CULTURAL HERITAGE

In the region of the Carpathian biosphere reserve's location live several ethnic groups of the Ukrainian mountain-dwellers - Hutsuls, Lemki and others. They are notable for their original culture, formed to a great degree, under the influence of the severe mountainous conditions. Owing to this, the specific system of nature usage was formed, the separate elements of which have no analogues. Here, in particular, is preserved the unique for the Europe centre of the upland milky sheep-breeding and other trades, connected with it. The mountain meadows-pastures, already in VI-IX centuries were used by residents for cattle grazing. The residents especially appreciated sheep, since they got all necessary products from it: milk, cheese, brynza (sheep's milk cheese - a specific milky product ), wool, etc. The distant form of cattle pasturing, when the cattle is taken to the distant pastures, and is kept there till autumn, has become perfect in the mountainous cattle-breeding of the Carpathians, especially in Hutsulshchyna. The existance of the specific pasture economy, which was characterized and has preserved, to some extent, many archaic features, is connected with it. All types of work, connected with it, are always based in the ancient rites, which have partly preserved their before-Christian essence. A special spectacle represents the spring sending of the cattle to grass in the mountain pastures, so called pasture procession, taking place with a special festivity and firmly established ceremony.

The functional zoning of the reserve's territory promotes to combine the tasks of nature protection with other interests, in particular, conservation of the cultural haritage. The traditional upland pastures with all necessary attributes - dwellings, economic facilities, sheep-folds, etc. are located in zone C of the Carpathian biosphere reserve. The policy of the Carpathian biosphere reserve lies in conservation and maintenance of the national traditions and, at the same time, in stimulation of the economical use of nature in this territory.

Worthy of note are also other cultural national properties of the Ukrainian mountain-dwellers - interesting wooden architecture, various folk crafts (wood carving, embroidery, etc.), folk-lore and many other things..

Another notable cultural site of the Carpathian biosphere reserve is the late-palaeolithic site of the primitive man, found in the karst cave "Molochniy kamin" in the territory of the Uholsko-Shyrokoluzhanskyi massif.