Nature conservation during the war
There is already one year passed since the full scale Russian invasion to Ukraine. Many issues have changed and reprioritised in the country. But it is amazing to see, that the nature conservation sector is functioning and that beside daily hard conservation work, many nature protectors are fighting on the war hot spots, volunteering or even implementing various research and projects.
War impact on environment
There is no doubt that the war is influencing environment. Therefore experts of the public organization „Environment. People. Law.“ (EPL) are implementing field research as well as video and photo research on the war affected areas. With this they are aiming at submitting collected documentation to the International criminal court.
EPL managed 12 trips to Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. During each trip, our ecologists collected information about the state of natural complexes, took samples from shell craters, and took photos. Also, our experts visited two National Natural Parks in the de-occupied territories – National Nature Park Svyati Gory in Donetsk region, and Kamianska Sich National Nature Park in Kherson region. Together with the directors of the National Parks, field trips were conducted to the territory. Furthermore joint research on the effects of military actions on park ecosystems have already been planned.
Free Svydovets
For already 6 years European Wilderness Society is supporting International movement Free Svydovets, aiming to save last glacier lakes, mires and rocks, riverine and subalpine forests, habitats and populations of many rare plants and animals protected in Ukraine and in the European Union. The unique Svydovets mountain range is located in the Carpathians and contains important brown bear migration corridors. Besides, river Black Tysa, later forming longest tributary of Danube river, starts here.
Despite military actions, climate change impacts and avalanche risks, Svydovets is still under the threat of huge recreational complex building on its territory. Furthermore, 2 other complexes are planned for building. These 3 new planned complexes are located next to each other and will be connected to the existing Bukovel resort. And this means, that that 65,000 people can be at once in this still natural area! The figure just unbelivelable!
Initiative group aims to protect this area and provide to it special nature protection status, based on its undoubtable value.
You can also protect Ukrainian Carpathians and sign the petition.
Bank of Transcarpathian sea
In December 2022 the landscape reserve „Bank of Transcarpathian sea” was created. This reserve is created on the banks of Vilshany reservoir and is a home for numerous rare animals and plants, one can even meet brown bear on it territory. During last 2 years environmental activists are conducting creative eco-picnics on this territory, where not only garbage separate collection takes place, but also different people, including artists, from different regions of Ukraine participating.
NGO “Chysto.de” and Ukrainian nature conservation group initiated creation of the landscape reserve in this picturesque area, close to the National Nature Park “Synevyr”.
Respect nature: learn and teach
Project “Respect nature: learn and teach” is recently being implemented in Ukraine.
It supports minimisation of the human impact on the biodiversity, especially in protected areas, through broader practical introduction of the “Respect Nature” outdoor ethics, as well as the development and distribution of the proper educational materials and capacity building of professional educators.
To support Ukrainian environmental educators, three-day online Advanced training courses were conducted from 18th till 20th of January, 2023. It was really encouraging diespite numerrous challanges to connect online Ukrainian environmental educators from East, West, Center, South and North. Moreover, their motivation to learn more, share own experience and implement new environmental education projects was really impressing.
Support Ukrainian nature -please donate!
Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group works twenty-four hours a day during the war to keep Ukraine’s natural protected areas functional and support their employees.
Please support them and donate: here
We very much hope, that the Russian-Ukrainian war will be stopped soon. Natural processes will succeed in Ukrainian numerous unique protected areas and beyond. And many more happy generations of Ukrainians will enjoy and preserve the natural treasures of their home country!
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indeed, works on conservation of Ukrainian wildlife and inventory of losses due to Russian invasion are continued e.g. Perzanowski K., Smagol V. 2022. European bison in Ukraine threatened by Russian invasion. European Bison Conservation Newsletter 14: 23-28.