Cheremoskyi
The Cheremoskyi National Nature Park (NNP) is one of the largest untouched natural areas of Ukraine. The park’s mountain forests, fields, and meadows are home to a wide variety of wildlife, including wolves, lynxes, brown bears, roe deer, wild boars, and capercaillies. The undulating terrain is also home to rare and endangered plant species, including lisianthus, gentians, and crepis.
Park area 71,175 Sq km.
The Cheremoskyi NNP is defined by the ridges of Chornyi Dil and Zhupany. The area boasts impressive peaks, rock formations, and the fast-flowing tributaries such as the Perkalab and Sarata, which merge into the mighty White Cheremoskyi River. The standout feature of Cheremoskyi NNP is its remote location, with almost untouched nature thriving in the region’s unique climatic conditions. This wild wilderness area hosts old growth forest habitats that include remnants of rare cedar pine forests.
Support for creating management plans. The Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) aims to conserve wildlife and ecosystems, with a focus on safeguarding protected areas and outstanding wild places. FZS provides support to the Cheremoskyi NNP as it carries out essential conservation tasks.
The conservation efforts in the Cheremoskyi NNP are coordinated under the “Conservation of highly valuable primeval and old-growth forests in selected national parks in the Ukrainian Carpathians” project, a collaborative initiative aimed at effectively organizing and managing conservation work in the park. This consists of a multi-stage process:
- Assessment of the ecological, sociological, and cultural values and resources of the park, including their conditions, threats, and impacts.
- Formulating a 10-year conservation strategy.
- Creating a five-year action plan to maximize results in preserving high conservation value aspects of the park.
The project’s development and organization are being carried out by a team of FZS experts, NNP specialists, and local communities and other stakeholders. Management plans for the project are currently under development.
Expansion and consolidation of nature conservation areas. To maximize the inclusion of unique and valuable territories under the protection of the Cheremoskyi NNP, specialists are working to expand the boundaries of the park. In 2022, proposals were drawn up to include 1,246 hectares of new land in the park – the state-managed Putyl Forest Farm, currently operated by the Forests of Ukraine. It has also been proposed that further state-managed land with an area of 1,118 hectares be transferred to the NNP.
Biodiversity monitoring. To qualitatively monitor the state of biodiversity in the Cheremoskyi NNP, FZS utilizes the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) system. The system helps to collect, measure, and evaluate biodiversity data effectively and efficiently. Smartphones and other necessary equipment were purchased and provided to park security personnel. Additionally, training and ongoing user support is provided. Acoustic receivers have been deployed to collect data on birds and bats, enabling species identification and population estimates. Since 2021, camera traps have been used to monitor large predators.
Cooperation with communities and support of nature-friendly businesses. As part of the project “Conservation of highly valuable primeval and old-growth forests in selected national parks in the Ukrainian Carpathians”, FZS supports the development of sustainable businesses, including those that collect and prepare produce like mushrooms from protected areas. Such businesses can provide vital support to the local economy.
In addition, FZS initiated a project to provide supplies to internally displaced persons residing in the park by sourcing food from local producers.
Operating cost support. Due to constraints on state funding as a result of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, FZS has been providing ongoing financial support for the implementation of the conservation plan in the park since May 2022. This assistance includes procuring office space, communications support, fuel expenses, and maintenance and repair costs for vehicles.
Improving the ability to perform environmental protection tasks. As part of the “Conservation of highly valuable primeval and old-growth forests in selected national parks in the Ukrainian Carpathians”, FZS has supported the purchase of staff security uniforms and computer and other IT equipment for specialists working in the park.
What do we do
By combining international experience with local knowledge and expertise, we support the preservation of the large areas of pristine and near-pristine nature in Ukraine. We mainly do this by supporting projects in major protected areas such as national parks, biosphere reserves, and large nature reserves.