We continue to release the results of the study of the lost areas of nature and reserve fund conducted by ecologists and volunteers of the ICO «Еnvironment-People-Law». The third part of the research is about Chernivtsi region.
As of January 1, 2016 in Chernivtsi region there were 331 sites of nature and reserve fund (NRF) with actual area of 103 598, 3 hectares that makes up 12,8 % from the area of administrative and territorial unit. NRF of the region includes 25 sites of national significance with actual area of 28 982,3 hectares, as well as 306 sites of local significance with total area of 74195,3 hectares. Regarding area, one should remember that there are cases when NRF areas overlap. Thus, there are NRF sites that in terms of area are parts of the other sites. In particular, these are natural monuments and reserves of local and national significance that partially became parts of the conglomerate sites, which are national natural parks and regional landscape parks1. Therefore, it should be stressed that though general total NRF area in Chernivtsi region is 110 578,4 ha, considering overlapping of the territories of different sites the actual area is 103 598,3 ha.
One should not forget about 69 liquidated sites that were cancelled by the decisions of Chernivtsi Regional Council. Sites cancelled officially can be found in the documents of Chernivtsi Regional Council dated from 1979, 1984 and 19932 3 4 5 and in the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine6. The reasons for NRF sites cancellation, given in the decisions, cast lots of doubts regarding objective nature conservation necessity of such cancellations. In the majority of cases NRF were liquidated for the reason of «non-correspondence to RST 1745-76». It is about 48 % of all liquidated sites. Forestry snowbreak is 9 %. Less percentage falls on forest drying-out, damage from lightning strikes, etc. Quite high is the percentage of liquidated hydrological monuments of nature, namely wells. In some cases wells with waters unique in terms of their chemical composition were pumped – 21 %. The other 5 % out of NRF liquidated sites became parts of other sites. There was loss of information on the site of rare and decorative flora «Vasylyna», which had over 900 species and was growing at the land plot of the gardener V. D. Antonova7. In the modern list there is no protected area «Kvitka» (“Flower”) of Kurchivske forestry.
It is interesting that in 1979 in Chernivtsi region a number of NRF sites were cancelled with reference to the State Standard «RST USSR (Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic) 1745-76». This is the only region where we have found such reason for NRF liquidation. The very state standard was purchased by us for analysis, as since January 1, 1978 and up till now it is effective and is not available for general access. The State Standard RST USSR (Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic) 1745-76 «The Order of Approval, Adoption and State Registration of the Reserve Sites», adopted by the Regulation of the State Plan of the USSR (Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic) of November 23, 1976 №101 and outlines discrepancies between NRF categories8. At the same time the document became outdated long time ago, as in 1983 and 1992 NRF classifications were changed.
Thus, total area of NRF loss in Chernivtsi region since 1972 and up till now is only 224, 4 ha, which is significantly lower than in other regions under study (24 sites).
Previous publications:
Part 1: Volyn region (http://www.epl.org.ua/events/2306-vtracheni-ob-iekty-ta-terytorii-pryrodno-zapovidnoho-fondu-chastyna-1-volynska-oblast)
Part 2: Ivano-Frankivsk region (http://epl.org.ua/events/2340-vtracheni-ob-iekty-ta-terytorii-pryrodno-zapovidnoho-fondu-chastyna-2-ivano-frankivska-oblast)
Oleksiy Vasyliuk, EPL environmentalist;
Anastasiya Kotko, EPL volunteer
Email: office@epl.org.ua ; vasyliuk@gmail.com
Tel.: (032) 225 – 76 – 82; 097 – 1000 – 473
1 Vasyliuk О. V. On the necessity of identifying the total area of NRF of Ukraine \\ Implementation of the national environmental policy strategy in the field of nature and reserve sphere: public evaluation: collection of materials to the Committee Hearing in the Supreme Council of Ukraine «Nature and Reserve Fund of Ukraine: Problems and Solutions». К.: LLC «Centre for Environmental Education and Information», 2013, 112 p.
2 The decision of the Executive Committee of Chernivtsi Regional Council from May 30, 1979 №198 «On approval of protected sites register and activities on improving the situation with protected areas in the region» // State Archive of Chernivtsi region (SACR). – F. P-3. – Op. 5. – Ref.1465. – Arc.56-109
3 The decision of the Executive Committee of Chernivtsi Regional Council from October 17, 1984 №216 «On approval of the networks of areas and sites of nature and reserve fund according to the current classification and activities on improving the situation with protected areas in the region» // SACR – F. Р-3. – Op. 5. – Ref.1777. – Arc.21-69
4 The decision of Chernivtsi Regional Council from December 21, 1993 «On expanding the network of nature and reserve areas of the region» //SACR. – F. Р-3. – Op. 5. – Ref.2263. – Arc.206-214
5 The decision of Chernivtsi Regional Council from March 10, 1999 № 14-6/99 «On expanding nature and reserve fund of the region» // SACR. – F. Р-3. – Op. 5. – Ref.2595. – Arc.21-27
6 The directive of Chernivtsi Regional State Administration from February 8, 1996 №87-р «On expanding nature and reserve fund of the region» // SACR. – F. Р-2896,. – Op. 2. – Ref.87. – Arc. 120-126
7 The directive of Chernivtsi Regional State Administration from February 8, 1996 №87-р «On expanding nature and reserve fund of the region» // SACR. – F. Р-2896,. – Op. 2. – Ref.87. – Arc.120-126
8 The procedure of approval, adoption and state registration of protected areas. RST of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic 1745-76. Official Edition. Republican standard of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic. Kyiv, 1977, 22 p.
