Associated Regions

LANDSCAPE RESERVE "PEATLAND BILOHORSCHA"

Ukraine, Western Region, Lvivska Oblast (Province), Lviv County, Lviv City Territorial Community

Local Authority

Name:
Office of ecology and Natural Resources of Lviv city council

Website: https://city-adm.lviv.ua/

Contact information of site  coordinator: 

Mykitchak Halyna, Head of Bureau on Ecology and Natural Resources, Lviv City Administration, overkoo@ukr.net 

Bohdan Prots, Danube-Carpathian Programme, Lviv, bohdan.prots@gmail.com 

Sister sites: 
Vlasina, Serbia

 

Site description

The “Bilohorscha Peatland” is a landscape reserve of local importance in Ukraine. It is located in the Lviv City Territorial Community (58.8 ha) and the Zymnovodivska village Territorial Community of the Lviv district of the Lviv region (33.2 ha).  

The status was granted by the decision of the Lviv Regional Council on 29 October 2019, with a total area of 92 hectares. The reserve was established to preserve unique peat-bog natural complexes in the Urban landscape for the upper reaches of the Zymna Voda River, with the deepest peat deposits in the region (before the start of industrial peat mining in the 1950s) of 7.25 metres. The Zimna Voda River connects with other small rivers that flow into the Dnister River and are located within the Danube-Black Sea region. 

At least 41 rare plants and 25 rare animals exist, most of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009) and other red lists. 

Urbanised and industrial landscapes surround the Landscape Reserve, a constantly expanding and single-protected Lviv peatland with highly valuable habitats and biota. 

Ecosystem

Species: Carex davalliana Drosera rotundifolia, Helodium blandowiiHottonia palustris, Dactylorhiza incarnata, Liparis loeselii, Apatura iris, Plebejus argyrognomon, Bombina bombina L., Emys orbicularis, Crex crex, Luscinia svecica, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Plecotus auritus, Vespertilio murinus, Mustela erminea, Crocidura leucodon. Migration site for Alces alces, Canis lupus, Lutra lutra. 

EUNIS classification types: C3.2 Water-fringing reedbeds and tall helophytes other than canes, D1.1 Raised bogs, D4.1 Rich fens, including eutrophic tall-herb fens, E3.4 Moist or wet eutrophic and mesotrophic grassland, E3.5 Moist or wet oligotrophic grassland, G1.2 Mixed riparian floodplain and gallery woodland, F9.2 Salix carr and fen scrub.  
 

Facts & Figures

92 hectares of protected area with 58,8 hectares of project targeted

Recorded 41 red list vascular plant species

Recorded 25 red list animal species.

87 species of birds, with one-third of which is included in the Bern Convention

Challenges

The largest challenge for wetland restoration is the fact that the March River forms the border between Austria and Slovakia. Area losses due to re-connection of meanders in one country have to be compensated by area gains in the other country. Thus, large scale restoration actions can only be implemented based on bilateral concepts and mutual agreements of the various stakeholders and decision makers in both countries.
Further challenges are:

ꕥ The protection status of present rare plant and animal species (no deterioration expected by the restoration)

ꕥ Invasive species

ꕥ The decreasing water levels during the last decade due to climate change and riverbed incision.
Associated region - Sweden

Location

Ukraine, Western Region, Lvivska Oblast (Province)

Size

58,8 hectares 

A well-preserved large peat bog with a high diversity of rare plants and animals located in a million-city is genuinely exceptional for the ecosystem services of local people in Lviv city, Ukraine. 

Existing projects

peat-eu interreg Europe (starting 2025)

Restore4life implementation plans

the planned restoration activities are as follows:

(1) carry out a scientific survey (water, biodiver
sity, human impact) to evaluate the situation before and after the restoration measures based on the iucn methodological approach and develop the roadmap for restoration measures considering programme experience;

(2) dismantling part of the structures of melioration channels to restore the water balance of the territory and remove other artificial barriers in reserve;

(3) restoring vegetation types due to raise the water table and bring native species seeds (sedges etc
.) to plant them;

(4) arrangement of 5 wooden paths for locals, 2 birdwatching towers and removing invasive species on an area of total 10 ha;

(5) develop the city restoration platform for engaging people and volunteer recruitment, which will include broad communication support (brochures, newsletters, web
site, toolkit, social media, etc.). The new volunteers will also be offered various training programmes;

(6) participation in interactive seminars to gain experience,
knowledge and tools to improve the road map programme for the restoration of city wetland ecosystems;

(7) increasing environmental education and awareness of the local community
regarding the importance of restoring wetlands.
 

Involvement of the community

The reserve’s territory is within the boundaries of two local communities: the Lviv City Territorial Community and the Zymnovodivska Village Territorial Community of the Lviv district of the Lviv region. The measures implemented within the project will directly impact the residents of these communities. In particular, these include improving the territory’s ecological sustainability, supporting ecosystem services, increasing its ecological attractiveness, and developing recreation and ecoeducation activities. 

Expected Impact

To ensure the survival, development, and climate adaptation of LANDSCAPE. RESERVE “PEATLAND BILOHORSCHA” through restoration to benefit local people and nature in Lviv, Ukraine. 

The formation of processes of sustainable natural restoration of peatlands and the formation of a systemic eco-educational platform on its basis.

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