Sustainable Tourism

International fight for Svydovets continues

There were many important events in December 2018 that contribute to the protection of the unique mountain range Svydovets in the Ukrainian Carpathians. For example, on December 18th, two of them took place in Austria and Ukraine.

Events in Vienna and Kyiv

One of the events was the Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee in Vienna, Austria. More details about the whole event and participation of the European Wilderness Society will follow soon.

Prior to this meeting the meeting “Mountain range Svydovets: development and threats outlook” of the sub-committee on interaction with civil society of the Government of Ukraine took place in Kyiv.

Representatives of scientists and community, as well as representative of the Ministry of Environment and Natural resources of Ukraine participated in the meeting.

Since the number of appeals and requests to the Government of Ukraine became critical, it is time to react.

Ihor Lutsenko
Member of the Government Committee on issues of prevention and counteraction to corruption.

Advantages and risks of Svydovets Management

In addition, the second event took place in Lviv, Ukraine and consolidated Ukrainian scientists, researchers and concerned community. The seminar “Management of the Central Svydovets: advantages and risks” was conducted at the biology faculty of Lviv National University and was initiated by Institute of Ecology of Carpathians, Ukraine.  

Participants were discussing, amongst other topics:

  • Uniqueness of the ecosystem, fauna and flora diversity of Svydovets massif
  • Rare and instinct animals and plants
  • Environmental creation role of the Central Svydovets ecosystems (water-regulation, anti-erosion, climate-regulation, CO2 deposit etc.)
  • Ecosystem services of the Svydovets
  • Urbanisation of the Svydovets, based on development of mega-ski resort “Svydovets”: advantages and nature conservation risks.

The discussion was very diverse and fruitful. Resolution of the event will be available soon.

Taras Mykytchak
Senior scientific specialist of the Institute of Ecology of Carpathians

Carpathian Convention and Free Svydovets

The Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention) is the only multi-level governance mechanism, covering the whole of the Carpathian area. Besides the Alpine Convention, it is the second sub-regional treaty-based regime for the protection and sustainable development of a mountain region worldwide.

Therefore, the initiative Free Svydovets submitted an Appeal to support protection of this important natural area to the Convention. On behalf of Free Svydovets Roman Cherepanyn, scientist and lecturer at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ukraine informed the audience about:

  • Nature conservation value of Svydovets
  • Natural objects of national and international importance
  • Threats on national and international level
  • Climate Change and mega-resort impacts
  • Regional Development alternatives
  • Environment impact assessment

Appeal Resolution

Among others, the Appeal Resolution is referring to the Carpathian Convention Secretariat and Parties to support defining the conditions and criteria. This includes relevant remedial and compensatory measures, under which projects of new ski resorts and similar recreational complexes  can be authorised for construction in Carpathians, particularly at the territory of Svydovets.

We are calling Secretariat and participants of the Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee to adopt the Resolution of the FREE Svydovets Appeal.

Roman Cherepanyn
FREE Svydovets

The complete text of the Appeal can be found below:

The example of Svydovets recreational complex development is a bright example of community participation in the decision-making process.

I hope this time the Svydovets case will be included to the Implementation Committee Report and will be stewarded, since this is the only example in Carpathian Convention of public real participation (Article 13). And the public monitoring is already started in the framework of the Eastern Partnership Project “Environment Assessment Watch”

We also inviting  Carpathian Convention parties and the Secretariat to support proper conduction of the Environment Impact Assessment of the recreational complex Svydovets and to support initiative group Free Svydovets,

Tamara Malkova
Head of NGO “Green Dosier”

Our support

European Wilderness Society visited the Svydovets massif again this summer. Therefore, we also understand the importance to protect this beautiful and ecologically important natural area. This is also a reason why we are constantly supporting the Initiative Group Free Svydovets for already more than a year.

As our main office is located in the Alps, we can observe the effects of climate change to mountain ecosystems. This also includes the emerging challenges for ski-resorts, in particular in lower altitudes.

Max A E Rossberg
Chairman European Wilderness Society

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