International Day of Biosphere Reserves
In 2021, UNESCO declared November 3 the International Day of Biosphere Reserves. The day aims to raise awareness of the importance of biosphere reserves, which are key conservation areas for biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and ecosystem research.
Biosphere Reserves of Ukraine are environmental protection and scientific research institutions of international importance, created with the aim of preserving the most typical natural complexes of the biosphere in their natural state, carrying out background ecological monitoring, studying the natural environment and its changes under the influence of anthropogenic factors.
There are 5 biosphere reserves in Ukraine.
Currently, most of them are significantly negatively affected by russian aggression. The unique territories of these reserves, some of which have no analogues in the world, are under threat.
Two biosphere reserves – "Askania-Nova" and the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve – have been under occupation since the first days of the full-scale invasion.
The unique territories of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve, part of which is located in our region, suffer from hostilities, explosions, and fires. The damage is caused by the movement of military equipment, air pollution, as well as pollution of the water area, caused both by the presence of the military in the territory, and by the consequences of the largest terrorist attack of the 21st century – the blowing up of the Kakhovska HPP dam. The unique nesting places of rare birds and equally unique plant communities are under threat. The administrative building of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve in Gola Prystan suffered a catastrophic impact and destruction. Everything that scientists, eco-educators, and taxidermists worked on was destroyed, including the priceless exposition of the ecological and educational center. A library of scientific and popular scientific literature, a photo collection, didactic materials were lost.
The current situation of "Ascania-Nova" is also difficult. Already at 9 a.m. on February 24, 2022, the road to the town of Chaplynka was under the control of the russian invaders. Since then, the reserve has been under temporary russian occupation, which has put it in a difficult position. For more than a year, until March 2023, despite the russian occupation, management of the reserve and payment of wages to the workers was carried out by Ukraine, and most of the workers continued to live in the occupation to take care of the reserve. The purchase of feed for animals and other expenses were financed by donations and contributions. In March 2023, the russians and their collaborators established an occupation administration in the reserve. According to Viktor Shapoval, the director of the reserve, the russian occupiers took out rare animals from there. Their further fate is unknown. Some of the animals died due to neglect, lack of qualified scientific support and veterinary care. A large part of the protected steppe – more than 2,000 hectares – burned out as a result of fires of various nature.
Chornobyl radiation-ecological biosphere reserve — a nature protection and research area, the largest reserve in Ukraine, was occupied by the russian military from February 24, 2022 to April 1, 2022. As a result of the occupation, office premises were partially destroyed and mutilated, and the coordination center for the operational management of fires and emergency situations was destroyed. Motor vehicles, computer and office equipment, thermal imagers, camera traps, dosimeters, safes with documents, generators, GPS trackers, furniture, quadcopters, laboratory equipment, tools, personal protective equipment, overalls and personal belongings of employees were stolen. The amount of damage caused to natural ecosystems, flora and fauna of the Reserve has not yet been fully assessed. In the near future, it is planned to carry out a scientific expedition to determine the damage to protected ecosystems. The presence of the russian military in the exclusion zone, hostilities, unprofessional interference in the work of Ukrainian specialists constituted a threat of planetary scale.
The Danube Biosphere Reserve, whose territory is located in the Danube Delta, was also significantly affected by the war. After the start of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, this unique natural area came under threat due to the war and the associated increase in shipping traffic. The deepening of the mouth for the passage of ships creates serious risks for the vulnerable ecosystem of the Danube Biosphere Reserve. Secondly, the increase in the number of cargo ships in the Chilia and Starostambul branches can lead to erosion and destruction of the banks. Cases of uncontrolled discharge of ballast water pose a threat of pollution of the territory. A significant threat to animals is the factor of concern – explosions, the work of air defense, aviation leads to the fact that animals, in particular, rare birds, leave their usual nesting places.
International Day of Biosphere Reserves today is an occasion to spread information among the public not only about the importance of the work of these institutions, but also about their current state and the fact that not only people suffer because of the war, fragile and vulnerable nature suffers...
