INTRODUCTION
THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF ACTIVITY
DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS
CHORNOHIRSKYI PROTECTED MASSIF
SVYDOVETSKYI PROTECTED MASSIF
MARAMOROSKYI PROTECTED MASSIF
KUZIYSKYI PROTECTED MASSIF
UHOLSKO - SHYROKOLUZHANSKYI PROTECTED MASSIF
PROTECTED MASSIF "VALLEY OF NARCISSI"
BOTANICAL PRESERVE “CHORNA HORA” /BLACK MOUNTAIN/
BOTANICAL PRESERVE “YULIVSKA HORA” /YULIVSKA MOUNTAIN/
LANDSCAPE REGIONAL PARK "STUZHYTSIA"
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The
Carpathian mountain system, besides the Alps and the Balkans, is characterized by the
largest biological diversity in the European continent. The intensive usage of nature
began in the Ukrainian part of the Carpathians later, than in the Western Carpathians.
Owing to this, considerable areas of wild nature, in particular virgin forests, were
preserved here. The question on their protection was raised as far back as in the
beginning of the XX century, when several forest reserves in Chornohora and the Maramorosh
Alps were established to conserve and renovate vanishing representatives of flora and
fauna. The activity of scientists on the Ukrainian Carpathians nature protection was
especially stimulated after the Second World War. Already in 1949, a valuable forest
massif with the area of 3,9 th. ha was established on the northern slopes of Chornohirskyi
range. In 1955, it was proclaimed the protected massif. Much attention to the questions of
territorial nature protection was also given in Transcarpathian region. In 1958, on the
southern slopes of Krasna mountain massif, in the basins of Velyka and Mala Uholka, the
Uholskyi forest preserve was established, with the area of 4600 ha, and in 1969 -
Shyrokoluzhanskyi floristic preserve, with the area of 5644 ha, in the basin of Luzhanka.
Thus, all preconditions for the establishment of biogeographically representative reserve
in the region of the Ukrainian Carpathians were formed.
BIn
1968, with the aim to preserve the unique mountain landscapes, the Ukrainian government
has adopted the Resolution on the formation of the Carpathian reserve, with the area of
12,6 th. ha. Within 30 years of its functioning, the territory of the reserve has been
changed several times. Today, nearly 2,5% of the whole territory of the region is under
protection of the reserve, which from 1992 became a part of the World Network of Biosphere
Reserves of UNESCO. The Carpathian biosphere reserve (CBR), with the total area of 57880
ha, consists of six detached massifs and a regional landscape park “Stuzhytsia”,
botanical preserves “Chorna Hora” and “Yulivska Hora”. The protected massifs are
located at an altitude of 180 - 2061 m.a.s.l. in the western, central and eastern sectors
of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Such territorial structure of the CBR represents nearly the
whole landscape and biogeographical diversity of the Eastern Carpathians. Practically
undisturbed by human activity foothill oak-groves; mountain beech, mixed and spruce
forests; subalpine and alpine meadows, formed by pine-alder mossy forest and rocky-lichen
landscapes are represented here. Almost 90% of the whole reserve’s territory are covered
with forests - mainly virgin forests. More than one thousand species of high vascular
plants, 64 species of mammals, 173 species of birds, 9 reptile species, 13 species of
amphibian, 23 fish species, more than 10 000 evertebrate animal species etc. are protected
in the reserve. The best preserved Carpathian ecosystems, which serve the storehouses for
many rare and vanishing plant and animal species, are represented here. 64 species of
plants and 72 species of animals, entered into the Red Data Book of the IUCN and Ukraine,
and the European Red List, are registered in the reserve.
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