According to Albanov, the old fences, which were installed between 1962 and 1964, have fallen into disrepair, resulting in gaps in some areas that allow people to freely enter the garden's territory.
He also mentioned the problem with the invasive plant — bloody-red dogwood, which hindered the growth of cultivated plants used for scientific research. "This plant absorbed water from the soil and shaded other plants. We have already cleared these areas and eliminated its excessive spread," noted the deputy director.
Albanov pointed out that despite rumors of mass tree cutting, the work is being done selectively, and specialists have a clear understanding of which trees should be preserved and which should be removed. The clearing of the territory was carried out in cooperation with the Presidential Administration, which was given recommendations for the preservation of certain trees.
In addition, he raised the issue of safety in overgrown areas, where incidents of attacks on people, including serious crimes, had previously been recorded. "In some places, even garden staff could not pass through, and inspecting one tree required navigating through thickets," he added.
The deputy director also noted that the decline in visitor numbers to these areas has led to the abandonment of the territory, where drug addicts began to gather, as control over the garden weakened.
Albanov linked the deterioration of the Botanical Garden's condition to a lack of funding and a reduction in staff numbers. He stated that during Soviet times, about 200 people worked in the Botanical Garden, which allowed for proper maintenance of the territory. However, later, due to declining salaries, many workers left their positions, which affected the overall level of garden maintenance.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that scientific work in the Botanical Garden continued: staff were engaged in the preservation and observation of the most important plants, maintaining them for 30-35 years.
Story from January 14, 2026:
