The Department of Urban Planning at Kharkiv City Council has backed the initiative to establish the ‘Osnovyansky’ nature reserve. The new nature conservation area is intended to protect the Zhikhor Forest and Lake Osnovyanske, which could be adversely affected by the expansion of sand extraction.
This was reported by the non-governmental organisation ‘The Guardians’.
According to environmental campaigners, the city council acknowledged the environmental value of the site in its official response, particularly in terms of Kharkiv’s sustainable development.
There is still a great deal of work ahead, but the city authorities have promised to send a representative to take part in the round-table discussion. The aim is to agree on the boundaries of the future nature reserve, its protection regime and the subsequent establishment of the nature reserve.
"This is an important step towards preserving our forest and lake! At present, the pine forest requires not only protected status, but also the restoration of disturbed land, the preservation of the water regime and the elimination of factors that could cause it to dry up," added the NGO "Guardians".
Source: ‘The Guardians’ NGO
Future nature reserve
According to the text of the application to establish the nature reserve, it will have a proposed area of 247.8 hectares and will consist of two parts — a woodland area and a lake area.
Lisova is the so-called ‘Shcherbachiv Forest’, covering an area of 175.8, which is currently managed by the Babaiv Forest District of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’ and has the status of ‘Forest areas within the city limits’.
Osnovyanske Lake — an artificial body of water formed as a result of sand extraction — should also become part of the nature reserve.
The document highlights the risks associated with continuing sand extraction.
"Continued sand extraction will lead to an increase in the water surface area, the shallowing of the water body and the development of algal blooms, which will diminish the recreational value of the area. Sand extraction from the area currently occupied by pine forest (for which an easement has been granted) will result in damage to the soil cover, the development of erosion processes and the destruction of private residential buildings.”
Background
At the end of August, a project to establish a nature reserve was presented in Kharkiv. Furthermore, signatures are currently being collected for a petition to the Kharkiv City Council.
An active campaign to protect the forest and Osnovyansky Lake itself began following plans by ‘Kar’yer Osnova’ Ltd to expand its sand extraction operations. In May, the Ministry of the Environment refused to issue an environmental permit to ‘Reysis’ on behalf of ‘Kar’yer Osnova’ LLC, whilst the local community opposed any interference with the forest and the lake.
Under the easement, the company acquired 11 hectares of woodland. People at the time documented the felling, although the forestry authorities described it as ‘sanitary’ felling.
At the same time, criminal proceedings were brought against one of the campaigners, Svitlana Kuraksina, for allegedly obstructing lawful business activities. The case was subsequently dismissed due to the absence of the elements of a criminal offence.
