Having visited Ukraine at least once, it is impossible to remain indifferent to its natural wealth, and given the harmony and beauty of the species that opens up, one gets the impression that the Ukrainians were lucky to live in paradise. The nature of Ukraine is the main asset of the country. Most of the territory is occupied not only by forests, but also by untouched corners of nature, where you can relax not only with your body, but also with your soul.
Environment protection
The nature protection of Ukraine consists of a set of measures aimed at the conservation, rational use and restoration of natural resources and the environment. Every year, the ecological condition of the soil cover is deteriorating - this is directly related to the pollution of water bodies by sewage, waste from oil refineries and radiation, which had a significant impact on the atmosphere. A vivid evidence of such a release of radioactive waste can be considered an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The legislation of Ukraine provides for liability (up to criminal) for violation of environmental protection standards, however, since the problem has long reached global parameters, not one country, but the whole world should deal with this issue.
Untouched nature
The wild nature of Ukraine is most clearly represented not in the endless forests, but on the territory of the Chernobyl zone, where for many years since the terrible accident a man’s foot has not set foot. On April 26, 1986 , as a result of the explosion of 4 power units, a large amount of radioactive substances was released into the environment. As a result, people began to be massively evacuated from the disaster area, and Chernobyl was completely empty. Over time, the buildings became desolate, and the nature of Ukraine began to gradually return to its pristine state.
Radiation contributed to the emergence of unique species of birds and animals in the area. Back in the 90s, rare subspecies of animals were introduced into the Chernobyl lands for experimental purposes, the number of which has increased significantly today. Ukrainian scientists argue that, thanks to the installation of camera traps, it became possible to study rare photographs that allow us to confidently say that even brown bears appear in Chernobyl , which are quite rare animals in the country.
At the moment, there are several options for the fate of the zone. It is planned to create a unique nature reserve in this area or to return the lands that have undergone natural cleaning for agricultural use.
The nature of Ukraine experiences the greatest influence during the course of human activities, which is most clearly seen in densely populated areas with developed industry, which has a significant impact on the destruction of the natural ecological environment of human habitation.
Intensive development and exploitation of previously untouched lands for agricultural needs leads to a decrease in the content of humus in the soil and, as a consequence, to a deterioration of the environment, because a significant part of it disappears as a result of water and air erosion of the soil.
Protective measures
The beauty of Ukraine’s nature is fully reflected in the Red Book, which lists all endangered species of animals and plants that are endangered. It must be borne in mind that if you do not pay attention to solving environmental problems in a timely manner, they entail major environmental disasters, which Ukraine’s nature reserve fund is designed to prevent. It represents special systems of natural complexes and objects of particular value in a certain area, designed to preserve nature in its natural state.
The reserve fund has about 7 thousand diverse natural sites, occupying 3-4% of the entire territory of Ukraine. This category includes:
- Nature reserves - the highest level of conservation. Since their free visit is in most cases prohibited, the nature of Ukraine is preserved in its original form. In addition, it is here that the rarest species of plants and animals are listed in the Red Book.
- National parks.
- Landscape parks.
- Dendrological parks.
- Parks that fall under the category of landscape art.
Wonders of nature
The natural monuments of Ukraine have always aroused curiosity not only among tourists, but also among citizens of the country living in other regions. The most popular are without a doubt won:
- Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve.
- Lake Synevyr, which is located on the Carpathian protected area.
- Regional-scale park Granite-steppe Pobuzhie in the immediate vicinity of Nikolaev.
- A rocky ridge, exceeding a height of 400 m above sea level, called Podolsky Tovtra, located near Khmelnitsky and has no analogues in the whole world.
- Botanical gardens, striking in their area, in Kiev, Krivoy Rog and Donetsk. Moreover, standard botanical gardens are located in almost every city.
The nature of the southeastern region
The Donbass region differs from the whole country in the incredibly fertile type of soil, which, with proper care, gives excellent yields. For this reason, most of the terrain is occupied by fertile fields, yields from which provide most of the country's food supply.
The forest fund of Donbass is represented mainly by green zones, and although they are not used for timber production on an industrial scale, their role in protecting the fields is very significant. The forest cover of rural areas in this area does not exceed 30% of the territory.
The nature of Ukraine is impressive at first sight, allowing you to choose the perfect vacation option for any occasion. Forests, steppes, mountains, seas, meadows, rivers, lakes and waterfalls, reserves, national parks, gardens and the wonders of nature of Ukraine described above, many species of plants and animals - all this awaits you when you visit this beautiful country that you will definitely want to to return. Despite the fact that the ecological situation in the region leaves much to be desired, climatic conditions allow for a full summer vacation in this area.
Central part of the country
Central Ukraine is one of the most colorful regions of the country, developed not only on an industrial, but also on an agrarian scale. Large reserves of natural resources made it possible to turn the central part of the country into a kind of economic center. Natural conditions have contributed to the creation of a large number of reserves and unique parks on this territory. The beauty and pride of the region are 400-year-old oaks, healing springs and one of the largest forests in the forest-steppe zone throughout Ukraine.
Tourists can, if they wish, visit the Scythian settlement, get acquainted with the Cossack life, having seen many Cossack churches and the ruins of ancient fortresses. In addition, it is in central Ukraine that one of the world's first water towers is located, which played an important role in the formation of a unique nature.
Western part of the country
In the western part of Ukraine there are more than 400 tourist routes in a unique area, which is characterized by a wooded structure. The western part of the country does not differ in a large number of mineral deposits, and the entire economy of the region is kept mainly due to tourism. It is here that the largest cluster of lakes is located, among which there is even the largest lake in the country called Svityaz. At the same time, the region is ecologically clean, which en masse attracts people from all over the world, forcing to admire the unique beauty of nature again and again.
Human factor
One can talk endlessly about the nature of Ukraine, however, in order for it to continue to remain in this state, it is necessary to direct a lot of efforts to support and restore the natural environment in its original state. Since 1980, according to data collected by IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), approximately one species (subspecies) of animals or plants disappears within a week. Therefore, if measures are not taken in a timely manner, every 7th species of animals and every 10th species of plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine will be at risk.