WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN THE REGION ?
The National Protected Area System of Ukraine (called Ukraine Nature Reserve Fund) is composed of more than 7,000 protected areas covering 2.8 million ha, which is 4.6% of the national territory.
The main functions of protected areas are: maintaining or increasing the area of certain habitats; maintaining or improving the dispersal, migration and/ or genetic exchange of certain species; restoring habitat quality; protecting threatened, endangered, vulnerable, keystone, or umbrella species; maintaining or improving hydrological functions; maintaining or improving environmental quality; controlling erosion; conserving valuable landscapes; maintaining biocenosis on radioactive-contaminated land; and providing interconnectivity with adjacent transboundary areas.
The gap between funding needs and what is available is manifested in persistent threats to the globally significant biodiversity sheltered in Ukrainian PAs, which are primarily habitat loss and degradation, and over harvesting of species
The main drivers are past drainage for agriculture and peat extraction, agricultural cultivation on the outskirts of PAs, uncontrolled fires and flood control and road building that are leading to synanthropization, (a reduction in the degree of biological richness).
At the present-three Pas (Shatsk NNP, Pripyat-Stokhid NNP, Pripyat-Stokhid RLP) have been selected for the project’s validation pillar, due to the presence of globally significant biodiversity, and because they represent different management challenges (i.e. have different ecological, social and institutional landscapes) and are at different stages of development.
WHAT IS THE PROJECT GOAL?
The project focuses on the whole PA system of Ukraine, which encompasses a diversity of landscapes. The project is designed to cost-effectively improve the financial sustainability, as well as individual and institutional capacities within the national PA system of Ukraine.
The project goals are:
- T
o secure long-term conservation of biodiversity within Ukraine’s Nature Reserve Fund, specifically focusing on PAs of global, national or regional significance.
- To develop and implement the strategic vision for PA financial sustainability.
- To improve governance of the national PA system.
- Capacity in place to replicate the improved management approach across the national PA system
The objective of the project is to enhance the financial sustainability and strengthen institutional capacity of the PA system in Ukraine. The normative solution will be pursued through the systematic emplacement of ear marked revenue capture mechanisms to complement budgetary subventions to the PA system, and through improvements to PA governance that ensure PA revenue streams are employed efficiently so that impact is optimized per unit of investment.
HOW ARE WE CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION?
There are a number of specific actions and issues, among which the following will be addressed:
- A strategic vision for PA financial sustainability.
- Improved governance of the national PA system.
- Enhanced capacity to replicate the project’s PA management approach throughout the national system.
STATUS OF THE PROJECT
Under implementation
LOCATION
Kyiv, Shatsk National Natural Park (Shatsk), National Natural Park “Pripyat-Stokhid”, Regional Landscape Park “Pripyat-Stokhid” (Liubeshiv)
PERIOD OF THE PROJECT
2008 - 2011
NAME OF UNDP PROGRAMME OFFICER
Mr. Sergei Volkov
information about main project’s partners
State Service on Protected Areas of Ukraine, Ministry for Environmental Protection of Ukraine, Frankfurt Zoological Society, State Committee on water management of Ukraine, State Committee on forestry of Ukraine.
DONOR
Global Environment Facility |
