UNDP in Ukraine

The objective of the project is to enhance the financial sustainability and strengthen institutional capacity of the PA system in Ukraine.

Address: Anry Barbusa Str., 5-b, Office 9, Kyiv, Ukraine Website: www.pzf.org.ua   Phones: +380 44 287 51 23/33; +380 44 206 14 29 Project Manager: Vasyl Tolkachov UNDP Programme Manager: Sergei Volkov

Energy and Environment

Project status: closed

Duration: 01.04.2008 - 31.12.2012

Project document: full text

Letter of Agreement 

WHAT IS THE SITUATION?

The National Protected Area System of Ukraine (called Ukraine Nature Reserve Fund) is composed of more than 7,000 protected areas covering 3.3 million ha, which is 5.6% 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  considerable gap between financial needs of the protected areas and available funds leads to persistent threat to the biodiversity.

The main factors contributing to  the problem are an insufficient percentage of protected land in the country,   absence of the unified management system of their management, their inadequate management, lack of financing and inadequate legal framework regulating protected areas.

At the present-three protected areas (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.

HOW ARE WE CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION?

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:

• To 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.

RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. National strategy for PAs financial sustainability is developed, discussed and submitted to the Ministry of ecology and natural resources of Ukraine. To be approved by the Government of Ukraine. Draft legal and normative documents to implement the Strategy are also developed and provided;
2. Business plan template is developed. Directors of PAs are trained on business planning. 2 business plans for pilot PAs are developed;
3. Association of Protected Areas (PAs) of Ukraine is established and officially registered. 18 regional branches are in place. More than 500 members are encountered. The Association became a valuable partner of the project in various ecological actions;
4. Training center on protected area management is established. 17 trainings, one scientific conference and international seminar (Belarus, Russia and Ukraine) are conducted. Almost 300 people were covered by trainings.
5. Document on assessment of PAs management effectiveness is approved by the State Service on protected areas of Ukraine. Assessment is conducted at 15 PAs. Database is developed;
6. Guidelines for the Admissible Ecological Loads on protected areas are developed and endorsed by the State Service on protected areas of Ukraine;
7. Mini-projects program is launched. 10 projects are implemented. Among others:

• “Renovation and protection of living water resources of the Velyke Chorne Lake and incorporation of adjoining territory to the temporary public recreational zone”,
• “Ecological and educational horse riding tour “Through paths of the Shatsk National Nature Park”,
• “Two-day horse riding and water tourist route “In harmony with nature”,
• “Development of complex of ecotourist routes in order to create qualitative tourist product and to set basis for holding the international festival of extreme water tourism “Poliska Regatta” in the NNP “Pripyat-Stokhid”,
• “Promotion of tourism in the National Nature Park “Pripyat-Stokhid” and the Regional Landscape Park “Pripyat-Stokhid” by using GPS navigation system”,
• “Arrangement of conditions for development of ecological, scientific and historical tourism within the NNP “Pripyat-Stokhid” (Liubeshiv district of Volyn oblast) and RLP “Pripyat-Stokhid” (Zarichne district of Rivne oblast) with an aim to establish a single recreational complex within the territories of transboundary Ramsar site “Pripyat-Stokhid-Prostyr” (Ukraine-Belarus), etc.;

8. Green tourism zone (6 fully equipped one floor houses) is created and transferred to Shatsk national nature park;
9. Draft strategy on tourist activity at PAs is developed and provided to the State Service on PAs;
10. Round table on PAs management issues is conducted (2010);
11. Diploma from the Ramsar Secretariat for the transboundary wetland “Pripyat-Stokhid-Prostyr” is obtained (2010);
12. Ecological actions “Clean Country” is organized (2009-2012). 20 PAs were covered;
13. All-Ukrainian and International tournaments on hand hay mowing of lowland bog are conducted (2009, 2010, 2012);
14. Parade of Parks is organized (2010, 2011);
15. Photo contest “Nature protected Ukraine” is organized (2010);
16. Campaign “We are cutting them from our life” is organized (2010).

OUR PARTNERS

Department on protected areas at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine

Phone: 044 206-31-00

E-mail: parks@menr.gov.ua

State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, State Water Resources Agency of Ukraine, State Departments of environmental protection in Volyn and Rivne oblasts, Association of Protected Areas of Ukraine, All Ukrainian Nature Conservation Union, Shatsk National Natural Park (Shatsk), National Natural Park “Pripyat-Stokhid”, Regional Landscape Park “Pripyat-Stokhid” (Liubeshiv), Frankfurt Zoological Society

OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNER

Global Environment Facility

PROJECT BUDGET:

USD 1,800,000

Project delivery as of 31 december 2012:

 USD 149,000.

PUBLICATIONS

Project Document. Strengthening Governance And Financial Sustainability Of The National Protected Area System In Ukraine 

Transboundary Ramsar Site «Pripyat-Stokhid-Prostyr»: Development of joint nature protection activity between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus

Policy document “Strategy of financial sustainability of the national protected area system”

Book “Botanic gardens and arboretums” (2010)

Photo album “Protected areas of Volyn” (2010)

Project Annual Report 2009

Project Annual Report 2010

Project Annual Report 2011

More information on Project`s web site www.pzf.org.ua