Wild Ukraine with volunteers
European Wilderness Society continues support and promotion of the European Wilderness Network. For this purpose we are always happy to increase our cooperation with volunteers all over the world.
Please also read: Our Wild team is growing
Besides, our fruitful international cooperation with artists and outdoor enthusiasts for promotion of the last European Wilderness by means of art confirms that. Therefore recently photo-volunteering project “The Wild Ukraine” was launched with a volunteer Brandon Hartwig from Canada.
Brandon Hartwig
Brandon Hartwig is a professional photographer and has an undergraduate degree in ecotourism and outdoor leadership. Mr. Hartwig already visited Ukraine last year for an internship with the UNDP in their environment portfolio. Now he is back again till late fall. Brandon was looking for opportunities to volunteer or work on sustainable tourism or outdoor related projects. And that is how our cooperation started.
Wild Ukraine
The “Wild Ukraine” is a joint photo-volunteering project of the European Wilderness Society and Brandon Hartwig. All Ukrainian partners of the European Wilderness Network gladly accepted an invitation to join this project. In the framework of this project Mr. Hartwig is visiting partners of the European Wilderness Network in Ukraine, acquainting with the work of protected areas in Ukraine and producing unique photo of their landscapes, flora, fauna and geological features. As a result, European Wilderness Society will produce Special Journal “Wild Ukraine” and will promote it widely.
Other benefits
In addition, cooperation with Brandon will:
- improve protected areas skills on volunteers’ involvement, as some of them lack such experience
- provide to protected areas new beautiful photo for their library and promotion purposes
- contribute to sustainable tourism development in the protected areas
- provide input for further joint projects with EWS and protected areas
CBR experience
First area, visited by Brandon is the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. There, he met group of professionals, lead by Iryna Yonash, Reserve´s sustainable tourism department deputy head. Iryna introduced the area and accompanied photographer in his field visit. Visit to beech forest was unforgettable. Even if the whether was not very supportive, field trip was productive.
With so much rain it was difficult to take photos (good light is so important!), but I think there are still some nice shots
Partners also discussed sustainable tourism development feathers in the Reserve and agreed to continue cooperation.
Next steps
Next focus area of Mr.Harwig was National Nature Park “Synevyr”. He just finished his work there. This is a very touristic area, but still contains Wilderness. European Wilderness Society already implemented number of projects with Synevyr Park and is continuing mutually beneficial cooperation.
After that Mr.Hartwig will also volunteer for:
- Nature Reserve “Gorgany”
- Carpathian National Nature Park
- National Nature Park “Zacharovanyy kray”
- Mizhrichynskyy Regional Landscape Park
Representatives of the majority of the listed protected areas just recently went thorough training on how to work with volunteers. Therefore, after this theory, we are very happy to contribute to the practical cooperation with volunteers in these areas.
