"Melnytskyi" is a forest nature reserve with an area of 132 hectares in the Radohoshcha forestry of the Luhyny territorial community in Korosten district. It received its status in 2010. Its main value is pine and birch forests, where the undergrowth is entirely formed by yellow azalea, a shrub that covers itself in fragrant yellow flowers in May.
Forests on flat plains
The reserve's forests grow on flat plains separated by numerous bogs. Birch (about 60%) and pine (about 30%) forests form the basis, with the rest being black alder, oak, and hornbeam-oak forests. Most trees are of natural origin, 40–70 years old.
Pine, pine-birch, and birch plant communities with yellow azalea are rare in Ukraine and are listed in the Green Book of Ukraine. Bilberry, lingonberry, and heather grow under the azalea, while wild ginger and ground elder grow in the oak forests. Among the plants of the Red Book of Ukraine are lesser butterfly-orchid, bird's-nest orchid, broad-leaved helleborine, and Turk's cap lily, as well as the regionally rare mezereon.
Bogs
The bogs of the reserve are diverse: from black alder to open grassy ones with reed, sedge, and sphagnum. On overgrown mires, the rare slender-rooted sedge, intermediate bladderwort, and oblong-leaved sundew can be found. Roe deer, wild boars, and elks live in the forests.
When to go
The best time is in the second half of May when the yellow azalea blooms: the pine forests then fill with a strong honey scent. Do not pick flowers or dig up bushes—the plant is protected. Remember that azalea is poisonous, so do not taste the honey and flowers.
How to get there
The reserve is located in the Radohoshcha forestry near Luhyny. Nearby is the Bovsunivskyi reserve on a former military testing range. You can read more about azalea in Polissia in the article "Zhytomyr Polissia: Granite, Drevlians, and Azalea".
