A route to the most valuable territories of the UNESCO world heritage presented in Lviv Oblast

The Primeval Beech Forests of Roztochia (Roztocze) eco-educational route leading to the most valuable territories of the reserve, the territories of the UNESCO Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, was presented at the Roztochia Biosphere Reserve, the NGO Danube-Carpathian Programme informed Eco.rayon. The activists say the visitors will have an opportunity to see a unique primeval beech forest that practically has not been changed by humankind.

The route was created as a part of the NGO Danube-Carpathian Programme project in cooperation with the Roztochia Biosphere Reserve with support of the International Renaissance Foundation and the European Union as a part of EU4USociety.

Under the law, all biosphere reserves of Ukraine are closed for tourists; only eco-educational activities can be held there. The restrictions were put in place to preserve these territories. However, the public often is not fully aware of the value of such territories, which creates a certain tension in local communities (hromadas).

“It is possible to reduce the social tension by partially opening such territories for the public (very carefully and in a controlled manner). This can be done in accordance with the law, as it is allowed to hold eco-educational activities even on such valuable territories. The visitors will have an opportunity to see and learn more about the value and uniqueness of the territory, while the impact of the visitors will be reduced to a minimum” stated Halyna Stryamets, Director for Scientific Work at the Roztochia Biosphere Reserve.

“During the war, we are losing a lot of valuable natural territories. The main task of the nature protection movement is to preserve as many natural values as possible, where it is possible. The territories of the natural heritage are a subject of national pride and require responsible preservation,” said Bohdan Prots, Head of the NGO Danube-Carpathian Programme.

Background info:

The Primeval Beech Forests of Roztochia are included in the State Register of Scientific Objects that constitute the national heritage of Ukraine. The total area under primeval beech forests is 384.8 ha aged 160-200.

The Primeval Beech Forests of Roztochia are situated on the north-eastern border of the area under the primeval beech forests in Europe, covering the biggest area in the region of Roztochia. They are also the most well-preserved there.

Pursuant to the decision of the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO (July 7, 2017, Krakow), the most prominent areas of primeval beech forests of 10 countries in Europe successfully passed expert evaluation of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and were assigned the name of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe. Its core zone is over 91,000 ha. Ukraine is the first among the European countries in terms of the area, with 29,000 ha. Of 78 areas in 12 countries in Europe, 10 areas are located in Ukraine.

Primeval beech forests are forests that have been growing without substantial human influence for a long time. These forests have a diverse structure and optimal conditions for numerous biological species. They are the benchmarks for biologically stable and highly productive forests.

This article was written with support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation as a part of the EU4USociety grant component. The article reflects the position of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation and the European Union.

Source: eco.rayon