, LDDO001's tree-ring pattern shows no correlation with the *Q. robur*
374 reference but aligns well with other trees of this species, specifically LDDO002-004,
375 with correlations ranging from r = 0.56 to 0.71.

376 Deriy, (1958) estimated the age of the oldest *L. decidua* trees in the park to be
377 130 years, based on the number of tree rings counted on the stumps of trees that died
378 between 1940 and 1950. This suggests that these trees were planted in the 1820s.
379 However, the studied tree LDDO001, one of the oldest living specimens of *L. decidua*
380 in the park, appears to have been planted most likely in the 1830s to 1840s. The ages
381 of other studied *L. decidua* trees with Deriy's data indicate that plantings may have
382 occurred continuously from the 1820s to the 1870s unless there were errors in the
383 earliest estimation (Deriy, 1958).
During a similar period, another notable tree, *Larix polonica* (LPDO001), was planted in the park. The tree's chronology begins in 1840, and considering the nine estimated rings in the missing part of the core, it was potentially planted during Alexandra Branitska's oversight. In the second half of the 19th century, two coniferous trees, including LPDO001, are featured in various artistic depictions (see Supplementary Fig. S6). LPDO001, still standing today, is believed to be one of these trees, with a tree ring chronology spanning from 1840 (1831) to 2017. This suggests it was planted in the 1830s during Alexandra Branicka's lifetime and under Jens' supervision. However, the tree's growth pattern shows a low correlation (r = 0.18) with the *Q. robur* reference. This estimated plantation date is approximately 30 years earlier than the species introduction date estimated by Deriy (1958) but aligns with the suggestion by Kalashnikova and Galkin, (2016).

Several trees, including *Betula pendula* (BPDO002), *Picea abies* (PADO001-003), *Juglans nigra* (JNDO001), *Larix decidua* (LDDO002), *Carpinus betulus* (CBDO001), *Celtis occidentalis* (CODO001), *Tilia euchlora* (TEDO001), and *Gleditsia triacanthos* (GTDO001), show initial growth in the fourth period (1865-1918). This phase reflects an extended period of landscape maturation and aesthetic refinement (Kosarevska, 2008). These species exhibit weak to moderate correlations with the *Q. robur* reference, suggesting unique microclimatic conditions within their specific locations in the park or distinctive species-specific demands. The dating of the
404 earliest rings in *P. abies* trees (1882-1894) disproves the suggestion (Galkin et al., 2015)
405 that they were given to Alexandra Branicka by Grigory Potemkin (died in 1791).

406 *Larix decidua* (LDDO002) at the Large Lawn has its initial growth established
407 in 1874 (1871), represents the fourth period of park development, and shows no
correlation with the *Q. robur* reference. The earliest tree ring in *Betula pendula*
408 (BPDO002) dates back to 1872 (1871), with a moderate correlation (r = 0.28) to the *Q.
409 robur* reference. Planted around the 1870s, BPDO002 is the oldest specimen of *B.
410 pendula* in the park, aligning with earlier estimations (Deriy, 1958). *Carpinus betulus*
411 (CBDO001) spans from 1896 (1876) to 2020, showing a weak correlation (r = 0.19)
412 with the reference chronology. CBDO001 was likely planted in the 1870s, matching
413 the dates of the first species plantation in the park suggested by Deriy (1958). Three
414 *Picea abies* (PADO001-003), which established initial growth between the 1880s and
415 1890s, also reflect the fourth period, exhibiting weak or absent correlations both with
416 the reference and within the species. *Juglans nigra* (JNDO001), spanning 1895 (1889)
417 to 2020, shows a moderate correlation (r = 0.28) with the reference. This specimen is
418 at least 40 years younger than previously expected (Deriy, 1958; Galkin and Rubis,
419 2013). *Celtis occidentalis* (CODO001) chronology covers the period from 1881 (1879)
420 to 2020, aligning with earlier reports (Deriy, 1958), and correlates with the reference at
421 r = 0.36. *Tilia euchlora* (TEDO001), spanning 1905 (1897) to 2020, has a weak
correlation (r = 0.10) with the reference and is younger than previously estimated (Deriy,
422 1958). *Gleditsia triacanthos* (GTDO001), from 1886 (1882) to 2020, also weakly
423
424
425 correlates (r = 0.17) with the reference but shows correlations with *Fraxinus excelsior*
426 (r = 0.24) and *Celtis occidentalis* (r = 0.29). *Gleditsia triacanthos* GTDO001 is
427 approximately 20-40 years younger than previously considered (Deriy, 1958; Galkin
428 and Rubis, 2013).

429 Other trees like *Eonimus europaeus* (EEDO001), *Betula pendula* (BPDO001),
430 and *Liriodendron tulipifera* (LTDO001) present limited data due to more recent origins
431 or decayed wood. *B. pendula* (BPDO001) imply planting post-1950s, correlating
432 weakly with the reference but showing a correlation with BPDO002 (r = 0.34). The
433 shrub *E. europaeus* (EEDO001), spanning 1976 (1973) to 2020, correlates with
434 CBDO001 and CODO001 (r = 0.27). *L. tulipifera* (LTDO001), from 1969 to 2017, has
435 a rotten stem, making dating the pith impossible.

3.4. *Oak patch*

436
437 The southern part of the Oak Patch, adjacent to the Large Lawn contains
438 remarkable trees, including *Pinus strobus* (PTDO001), which is claimed to be a gift
439 from Catherine II (Galkin, 2018), citing Shyshkina, 1848). Additionally, *Q. robur*
440 (QRDO084-085) near a folly, the Echo Colonnade, are dated back to the earliest period
441 of park development (Figs. 3 and 6).
<figure><img src="image_7.png" /></figure>

442

443 Fig. 6. Standardised individual tree-ring width series and corresponding event years at

444 the top and the Oak patch on the parks plans at the bottom. Tree species codes: PN

445 – *Pinus nigra*; PT – *Pinus strobus*; QR – *Quercus robur*
The dendrochronological study revealed that the *P. strobus* (PTDO001) chronology spans from 1850 (1848) to 2017 at a sampling height of 1 m, with only two years estimated between the last ring and the pith. However, the absence of correlation with the *Q. robur* reference, and the formation year even at the sampling height, disproves the claim that this tree was a gift from Catherine II (who died in 1796) to Alexandra Branicka.

*Pinus nigra* (PNDO001, 003, and 004) trees have chronologies covering the periods 1843 (1841) to 2017, 1865 (1859) to 2017, and 1846 (1843) to 2017, respectively. PNDO002 has a series from 1896 to 2017 due to a rotten pith. These trees were planted during Jens' tenure after the death of the first owners and were used to create arboreal compositions. For instance, PNDO003, with its three stems, is suggested to be an interpretation of the *Three Graces* statue by Antonio Canova (Galkin et al., 2015). The experimental nature of these stem formations likely caused deviations in tree-ring width, resulting in low correlations among the trees. The highest correlation value is between PNDO001 and PNDO003, but the event years show little coherence with the reference chronology.

*Q. robur* (QRDO084-085) has series covering the periods 1792 (1787) to 2022 and 1767 (1766) to 2022, respectively, representing the period before the park's establishment and possibly remnants of the old-growth oak forest marked on Mniszech's map of 1775-1776. These trees show moderate correlations with the reference chronology (r = 0.33 and 0.44) and with each other (r = 0.37). Their event
467 years also align with the significant reference's pointer years (1811, 1921, and 1964)

468 which are associated with drought events.

469 **3.5. Wedges**

470 The Wedges, the easternmost part of Alexandria, contain several old trees

471 believed to represent the early history of the park: *L. decidua* (LDDO004), *P. abies*

472 (PADO016), *P. sylvestris* (PSDO033), and two *Q. robur* (QRDO104-105) (Figs. 3 and

473 7).

<figure><img src="image_8.png" /></figure>

474

475 Fig. 7. Standardised individual tree-ring width series and corresponding event years

476 on the left side and the Wedges on the parks plans on the right. Tree species codes:

477 LD – *Larix decidua*; PA – *Picea abies*; PS – *Pinus sylvestris*; QR – *Quercus robur*

478
Though LDDO004 does not align with the reference *Q. robur* chronology, its radial growth shows strong correlations with LDDO003 (r = 0.65), LPDO001 (r = 0.72), and some *P. sylvestris* chronologies. The first rings in LDDO004 date back to 1839 (1833) to 2022, with six estimated rings in the missing part of the longest core, suggesting it was planted during Jens' tenure at the end of Alexandra Branicka's life or shortly after her death, corresponding to the third period of park development and is in line with the suggestion by Deriy (1958) and Kalashnikova and Galkin (2016).

PADO016 also does not match the reference chronology but shows growth patterns consistent with other *P. abies* trees (PADO001-003) with r values between 0.48 and 0.59. Its chronology spans from 1879 (1878) to 2020, indicating planting during the fourth stage (1865-1918) of park history.

The chronology of PSDO033 shows a moderate correlation with the reference (r = 0.33), while the correlation with other *P. sylvestris* trees ranges between 0.6 and 0.75. This chronology spans from 1807 (1805) to 2022, suggesting planting during the second period (1796-1815) of park development, during the lives of the park's first owners.

QRDO104's tree ring series covers 1802 (1796) to 2022 and shows a moderate correlation with the reference (r = 0.39). This tree likely represents the earliest or the second period of park construction, planted under architect Dominico Botani and gardener August Stange, as documented by Kosarevska (2008). It was present when a
copy of the Borgesian Wrestler was installed, depicted by painters, and described by
visitors, though it cannot be identified in site pictures.

QRDO105 has a shorter chronology, spanning 1825 to 2022, with a moderate
alignment with the reference (r = 0.45). This indicates planting during the third period
of park development, i.e., Jens' tenure. Both *Q. robur* trees show event year coherence
with the reference's pointer years.

### 3.6. Courtyard and Paliy Hill

The Courtyard, known as Didynets in Ukrainian, was developed around the
palace, the Austeria, and two adjacent buildings (Fig. 8, right). These buildings were
destroyed during the Russian Civil War and the Second World War, although several
historical trees still grow in the Courtyard. Two *P. sylvestris* trees, PSDO003 and
PSDO006 (Figs. 3 and 8, left), are suggested to be remnants of an old pine alley
captured in an early 20th-century photograph.

Both trees show a moderate correlation with the *Q. robur* reference chronology (r = 0.36 and 0.39) and stronger correlations with each other (r = 0.74). The chronology for PSDO003 extends from 1804 (1791) to 2020, and for PSDO006 from 1821 (1812) to 2021, suggesting the alley was likely planted in stages over several decades in the early 19th century, aligning with the park's initial developmental phases.

In the Varna Garden, established after the Varna fortress capitulation in
September 1828 during the Russo-Turkish War (1828-1829), *L. decidua* (LDDO003)
thrives. "Notes and Memories" by Shyshkina (1848) mentions that Halil Pasha planted
a tree here during his visit, though the species and exact year were not detailed.

Similarly, Lippoman (1832) notes that a Turkish envoy planted a tree as a memorial

while returning from St. Petersburg. Considering Damat Gürcü Halil Rifat Pasha's role

as the Ottoman Ambassador to Russia from 1829 to 1830, it's plausible that the tree

planting occurred around 1830.

<figure><img src="image_9.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 8. Standardised individual tree-ring width series and corresponding event years on the left side and the Courtyard and the Paliy Hill on the parks plans on the right. Tree species codes: LD – *Larix decidua*; PS – *Pinus sylvestris*; QR – *Quercus robur*</figcaption></figure>

529

However, dendrochronological analysis reveals that LDDO003, with a series

from 1852 (1848) to 2020, was established much later, suggesting that it was not the
532 memorial tree planted by Halil Pasha. Additionally, a map made in 1835 adds
533 uncertainty to the Varna Garden's history, as its actual location was marked as not yet
534 developed.

535 Hence, the remnants of the old plantations in the Courtyard and on Paliy's Hill
536 date back to the early 19th century, most likely representing the second (1796-1812)
537 and third (1815-1865) stages of the park's establishment.

538 The only tree sampled in the western part of the park is a *Q.robur* (QRDO035),
539 located on Paliy's Hill (Fig. 8). This tree, spanning from 1834 to 2021, was previously
540 claimed to be one of the oldest in the park, with an age estimated to be more than 300
541 years (Hrysiuk et al., 1961; Galkin et al., 2015). QRDO035 shows a strong correlation
542 (r = 0.65) with the reference chronology, and its event years align with the reference's
543 pointer years. However, the earliest dated rings and the estimated year (1822) of the
544 pith formation indicate that the tree likely germinated in the first half of the 19th century.
545 The actual establishment dates of trees, contextualized within the broader framework
546 of the park's historical development, are illustrated in the timeline (Fig. 9).
<figure><img src="image_10.png" /></figure>

547

548

549

550

551

552

553

554

555

556

557

Fig. 9. Timeline of the development of Alexandria Park up to 1918. Only the earliest directly dated tree ring is indicated at the bottom of the plot. Historical figure codes: FKB – Franciszek Ksawery Branicki (1730–1819); AB – Alexandra Branicka (née von Engelhardt; 1754–1838); GP – Grigory Potemkin (1739–1791); CII – Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 1729–1796); AI – Alexander I (1777–1825). Tree species codes: QR – *Quercus robur*; PS – *Pinus sylvestris*; PN – *Pinus nigra*; PT – *Pinus strobus*; LP – *Larix polonica*; LD – *Larix decidua*; PA – *Picea abies*; JN – *Juglans nigra*; TE – *Tilia euchlora*

### 3.7. Historical maps

558

559

560

Two historical maps, dating between the renowned plans of Bila Tserkva from 1769 and 1858 (Kolomiets, 2011), offer insights into the developmental trajectory of the village and its environs. The earlier map (Supplementary Fig. S1), created by Jerzy
561 Mniszechbetween 1775 and 1776, illustrates the expansive area of the Province of Bila
562 Tserkva, labelled "Starostie de Bialacerkiew" in the map title. This depiction includes
563 the village's layout, complete with its fortress and the course of the Ros River, thereby
564 facilitating an understanding of the prospective park's location upstream from Bila
565 Tserkva, on the forest's eastern edge at the point marked as T., "ruche à miel" (beehive
566 or bee-garden), in the legend.

567 The later map, a plan of the outskirts of Bila Tserkva created in 1835 (Osipov et
568 al., 1835 and its copy Plan..., 1835), is the earliest known to outline the residence's
569 layout, including the park with constructions and sculptures. It distinctly shows forests,
570 the park's plantations, orchards, and grass parterres, enabling the verification of
571 eyewitness accounts and researchers' hypotheses regarding specific locations
572 (Supplementary Fig. S2). For instance, the Oak Patch appears to be based on a section
573 of the older forest, supporting the claims of scholars (Kryvoruchko, 1979). However,
574 in 1823, Alexandra Branicka disclosed to Vigel that 25 years earlier, the area had been
575 a bare field rather than a dense forest (Vigel, 1928). This could be accurate, providing
576 the park was installed at the forest's edge and incorporated both open landscapes and
577 wooded areas. Considering scales on the 1775-1776 map and that Small Polish Mile is
578 equal to ~7.5 km (see Supplementary Fig.S1), the distance from the fortress, now a
579 catholic church, in Bila Tserkva to the forest edge and the beehive is about 3.5-4 km
580 and points roughly to the center or eastern part of the contemporary park.
The comparison of 1835 and 1858 plans (see Supplementary Figs. S2 and 3) also highlights other notable changes, such as the reforestation of a part of an English garden adjacent to the lawns on the west. Additionally, ravines appear to have developed, the number and sizes of water features were altered, the orientation of the main alleys was adjusted, and a new garden, a goose foot, emerged in the eastern part of the park during the period between 1835 and 1858. The replacement of bridges and other hydrological works may explain discrepancies in the depictions of the Chinese bridge between early and late 19th-century representations (Jaroszewski and Rottermund, 1968). During these works, some bridges were likely demolished because they became unusable and other constructed due to the altered sizes of water reservoirs or the development of ravines. Created three years before Alexandra Branicka's death in 1838, this plan captures significant details from the early stages of the park, which underwent considerable changes over the next two decades under the stewardship of subsequent generations of owners, Władysław Grzegorz Branicki (d. 1843) and Władysław Michał Branicki (d. 1884).

## 4. Conclusions

In this study, we conducted the first detailed dendrochronological investigation of trees in Olexandria park, established as a Branicki family summer residence at the end of the 18th century in Ukraine. Our results indicate that two native species, *Q. robur* and *P. sylvestris*, are the oldest tree specimens in the park, preserved from the Branicki
family's era to the present day. The established year of pith formation for the oldest *Q. robur* trees on the Small Lawn and the Oak Patch (1766) and for *P. sylvestris* in the Courtyard (1791) suggests that the first stage of park development (1787-1791) may have started earlier than previously thought, that mature trees were preferred for transplantation, or that trees from the existing old-growth forest were incorporated into the park's design.

The oldest non-native species in the park, particularly those of the coniferous *Pinus* and *Larix* genera, were planted under the supervision of gardener A. Jens during the third stage of the park's development (1815-1865). Most non-native species on the Large Lawn were planted during the fourth stage (1865-1918). Our findings demonstrate that the lifespan of local *Q. robur* and *P. sylvestris* species exceeds 230-250 years. In contrast, the introduced species of *Pinus* and *Larix*, as well as older broadleaved trees, did not reach 200 years and were planted to replace the initial exotic introductions during the 19th century. The longevity of both native and exotic species in the park has important implications for urban forestry policies, particularly in the Polissia and steppe zones. Understanding the lifespan and growth patterns of these species can facilitate future decisions on tree selection, placement, and management in urban settings.

In conclusion, the application of precise dendrochronological methods allowed us to accurately determine the ages of the studied trees, thereby clarifying the park's developmental stages and dispelling local myths.
623

624 CRediT authorship contribution statement

625 **Yulia Prokopuk**: Writing – original draft, Methodology, Project administration, Data

626 curation, Investigation, Conceptualization. **Oleksandr Sylenko**: Writing – original

627 draft, Investigation, Visualization, Conceptualization. **Natalia Doiko**: Writing – editing

628 original draft, Investigation, Conceptualization. **Nina Dragan**: Writing – editing

629 original draft, Conceptualization. **Maksym Netsvetov**: Writing – original draft,

630 Investigation, Supervision.

631

632 Acknowledgments

633 The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Annabel J. Porté and Marcin

634 Klisz for their assistance with the investigation of historical documents and discussions

635 of the results, to Olena Leshcheniuk for her support in sample preparation, and to

636 Maryna Morozova for her help with sampling.

637

638 References

639 Aftanazy, R., 1993. Materialy do dziejow rezydencji. Warszawa. (in Polish)

640 Aftanazy, R., 1997. Dzieje rezydencji na dawnych kresach Rzeczypolitej.

641 Wojewodztwo kijowskie oraz uzupełnienia do tomow 1–10. Zakład Narodowy im.

642 Ossolinskich — Widawnictwo, Wrocław-Warszawa-Kraków. (in Polish)
643 Aliokhin, A., 2004. V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Botanical Garden.

644 History and modernity. Biological bulletin 8, 3–7. (in Russian)

645 Archive of Prince Vorontsov, 1882.

646 Białacerkiew, 1880., in: Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów

647 Słowiańskich. nakł. Filipa Sulimierskiego i Władysława Walewskiego, Warszawa,

648 pp. 174–180. (in Polish)

649 Bunn, A.G., 2008. A dendrochronology program library in R (dplR).

650 Dendrochronologia (Verona) 26, 115–124.

651 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2008.01.002

652 Cook, E.R., Kairiukstis, L.A. (Eds.), 1990. Methods of Dendrochronology. Springer

653 Netherlands, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7879-0

654 Cybis Elektronik & Data AB, 2022. (Version 9.8.1) [software]. https://www.cybis.se

655 Deriy, I.G., 1958. The dendroflora of Alexandria Park of the Botanical Garden of the

656 Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, in: Plant Acclimatization. The

657 Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kyev, pp. 110–132. (in Russian)

658 Drège, J., 1904. Ogrody w Polsce. [w:] Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna Ilustrowana.

659 Seria II, t. III, IV. (in Polish)

660 Duncan, R., 1989. An evaluation of errors in tree age estimates based on increment

661 cores in kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides). New Zealand Natural Sciences 16,

662 31–37.
663 Galkin, S., Dioko, N., Dragan, N., Mordatenko, I., 2015. Cadastre of ancient
664 outstanding trees of Alexandria. Bila Tserkva. (in Ukrainian)

665 Galkin, S.I., 2013. The Oleksandria Park NAS of Ukraine: history and modernity. O.
666 Pshonkivsky, Bila Tserkva. (in Ukrainian)

667 Galkin, S.I., Boiko, N.S., 2018. Alexandria Arboretum of the NAS of Ukraine — the
668 70 years at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine: the historical path and
669 the modernity. Plant introduction 77, 41–49.
670 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3377686 (in Ukrainian)

671 Galkin, S.I., Doiko, N.M., Mordatenko, I.L., 2016. Restoring the structure of woody
672 plantations of landscape area “Dance Pavilion” and its optimization in
673 Dendrological Park “Olexandria” of the NAS of Ukraine. Plant Introduction 69, 50–
674 59. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2334056 (in Ukrainian)

675 Galkin, S.I., Rubis, V.L., 2013. The history of introduction of woody plants in the State
676 Dendrological Park Olexandria of the NAS of Ukraine. Plant Introduction 59, 12–
677 20. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1578583 (in Ukrainian)

678 Glybovska, K., 1910. Photos of the estate in the Alexandria park of Countess M.
679 Branitskaya in Bila Tserkva and explanatory text. 300-1-463-5, 300-1-463-20.

680 Hrysiuk, M.M., Derii, I.H., Antonov, M.M., Oliinyk, M.P., 1961. The Dendrological
681 park Olexandria. AN URSR, Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)

682 Jankowski, E., 1886. Ogród w Białocerkwi. Ogrodnik Polski 18, 424–427. (in Polish)
683 Jaroszewski, T.S., Rottermund, A., 1968. Nieznane materiały do Aleksandrii i
684 Szpanowa: na marginesie wystawy widoków architektonicznych w malarstwie
685 polskim, in: Rocznik Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie. pp. 33–79.
686 https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19550.6 (in Polish)

687 Kalashnikova, L., Galkin, S., 2016. Soziological analysis of dendroexotics of
688 Dendrological Park Alexandria of the NAS of ukraine. Plant Introduction 72, 28–
689 38. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2457385 (in Ukrainian)

690 Klimenko, Y.A., Mordatenko, L.P., 2001. Dendrological Park Alexandria. The Specific
691 Features of the Original and the New Territories. Plant introduction 11, 124–138.
692 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3333895 (in Ukrainian)

693 Kolomiets, V.A., 2011. Cartographic Materials as the Source of Studying of History of
694 Ukrainian Cities (by the example of Bila Tserkva). Archives of Ukraine 1, 129–
695 139. (in Ukrainian)

696 Kosarevska, R.O., 2008. The periodization of the construction phases of the Bila
697 Tserkva historical park “Oleksandria.” Urban development and spatial planning 30,
698 146–154. (in Ukrainian)

699 Kosarevski, I.O., 1961. Parks of Ukraine (techniques for creating a park landscape).
700 State publishing house of literature on construction and architecture of the
701 Ukrainian SSR, Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)

702 Kryvoruchko, D.M., 1979. Oleksandria. Budivelnyk, Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)
703 La Garde, A. de, 1824. Voyage de Moscou à Vienne, par Kiow, Odessa, Constantinople,
704 Bucharest et Hermanstadt: ou Lettres adressées à Jules Griffith. (in French)

705 Lippoman, J., 1832. Opisanie ogrodu Alexandrya zwanego pod Białocerkwią
706 położonego, in: Zastanowienie Się Nad Mogiłami, Pustemi Siedliskami i
707 Zamczyskami Okopanemi, Zmijowemi Wałami. p. 157. (in Polish)

708 Mniszech, J. 1775-1776. Carte de la Starostie de Bialacerkiew, possédée par Son
709 Excellence Mr. le Comte de Mniszech, Maréchal de la Cour, levée dans les années
710 1775 et 1776. Bibliothèque nationale de France, URSS: Villes classées par ordre
711 alphabétique: A-I, No. P 173274.

712 Netsvetov, M., Prokopuk, Y., Holiaka, D., Klisz, M., Porté, A.J., Puchałka, R.,
713 Romenskyy, M., 2023. Is there Chornobyl nuclear accident signature in Scots pine
714 radial growth and its climate sensitivity? Science of The Total Environment 878,
715 163132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163132

716 Norton, D.A., Palmer, J.G., Ogden, J., 1987. Dendroecological studies in New Zealand
717 1. An evaluation of tree age estimates based on increment cores. N Z J Bot 25, 373-
718 383.

719 Orda, N. (1807-1883). "Aleksandria. Sztuczne ruiny w ogrodzie Branickich"
720 [Alexandria. Artificial Ruins in the Branicki Garden]. Watercolor and pencil on
721 white paper, 20.7 cm x 29.6 cm. MNK III-r.a-2829. Dział III - Rycin, Rysunków i
722 Akwarel / Rysunki i akwarele, Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie (National Museum
723 in Krakow).
724 Osipov, I., Ivanov, A., P. Manzhetny, P., 1835. Bila Tserkva, Town, Surroundings. Plan
725 of the Surroundings of the Settlement Bila Tserkva [Map]. Saint Petersburg:
726 Military Topographical Depot. Russian National Library, K 2-Ukr 6/38.

727 Plan of the Surroundings of the Town Bila Tserkva Surveyed Instrumentally In the Year
728 1835. A Copy, 1835. State Archive of the Kyiv Region. Fond 1512, opis 1, sprava
729 1128.

730 Plan of the Estate Land of the Town of Bila Tserkva, Located in the Vasylkiv District
731 of the Kyiv Province, Property of the Landowner Count Vladyslav Vladyslavovych
732 Branitsky. Compiled in 1858.", 1858. Bila Tserkva Local History Museum, BKM
733 430-583.

734 Prokopuk, Y., Sylenko, O., Klisz, M., Porté, A.J., Netsvetov, M., 2024. Terrain's
735 steepness governs sensitivity of urban oak forests to climate variability. Urban For
736 Urban Green 102, 128586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128586

737 Putova, G., 2012. The Great Fire of 1811 in Kyiv's Podil and Its Consequences
738 According to the Documents of the CDIAK of Ukraine. Bolkhovitinov Yearbook
739 2011, Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)

740 R Development Core Team, 2022. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical
741 Computing.

742 Rogers, E.B., 2001. Landscape design: A cultural and architectural history. Harry N.
743 Abrams.
744 Rozas, V., 2003a. Tree age estimates in Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur: testing
745 previous and improved methods. Plant Ecol 167, 193–212.
746 https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023969822044

747 Rozas, V., 2003b. Regeneration patterns, dendroecology, and forest-use history in an
748 old-growth beech-oak lowland forest in Northern Spain. For Ecol Manage 182,
749 175–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(03)00070-7

750 Salatich, A.K., 1949. Oleksandria Park in Bila Tserkva. Academy of Architecture of
751 the Ukrainian SSR, Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)

752 Shynder, O.I., Doiko, N.M., 2020. Spontaneous flora of the State Dendrological Park
753 “Olexandria” of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in: Actual Problems
754 of Natural Sciences: Modern Scientific Discussions: Collective Monograph.
755 “Baltija Publishing,” Riga, Latvia, pp. 420–460. https://doi.org/10.30525/978-
756 9934-26-025-4-20 (in Ukrainian)

757 Shyshkina, O., 1848. Notes and memoirs of Russian traveler through the South of
758 Russia in 1845. St. Petersburg. (in Russian)

759 Spinoni, J., Naumann, G., Vogt, J., Barbosa, P., 2015. European drought climatologies
760 and trends based on a multi-indicator approach. Glob Planet Change 127, 50–57.
761 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2015.01.012

762 van der Maaten-Theunissen, M., van der Maaten, E., Bouriaud, O., 2015. pointRes: An
763 R package to analyze pointer years and components of resilience.
765 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2015.05.006

766 van der Schrier, G., Allan, R.P., Ossó, A., Sousa, P.M., Van de Vyver, H., Van

767 Schaeybroeck, B., Coscarelli, R., Pasqua, A.A., Petrucci, O., Curley, M., Mietus,

768 M., Filipiak, J., Štěpánek, P., Zahradníček, P., Brázdil, R., Řezníčková, L., van den

769 Besselaar, E.J.M., Trigo, R., Aguilar, E., 2021. The 1921 European drought:

770 impacts, reconstruction and drivers. Climate of the Past 17, 2201–2221.

771 https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-2201-2021

772 Vigel, F.F., 1928. Notes. Krug, Moskow. (in Russian)

773
<figure><img src="image_11.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_12.png" /><figcaption>**Figure S2.** The Plan of the surroundings of the village of Bila Tserkiev of 1835 (Osipov et al., 1835). The scale is marked is verst, where 1 verst equals 1.0668 km</figcaption></figure>

781

782

783

784
<figure><img src="image_13.png" /><figcaption>Figure S3. The Plan of the village of Bialocerkiew of 1858. (Plan..., 1858)</figcaption></figure>

785

786

787
788

<figure><img src="image_14.png" /><figcaption>**Figure S4.** Satellite Overview (Microsoft Corporation, 2024) and Focused Ground Photo (October 789 790 791 2020) of the Small Lawn in Alexandria park. The *Larix sibirica* (LSDO001) and the Dance Pavilion 792 are depicted in the right image. The red cone in the left image represents the field of view of the 793 ground-level camera 794</figcaption></figure>
Satellite Image

<figure><img src="image_15.png" /></figure>

Ground Photo (1917)

<figure><img src="image_16.png" /></figure>

Ground Photo (2024)

<figure><img src="image_17.png" /></figure>

795

796 **Figure S5.** Satellite Overview (Microsoft Corporation, 2024) and Focused Ground Photo (1917 and

797 2024) of the Small Lawn in Olexandria park. The *Larix sibirica* (LSDO001) and the Dance Pavilion

798 are depicted in the right images. The red cone in the left image represents the field of view of the

799 ground-level camera

800
Napoleon Orda (1872)

<figure><img src="image_18.png" /></figure>

Ground Photo (2024)

<figure><img src="image_19.png" /></figure>

Satellite Image

<figure><img src="image_20.png" /></figure>

802

803 **Figure S6.** A fragment of a watercolor by Napoleon Orda (20 October 1872), a ground photo (18

804 July 2024), and a satellite overview of the site (Microsoft Corporation, 2024) depicting the sham

805 Ruins in Alexandria park. The only preserved Larix polonica (LPDO001) is visible in the photo. The

806 red cone in the satellite image represents the field of view of the ground-level camera