Nature reserve in Osokorky

Why one would like to establisha nature park on meadows, floodplains, lakes and swamps?

Will there be a park ora concrete desert?

Unique nature resources

In Kyiv there is still a natural heritage – the unique Water -Swamp territories and floodplains, which reached earlier along the whole coast of river Dnipro, from northern Obolon to far beyond the City boundaries in the south.

A part of these floodplains is still existing within the city boundaries – south of the residential district of Osokorky (south of street Kolektorna)

A view of the floodplains, swamps and lakes south of Osokorky, which must be protected areas (shows todays situation)

Special status – protected with directives from the EU

o The floodplains have a special status quo – they come under special prioritized protection according to the directives* of the EU (which arecompulsory also for Ukraine)

o They are unique landscapes, which built up during hundreds of years, and it is not possible to build them artificially.

o A rich world of animals and plants, which surprisingly is preserved close to a big city.

*Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora with amendments and supplements in directives 97/62/EWG, 2006/105/EWG and EG 2003/1882

This territory falls under the scope of the following international Conventions in which our country of Ukraine takes part, has signed and ratified:

ETS No.176 - Council of Europe Landscape Convention - Florence, 20/10/2000 - Entered into force 01/03/2004 (Amendment CETS No.219 Strasbourg, 15/06/2016) - Council of Europe

ETS No.104 - Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats - Bern, 19/09/1979 -Entered into force 01/06/1982 - Council of Europe

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds - The Hague 16/06/1995 - Entered into force 01/11/1999 AEWA - under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program’s Convention on Migratory Species

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat - Ramsar 02/02/1971 - Entered into Force 21.12.1975

Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats - Bonn, 23/06/1979 - Entered into force 01/11/1983

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)- Bonn, 1997 - Entered into force 01/11/1983

These wetlands have a central function for bird’s migration routes which is of global interest.

The floodplains are a special kind of ecosystem which did build up during many centuries and does differentiate through a special biological variety and a rich world of fauna and flora.

*Pictures from the floodplains and lakes in Osokorky

On this territory have dozens of endangered species, plants, birds and animals listed in the red book, their home.

o Rare and endangered specimens of marsh plants, namely flowers.

o Rare species of migratory birds, which nest in these floodplains and swamps and breed.

o Rare species of amphibian, reptiles and animals.

There are observed 126 bird species on this territoryo 15 species are in the red list (come under the protection of international and national

agreements for nature conservation)o 1 species is listed in the red list of “The International Union for Conservation of

Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (ICUN) (Corn crake (Crex crex)).o 3 species which are listed in the European red list (Scaup (Aythya marila), Partridge

(Perdix perdix), Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)).o 8 species which are listed in the red book of Ukraine (Common goldeneye (Bucephala

clangula), Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), Snake eagle (Circaetus), White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tulsa), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor)).

o 4 species which are listed in the red list of Kyiv region (Little bittern (Ixobrychusminutus), Corn crake (Crex crex), White-winged tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)).

*This information is provided by professional ornithologists which have undertaken long term surveys about this territory

This territory is a recreation and overwinter place for many thousands of migratory birds.

*Photograph from the warm water channel of the sewage water treatment plant, January 2006.

Uncommon, and for Ukraine not typical Birds

*Photograph from the territory of the park, January 2006 (Wood duck or Carolina duck (Aix sponsa) - resident species of North America.)

*Photograph on the territory of the park, January 2006 (Great egret (Ardea alba))

A one-of-a-kind opportunity for Eco-recreation

o This unique territory with floodplains, lakes and swamps must find its designation as a nature park with main emphasis on environmental friendliness. Such is not available in today’s Ukraine.

o Millions of residents of city and region getting a chance to visit this nature park, which is located a just 20 minutes walk from the nearest metro station.

o New and manifold possibilities to develop domestic and international Eco-tourism: birds watching, kayaking, hiking, walking, jogging paths, swimming, et cetera.

o A matchless place for education and practicing of students of ecology.

Bird watching

o The floodplains, lakes and swamps are rendezvous point for many bird species.

o The contribution of bird watching to the economy of the USA in 2011 is estimated at 106 Billion US $

o It created 666.000 jobs.

Source: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/economicImpact/pdf/2011-BirdingReport--FINAL.pdf

Trekking, hiking paths and biking routes

o The unique hiking paths and eco-routes through the swampy region and blooming meadows with many different grasses are only 10 minutes away from a big city.

o Bicycle routes, which passes villages can be quite short, but also run for many miles.

Peerless nature meadows beneath our big city.

*Photograph from the territory of the park (from Igor Noga)

Spring blooming on the flood plains

*Photograph from the territory of the flood plains (Panoramio)

How can wild swamps and meadows exist in the neighborhood of a big city?

Positive international experience

*Photograph of the Hongkong wetland park - a big and swampy nature park which borders to a city of sky scrapers.

*Hongkong wetland park

Water tourism with Kayak and Canoe

Distinctive possibilities of water tourism with touristic routes from Dnipro across to the lakes of Nebrezh, Tjahle, Martyschiv, Swjatyschtsche via water channels south of Osokorky.

*Photograph from the territory of the floodplains and lakes in osokorky.

We have something to protect!

o A unique landscape and recreation resources.

o A rich Ornis (almost 30% of the whole bird variety of Ukraine)

o Those on biological diversity rich floodplains and swamps.

How do we think a modern Nature park for active and environmentally friendly recreation has to be?

Segmentation of the nature park

1. Zone of active recreation. Built as a classical park with lake esplanade, places for active recreation on the north and east shore of the lakes Nebrezh, Tjahle und Martyschiw and in between, means those parts which have anthropogenic influence already today.

2. Zone of limited and organized recreation and guided nature tours (Bird watching stations, Eco routes, jogging paths, bicycle ways et cetera)

3. Protected landscape zone (Zone with restricted access to those for nature most important, swamped and difficult to reach places. This area is reserved for conservation and recreation of the Eco system and conservation of the rare species of plants and animals).

Zones of the territory of the park within the boundaries of the city of Kyiv

1. Zone of active recreation (City park)

2. Zone of limited and organized recreation and excursions.

3. Protected landscape zone.

Example for the fitting-out of the park alongside the lakes.

Example for the fitting-out of the park alongside the lakes.

Example for Eco-Routes

Which direction of development did the City of Kyiv choose?Master plan of city development until 2025 declared “Conservation and establishment of nature landscapes and cultural heritage”

o The development strategy of the City of Kyiv until 2025 foresees on paper as one of the landmarks of this development “Minimization of the influence from building development of the city to the Eco System, conservation of the green lungs of the city, the distinctive and unique Eco System of Kyiv.

o In reality the Masterplan foresees the systematic destruction of the Eco System as a whole.

o It is planned to destroy this unique Eco System in the south of Osokorky by sandfills, and construction of buildings on 200 hectare of swamps, floodplains and water channels.

Which long-term results will we receive after the realization of such master plans?

o The last areas of a unique Eco system with floodplains on the left bank of Dnipro will be irreversibly destroyed.

o The possibilities and resources for an improvement of the environmental situation in an ecologically damaged municipal district will be gone.

o Worsening of the environmental situation in the city as a whole.

o Non-conformity with the development strategy of the City of Kyiv till 2025.

Unavoidable traffic collapse on the South bridge. Already today traffic on this bridge is threefold than what was it planned for. *

It will generate an additional traffic volume of about 100.000 cars per day. **

There will be an additional negative impact on the environment because of the increase of the car traffic and accordingly much more and longer traffic jams.

* http://bestbridge.net/Eu/yuzhnyi-most.phtml

** According to the predicted calculations 300 cars per 1000 inhabitants on additional 150.000 population will have an additional impact on the environmental situation. (http://genplan.kiev.ua/pres-reliz_star.htm)

Alternative direction for the development of the city

Establishment of the new nature parks and nature protected zones, to preserve these unique Eco systems and landscapes.Construction of new buildings in areas of the city which are not as important as those floodplains and lakes which have to be protected*Development of the City on the base of former Industrial zones and modernizing or replacement of old living quarters.

* Following the association agreement with the EU after coming into effect, Ukraine received mandatory environmental directives from the EU for the protection of the environment, in which especially the flood plains are especially valuable and are subject to a (priority) protection.

Solution to the problems

The city council has to take the following decisions which contain the points hereafter:

Changing the Master construction plans of the City of Kyiv in that part, which contains the construction in these territories, restricting the construction to reach only up to Kolektorna street.

Changing of the purpose of the utilization of this land (at present designated for construction of residential and commercial buildings) to a territory for water reserve, recreation, nature reserve and other environmental protection purposes or historical or cultural purposes.

Establishment of a natural (regional) nature park in this area of which a part will be the first ever water-swamp park of the country of Ukraine.

Irreversible changes

oAny construction activities on the territories of the swamps and floodplains will lead to their inevitable and complete destruction.

o It will be absolutely impossible to rebuilt this unique eco system once destroyed.

Origin of the graphic materials:

1. Photographs of birds: Facebook community “Birdwatching Ukraine” https://www.facebook.com/groups/birdwatching.ua/1. Photographs of flowers, plants, panoramic photograph of the territory of the park - Igor Noga2. Samples for the furnishing of the park: http://www.archdaily.com/ 3. Other materials: from open sources in the Internet4. Photograph of the kayakers: Mykola Stepanets

eo.org.ua

https://www.facebook.com/ecoparkosokorky/

www.facebook.com/groups/OsokorkyWetlandPark/