(Environmental Studies)
On May 20-21, 2004, over thirty participants from throughout Ukraine gathered in Lviv for the first Ukrainian Area and Environmental Studies seminar “Pathways to Sustainable Development in the Ukrainian Carpathians: "Skolivs'ky Beskydy" National Nature Park — A Case Study” sponsored by the Ukraine Fulbright Program. The objectives of the seminar were to discuss collaborative approaches to solving interdisciplinary ecological and socio-economic problems in the various regions of Ukraine (the Carpathian region is the current example) based on the principles of sustainable development.
The assembled group consisted of economists, foresters, journalists, environmentalists, and other professionals and students interested in sustainable development, eco-tourism, and natural resource management in rural Ukraine. The group traveled together to the "Skolivs'ky Beskydy" National Nature Park in the Beskydy mountains approximately 90 km south of Lviv to observe current challenges in protecting and developing the territory of this recently formed national park.
The seminar's venue — “Skolivs'ky Beskydy” National Nature Park (SBNNP) — is one of the youngest parks in the Carpathian region of Ukraine. On one hand, it is characterized by unique natural landscapes, traditional land use and valuable historical and cultural objects of the indigenous Boyko culture. On the other hand, there is increasing exploitation of natural resources and unregulated recreational development, which is out of balance with the ecosystem. It is leading to a deterioration of the environmental state, which threatens to undermine the beauty of the landscape and the essence of the native culture. The existing conflicts between the needs for preservation of natural areas and local culture, the lack of rural economic opportunities and the utilization of natural resources are characteristic of the Carpathian region and are particularly true for the SBNNP. The seminar focused attention on the pressing needs of the region and the rural populations that rely on its natural resources for their livelihood.
The professional expertise and accumulated experience of the current Fulbright scholars and Fulbright alumni were applied to examining these conflicts and for making suggestions on how to use democratic approaches to solve these challenges.
After a series of lectures and discussions in Skole, the group spent the night in a rustic Boyko village before departing the following day for a traverse across some rugged terrain in the heart of the park. In addition to spectacular views, wildflowers and woodlands, the group had its work cut out for them. From the ridges and valleys, participants were able to assess first hand some the problems with inappropriate land use, pollution, forest health, loss of traditional values, timber harvesting, erosion, and the general lack infrastructure for tourism and forest stewardship. This was an unique opportunity to participate in a collaborative workshop outside the confines of a classroom or conference hall setting — an opportunity to get out into the field, roll up their sleeves and work on pressing issues important to Ukraine's environmental health and economic well being.
Welcome to the National Nature Park
"Skolivsky Beskydy"
The National Nature Park of Skolivsky Beskydy was established in 1999. It covers an area of 356.84 sq. km and is situated in a picturesque region of the Carpathian Mountains in the western part of the Ukraine. The auspicious natural conditions and beautiful mountainous landscapes,as well as the nature of the Boiky — the warm and hospitable local population — provide great potentials for recreation, and tourism. The impetuous mountain streams, the startling sternness of the Urvtskv Rocks.and the numerous waterfalls on the Kamianka River delight many. The National Park also appeals by its famous primeval beech forests; you rarely find such forests in other parts of Europe.
The National Park is divided into three zones of protection. The Core zone is left to natural development without human influence. The Recreation zone is open to sustainable activities, but excludes commercial use and economic activities. The Management zone includes various settlements with traditional agricultural activities of the locals without influencing natural and cultural landscapes negatively.
What is a Ukrainian National Nature Park?
National Nature Parks are established in the Ukraine to protect, reconstitute, and sustainably make use of natural landscapes. Unique natural geosystems, flora and fauna diversity,origmality of inanimate nature,historical monuments and architecture — these are distinctive features of a national nature park. However.many valleys of the Park are quite densely populated. The rural population has created a varied and in extensive regions intact cultural landscape. This Carpathian landscape is likewise unique in Europe, but in the present economic situation it is threatened by unforeseeable changes of exploitation. Therefore, the authorities of the National Park are trying hard to develop cultural landscapes (IUCN Cat. 2) in the internationally consented sense of UNESCO-biosphere reserves. This only works, if the local population and the concrete changes of exploitation are involved in the idea of the Skolivsky Beskydy National Park.
