UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory

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	Biosphere Reserve Information
	Ukraine CARPATHIAN	© Photo: Carpathian BR


General Description	Situated in the Eastern Carpathians, the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve comprises foothill oak-groves, mountain beech, mixed and spruce forests, pine-alder alpine elfin woodland, subalpine and alpine meadows, upland rocky-lichen landscapes. The largest massif of virgin beech forests in Europe (Uholsko-Shyrokoluzhanskyi massif) is protected in the biosphere reserve, as well as the Valley of Narcissi. Large predators such as bears, wolves and lynxes can still be found in the area. The biosphere reserve consists of eight detached massifs, situated on the mountain ranges of Chornohora (Chornohirskyi massif), Maramorosh (Maramoroskyi massif), Svydovets (Kuziy-Trybushanskyi and Svydovets massifs), Polonynskyi (Uholsko-Shyrokoluzhanskyi massif), Volcanic (Chorna hora and Yulivska hora), as well as in the Verkhniotysianska ulohovyna (Valley of Narcissi). 17 settlements are located within the biosphere reserve and about 100,000 people live in the area. Nearly 400 people live directly in the territory of the reserve, mainly engaged in animal husbandry and crop cultivation. The biosphere reserve seeks to manage main nature conservation problems – renewal of the disturbed ecosystems to their natural state, regulation of cattle grazing with the aim of biocoenoses conservation of mountain meadows, illegal cuttings and poaching. One of the main tasks of the biosphere reserve is the preservation of cultural heritage and promotion of sustainable development in the region. Considerable attention is given to environmental education and training. For this, the Museum of Mountains Ecology and History of Nature Use in the Ukrainian Carpathians, a collection site of the Carpathian flora and visitor centers were established in the area. The ecological magazine ’Green Carpathians’ is also published in the reserve. Besides, there is a scientific division in the reserve, conducting complex investigations of the Carpathian flora with the aim to work out recommendations for nature conservation and natural forestry management. In 1998, for the first time in Ukraine, the European Diploma of the Council of Europe was awarded to the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. The biosphere reserve is a member of international organisation ACANAP (Association of the Carpathian National Parks and Reserves). The Carpathians Biosphere Reserve keeps good contacts with many international organisations (WWF, IUCN, etc.) and foreign nature conservation and scientific institutions, in particular the Swiss Federal Institute for forest, snow and landscape research, the Beschady National Park (Poland), and ‘Bukk’ National Park (Hungary).
Major ecosystem type	Mixed mountain and highland systems
Major habitats & land cover types	Virgin beech forest (Fagus sylvatica); silver fir (Abies alba) forest; mixed virgin forest consisting of oak (Quercus spp.), spruce (Picea spp.) and beech (Fagus spp.); sub-alpine and alpine communities; valley with narcissus (Narcissus angustifolius)
Location	48°03'N; 24°12'E
Area (hectares)
Total	57,800
Core area(s)	19,300
Buffer zone(s)	11,600
Transition area(s) when given	26,900
Altitude (metres above sea level)	+200 to +2,061
Year designated	1992
Administrative authorities	The reserve is directly subordinated by a special subdivision of the National Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. In general, the reserve is managed/ruled by a special administration, set by this Ministry

Brief description	Biogeocenology Botany Zoology Forest monitoring Research and monitoring of the environment Mapping of the different zones of the biosphere reserve
*Specific variables...*
Abiotic	n.a.
Biodiversity	Ecology, fauna, flora, forest systems, methodologies.
Socio-economic	n.a.
Integrated monitoring	Mapping, monitoring/methodologies, planning and zoning measures/zonation.

Contact address	Fedir Hamor Director, Carpathian Biosphere Reserve 77, Krasne Pleso Str. 90600 Rakhiv, Transcarpathian reg. Ukraine
Telephone	(380.3132) 22193
Fax	(380.3132) 22659
E-mail	cbr@rakhiv.ukrtel.net

Last updated: 28/02/2007