OrganizationNABU USPB NP "Zacharovanyj Kraj"
Peatland restoration is one of the most pressing activities on the global agenda. The Ukraine is ranked among the top emitters of greenhouse gases from drained peatlands to the atmosphere.
© USPB, by Mikhail Migovich
The main goal of this new project in Ukraine is to restore the natural hydrological regime of the internationally important bog "Chorne Bagno", as well as related wetlands in the same catchment area on the territory of National Park “Zacharovanyj Kraj” (the Enchanted Valley) in the Transcarpathian region.
The Park is known primarily as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site cluster "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe." It represents a landscape mosaic between ancient beech forest, springs, bogs, spring fens, and traditionally used meadows.
Since 2019, the “Chorne Bagno” (the Black Swamp) located in the Park is protected by the Ramsar Convention (https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2389).
The project will be implemented by Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB) (BirdLife Partner in Ukraine) in partnership with NABU (Germany) and National Park "Zacharovanyj Kraj" (“Enchanted Land”). It will be financially supported by the VGP Foundation.
Beavers in Chorne Bagno
Peatland restoration in Transcarpathian region has a strong natural ally, the beaver. Beavers have started constructing dams and raised the water table in parts of the catchment area. The project aims to complement the beaver dams by stabilizing ditch-blockings downstream the beaver dams.
Seven years ago, beavers began to re-establish a population in the peatland complex "Chorne Bagno." Due to their landscape-designing (dams building) activities, important areas of the "Chorne Bagno" did not dry up during three consecutive dry years of 2018-2020. Beavers have once again proved their role as effective caretakers of the peatland’s hydrological regime.
Photo © Niklas Hamann on Unsplash
Additional components of the project
- Development and implementation of a monitoring system for biodiversity and hydrological regime and scientific publishing;
- Improving the infrastructure for sustainable tourism to the peatland complex "Chorne Bagno";
- Preparation of a peatland’s (bogs’) management plan to be included in the National Park’s “Zacharovanyj Kraj” management plan
- Eco-education with local communities.