FROM
FLOOD TO FLOOD
The
flood, which again happened in Zakarpattia, requires not just liquidation of
its destructive outcomes, but an objective analysis of reasons, which
intensify the destructive action of catastrophic
hazards in the Carpathian region. Besides all discussions in the society
regarding this problem, scientists-ecologists and a considerable part of
population think that one of the reasons of this disaster is the disturbance of
ecological balance in the mountains. This opinion, for example, was
completely supported at many scientific forums, in particular at the
international scientific-practical conference “Ecological and social-economic
aspects of the catastrophic hazards in the Carpathian region (floods, mud flows
and landslides)” (Rakhiv, 1999). In the result of centuries old economy
management in the mountains, woodlands of the Ukrainian
Carpathians have decreased from 95 to 53 per cent, the upper timber line
has decreased in 200-300 meters. The age structure of tree stands is disturbed.
More than 70 per cent of their part constitutes young stands and middle
aged stands, the water regulated role of which is much lower than in ripening
and overmature forests. The spruce monocultures, which
also hold less humidity, were formed in the area of above 100 ths.
hectars. Besides, big ploughing
up of the steep slopes, degradation
of meadows in the result of overpasturing,
an overall use of the tractor timber skidding
from the mountains, unsystematic
construction of roads and portages, oil- and gas-pipes, lines of electrical
transmission cause
great erosion processes, resulting in mud flows, landslides, drifting of the
mountain river beds and streams. That’s why, in the expert’s conclusion of
the state commission on the questions of study
the reasons of the catastrophic flood in Zakarpattya, signed by the
leaders of 9 ministries and governmental departments of Ukraine is written:
“it is reasonable to conduct measures on the reorganization of economic
complex of the mountainous part of Zakarpattya to the side of development the
ecological-safe types of activity, specifically expansion of the recreational
use of forests and increase the area of nature-protected territories. With the
aim of ensuring the favourable conditions for the development of
tourism-recreational industry, in the upper reaches of the Tysa basin, special
ecological-economic zones, first of all in the territory of the Rakhiv district,
should be created”.
Unfortunately,
nothing of this has been done yet, though the anthropogenic destruction of
mountain ecosystems is going on. More over, according to the data of the state
statistics bodies, only in Zakarpatska oblast the amounts of timber fellings,
conducted mainly in a form of clear cuttings, with the use of ecologically
harmful technologies, has increased
in a half last year in comparison
with 1997. It is worth to mention that
in the result of long-term investigations of the impact of cuttings on the water
balance structure of watershed basins, the famous scientist-forester O.V.
Chubatyi in the monograph “Mountainous forests – regulators of water
regime”(1984) came to the conclusion, “that damage, which is caused to
environment by the disturbance of optimal hydrological conditions of forest
massifs in the economic aspect could be more essential than the value of timber,
withdrawn from forest biocenosis”. In this background, statements of the
National Academy of Sciences on these items, published in the local press on the
eve of this year flood, look very debatable.
Therefore,
according to our deep
convictions, notwithstanding the big amount of finances, allocated by our state
for the liquidation of consequences of the catastrophic floods, if there is not
reorganization of the national economic complex of the mountainous part of
Transcarpathia in regard to the development of ecologically harmless types of
activity, this land will always be endangered not only with floods, but also
other natural calamities. This
eloquently confirm the experience of neighboring mountainous European countries.
Taking
into account all these, to decrease the probability of catastrophic hazards
origin in the mountains, it would be reasonable to adopt the Decree of the
President of Ukraine on the additional measures
of the catastrophic hazards’ origin study and prevention in the
Carpathian region, in which to envisage:
Firstly,
large-scale complex investigations of the status of natural mountainous
ecosystems of the Carpathian region and, with taking into account the experince
of the European mountainous countries, to
develop ecologically
substantiated anti-flood and anti-erosion measures in the upper reaches of the
Tysa, Dniester, Prut and other mountainous rivers.
Secondly,
adoption of the State
programme on the reorganization of the economic complex of the mountainous part
of Zakarpattia
to the side of development
the ecologically safe
types of activity, creation here of
the
tourism-recreational industry, enlargement
of the area of nature-protected
territories;
Thirdly,
with taking into account a special
role of the upper reaches of the Tysa river in the formation of
catastrophic floods and with the aim of working
out the model of sustainable development in the mountainous regions of the
Carpathians, submission to the Supreme Rada of the Law’s
draft on the introduction in the Rakhiv district of Zakarpatska oblast
the ecological-economic experiment which will give favorable crediting ,
taxation and customs privileges to the subjects of management, who are
developing ecologically safe types
of activity.
Finally,
in connection with the preparation to celebrate year 2000 as the Year of
Mountains, declared
by UNESCO, conduction of the complex of measures to improve the social-economic
situation of mountain-dwellers, conservation of natural and cultural heritage of
mountains, improvement of ecological-training work and formation of ecological
culture of the population.
The
adoption of such document could create a positive image for Ukraine on the eve
of the Summit of Heads of States of
the Carpathian region, the conduction of which is envisaged in Bucharest this
spring, on the initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Fedir Hamor ,
director of the Carpathian
biosphere reserve, Doctor
of biological sciences
Newspaper “Uriadovyi kuryer” 17/03/2001