Currently, the impact of humans on the biosphere has reached an almost critical level, exceeding which could disrupt the equilibrium of natural systems and lead to their destruction. In this regard, many so-called environmental problems have arisen in the relationship between humans and nature, the most important of which is the problem of preserving the purity of the natural environment.
1. As a result of economic activities, soils, reservoirs, and water resources are polluted.
For example, pesticides used to combat insects, weeds, and various diseases affect not only the targeted organisms but also penetrate the entire environment, being transferred through food chains into the tissues of animals and humans. Soil pollution also occurs due to incorrect dosage of mineral fertilizers when they are applied.
To prevent pollution of water bodies, proper use of fertilizers, limited use of pesticides, and timely disposal of waste in garden plots are of great importance. Cases where household waste, especially non-degradable waste, the quantity of which is increasing, is dumped directly on or near the road must not be allowed.
2. To prevent soil erosion by water, strip cropping across steep slopes is mandatory. The formed strips and grown plants impede the flow of meltwater and rainwater, reducing soil washout. At the end of a sloped plot, it is beneficial to construct earthen or wattle dams. On very steep slopes, the plot can be terraced.
Due to the fact that unfertilized and unsuitable lands are allocated for gardening associations, it sometimes happens that ditches, hollows, or even quarries fall within the allocated garden plots. In such cases, they are first filled and leveled, then a fertile topsoil layer is added, after which the vegetation cover is restored.
3. One of the most important environmental protection issues is the preservation of flora. A large number of people affect vegetation purely mechanically. Unorganized hiking and car tourism leads to the destruction of grass cover, berry bushes, and mycelium.
Improper mushroom picking destroys the forest litter and mycelium. Picking bouquets of flowers leads to the extermination of rare plants, etc. Therefore, all citizens, through their proper behavior in nature, and gardeners, through proper management of their plots, adherence to all agrotechnical requirements, and prevention of soil contamination, salinization, and pollution, etc., can play an important role in preserving flora (in addition to state measures).
4. Gardeners, as well as their children, can provide significant assistance to the fauna by building birdhouses and organizing feeding for birds and wild animals, especially during the cold winter. In addition to helping animals, such work also has an educational value.
5. For the purpose of protecting flora and fauna, all gardening associations and some territory around them should be declared nature reserves, although this is not provided for by the standard charter.
6. The principle of environmental protection is based on socialist legality and the enforcement of laws by state and public organizations, all officials, and individual citizens. Protecting nature and its riches is a constitutional duty of all citizens.
7. Liability for violation of environmental regulations and laws does not fundamentally differ from liability for violation of other laws. Violators of nature protection legislation may face imprisonment, fines, compensation for damages incurred, and other sanctions.
Violators may be held criminally liable for unauthorized logging, forest damage by fire, serious violation of hunting and fishing rules, and in other cases causing significant damage.
Administrative liability (primarily fines) is imposed for unauthorized logging, damage to young trees, theft of harvested timber, violation of forest fire safety rules, hunting and fishing rules and seasons, rules for the protection and use of water resources, for spoiling or destroying crops and plantings, destruction of anthills, and other violations.
Failure to comply with nature protection requirements may result in gardeners being expelled from membership in associations.
Fostering a careful attitude towards nature as a national asset among citizens is a guarantee of preventing offenses. Due to the rapid increase in the number of gardening associations, the compliance of all gardeners with nature protection rules is becoming increasingly important. The times when, with the words "nature will endure everything," many left behind broken young trees in the forest, trampled or burned campsites, destroyed bird nests, etc., should be a thing of the past.
Nature cannot be deceived. A gardening association is a place for active human interaction with nature. We must leave behind a garden, not a desert. Instilling in children, primarily through personal example, a kind, careful attitude towards nature – towards every tree or flower, animal or bird, ant or bug – is a good foundation for high civic qualities.