In 2014, Ukraine experienced an unprecedented case of cancellation of a national natural park. As a result of an unlawful court decision, there was cancelled the Ordinance of the President of Ukraine about creation of the national natural park “Siversko-Donetskyi” near Kreminna town, which was the only national natural park in Luhansk region. This park was planned by researchers back in the 1980s but it was created at the end of 2009. Currently some efforts are made to restore nature protecting status of Kreminski forests.
Kreminski forests are located in the valley of the Siverskyi Donets’ river next to the front line and therefore the state pay special attention to it. It is prohibited to hunt here, some explosions are hidden here and entrance for ordinary people is prohibited. These are the areas covered with the last forests along the Siverskyi Dinets in Luhansk region that survived after fires caused by military actions. But on the local level there is opposition to creation of the national natural park.
In opinion of EPL’s environmentalists, the reason for such opposition are wood cutting activities performed here although forests in the steppe areas cannot be cut. EPL revealed a number of industrial and even private wood processing facilities in yards of residents of Kreminna that are located along the forest.
EPL addressed the leadership of Luhansk region with the request to inspect such private wood processing facilities in Kreminna.
Oleksiy Vasyliuk;
Email: office@epl.org.ua; vasyliuk@gmail.com
Tel.: (032) 225 – 76 – 82; 097 – 1000 – 473