Yavorivskyi
The Yavorivskyi National Nature Park (NNP) is part of the Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, which stretches across Poland and Ukraine, under the auspices of UNESCO. The NNP is the most visited of the four transboundary biosphere reserves in Ukraine.
Park area 71,08 Sq km.
The natural and climatic influences of three distinct regions intersect in the park: Podillia, Polesia, and the Carpathians. The main European watershed separating the basins of rivers that flow into the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea runs through the park.
Yavorivskyi NNP is characterized by a remarkable diversity of ecosystems, including wetlands, lakes, rivers, and forests. The latter consist of rare pine-beech-oak communities that in Ukraine can only be found in the Roztocze region and the Crimea. These forests are home to a variety of animals, including European roe deer, stoats, and long-tailed owls.
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 Yavorivskyi NNP as it carries out essential conservation tasks.
The conservation efforts in the Yavorivskyi 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 nature reserve. This consists of a multi-stage process:
- Assessment of the ecological, sociological, and cultural values and resources of the nature reserve, 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 nature reserve.
The project’s development and organization are being carried out by a team of FZS experts, nature reserve specialists, and local communities and other stakeholders. Management plans for the project are currently under development.
Biodiversity monitoring. To qualitatively monitor the state of biodiversity in the Yavorivskyi 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 – especially the background populations of bird species. Since 2021, camera traps have been used to monitor large predators.
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 NNP 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 Support to Nature Protected Areas in Ukraine (SNPA) project, of which FZS is the main partner, vehicles – including cars and motorcycles – and computer and IT equipment have been purchased for park employees, as well as uniforms for security personnel.
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.