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ukrainian steppe reserve looks out for help

Dear friends,

The last steppe grasslands of Ukraine has a chance for conservation
at the nature reserve. Your letters could help. Please find a piece of
time for reading little bit more about the problem and sending your own
letter to Ukrainian officials.

Thank you!

Best regards,
Ilya Smelansky

======================================
LUGANSK RESERVE APPEALS FOR HELP

     Dear Colleagues,

     A natural reservation, which is located in Lugansk region of Ukraine is
seeking to enlarge a territory of one of its branches called "Provalskaya
Step". Currently this would be quite a challenging task for a natural
reservation in Ukraine, which staff turned to us, non-governmental
environmental organisations for support. What we can do is to send our
letters of support to the head of local Sverdlovsk district council in
Lugansk region, Mr. Alexander Shmalts, the general director of association
'Luganskles' Mr. Yanchenko V. I. and to the Minister of Environment and
Natural Resources of Ukraine Mr. Sergey Kurykin.
     Please, send your letters of support by recommended post with confirmed
receiving or by fax, which is less efficient however. Our non-governmental
environmental group "Pechenegi" will collect all letters of support and, we
would appreciate if you could forward an electronic copy of your letter to
the address of the group: pecheneg@ic.kharkov.ua

WHOM to send your letter of support:
     Mr. Alexander Shmalts Head of Sverdlovsk district council in Lugansk
region Town Executive Committee Engels street, 42 94800 Sverdlovsk town in
Lugansk region FAX: +38.06434.2.26.46
     The general director of association 'Luganskles' Mr. Yanchenko V. I. -
91045, Ukraine. Lugansk St. Lesnoy proezd 1
     Mr. Sergey Kurykin Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of
Ukraine Khreschatyk street, 5 01601 Kiev FAX: +38.044.229.83.83

     We appreciate your input. A copy of support letter, sent out by our
group, which could be used by your organisation as well, and problem
description are included bellow.
     THEY ARE COUNTING ON OUR HELP
     With best regards, Sergey Shaparenko, head of environmental group
"Pechenegi"

=========================================

TO: Mr. Alexander Shmalts, Head of Sverdlovsk local council in Lugansk
region Town Executive Committee
Mr. Yanchenko V. I. General director of association 'Luganskles'

COPY: Mr. Sergey Kurykin Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of
Ukraine

ON NECESSITY TO ENLARGE A TERRITORY OF LUGANSK NATURAL RESERVATION
"PROVALSKAYA STEPPE".

     Dear gentlemen,
     Health of Ukrainian people and self the existence of independent
Ukraine would not be possible without healthy environment. Protected natural
reservations play an important role in improving of environment and
according to the Law of Ukraine on "Natural Reservations" are created with
an aim to support an eco-balance, among others. Current development of a
network of natural reservations in Ukraine is not sufficient. This is also
stated in the Programme for Perspective Development of Reservations in
Ukraine. This programme underlines a need to enlarge territories of natural
reservations, and especially those having a highest status for protection.
One of the most important environmental problems for Eurasia is disappearing
steppe landscapes, which area now does not exceed 4% in Ukraine. Long term
destruction of natural steppe areas caused water and wind erosion, decrease
in live farming and agriculture. We believe that the above mentioned
problems in Lugansk region can be solved or diminished by enlargement of
"Provalskaya Steppe". This enlargement will also be in line with the Programme
for Perspective Development of Reservations in Ukraine, State Programme for
Development of National Environmental Network for 2000-2015, National
Environmental Plan, Programme for Rational Use of Natural Resources and
Environmental Safety in Lugansk Region until 2005 year.
     That is why we hope will implement state programmes by taking a
decision to incorporate to the Lugansk natural reservation "Provalskaya
Steppe" lands of the private enterprise "Proval'skoye" and of the Sverdlovsk
forestry.
     With best regards,

=========================================

ENLARGEMENT OF RESERVE "PROVALSKAYA STEPPE"

     One of branches of the Lugansk natural reserve, "Provalskaya steppe",
is near Provalie village of the Sverdlovsk region the Lugansk area. In the
reserve, there are 56 species of animals and plants, which are under the
protection of the state. These unique species are a component of the steppe
ecological system. Unparalleled in their beauty, the landscapes of the
reserve are a part of boundless Ukrainian steppes, which now have largely
disappeared.
     At present the main problem of the reserve is its limited area. It is
only 587,5 h, which are divided in two parts Grushevsky (260,0 h) and
Kalinovsky (327,5 h). Isolated reserved "islands" are unable to sustain a
continuos external impact. Therefor, the steppen marmot at one time
inhabiting the Ukrainian steppes has disappeared now. All attempts to
reintroduce it in "Provalskaya steppe" have not crowned with success. Many
rare birds such us Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Demoiselle Crane etc.,
abandoned nesting hear and now can be meet only during migrations.
     Without increasing the reservation area it is impossible to restore the
natural balance.
     Only a completed ecosystem can sustain a continuos external impact. But
the existence of such natural balanced system is absolutely impossible in so
small territory. In addition, controlling such a small and inconstant system
calls for substantial finance and relentless efforts. Fortunately, there is
the territory, which is possible to include in the structure of the reserved
lands nearby adjacent "Provalskaya steppe".
     The development of natural reservation fund of Lugansk region is
described in several documents:
     * The program for perspective development of reservation area in
Ukraine.
     * The nation-wide program for establishment of a national ecological
network in Ukraine.
     * The action plan of actions on the environment protection, rational
use of natural resources and maintenance of ecological safety in the Lugansk
region.
     Each of these documents unequivocally stipulates the necessity of the
expansion of the "Provalskaya steppe". The scientific substantiation of
necessity for the reserved territory expansion was prepared and submitted to
all interested parties by the employees of the reserve in August, 2001 (its
copy can be obtaind at Alexander Kondratenko - KONDR@mail.dsip.net). But we
have not received any response. The situation is exarcebatad by the
introduction in Ukraine of a new land tenancy law.
     When it comes to withdrawal 522,0 h of pasture land, which are rented
now by the firm "Provalskoe", the counteraction on part of the owners is
absolutely predictable. It is more difficult to understand, why the state
organization "Luganskles" in every possible mode interferes with transfer of
245,8 h from the state wood fund to reserve.
     In the near future the issue will be discussed by the regional council
of Sverdlovsk city. But the chances for the success are insignificant. Just
because the chairman of an ecological commission N. V. Chebotarev, is at the
same time the owner of firm "Provalskoe". Hence, the decision of his
commission, such as the decision of the local authorities, become
predictable.
     At the same time, the bureaucracy of a higher level (Regional Direktory
for Ecology and Natural Resources) has considered the scientific
substantiation of the reserve expansion. They have not contacted with the
scientists or the management of reserve but have dispatched the proposals to
the Ministry of ecology. Regional Direktory for Ecology and Natural
Resources suggest that the territory expantion should be provided in terms
of renting the necessary land from the local authorities, but does not
specify, who it will be financed by. The organization seems to solve the
problem on paper (without the confronting with local authorities), but in
fact the problem stay on.
     To expand the reserve is possible only through the compromise between
an ecological necessity and economic benefits. There is a state land
reserve, which could be given out for sheep pasturing ground. But the
farmers are not interested in it. The reserve lands are far from farmer's
settlements.
     Theoretically, there is also different solution to the problem. To
breed horses instead of sheep, which dos not destroy a grassy and soil
cover. Their limited numbers could grazie in the territory of the extended
reserve. Since 1846 there was the horses breeding farm in the present
reserve territory. But it is more profitable to the local authorities to
hand land over in rent to the farmers, who have arrived from the Caucasus,
which are much more interested in their sheep than, Ukrainian wildlife.
     The reserve "Provalskaya steppe" is located on the border with Russia.
Now our Russian colleagues planned the organization of the reserve. It could
be an unique opportunity to unit our efforts and to create an international
reserve.

V. P. Foroschuk, A. V. Kondratenko, Lugansk Reserve.
Lugansk Reserve: Rubezhnaya street, 95 93602 Stanichno-Luganskoe village in
Lugansk region
(06472) 241-49.

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