Ecotourism Development
ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT
IN THE BLACK SEA REGION OF UKRAINE
T. Panchenko
State Research and Design Institute for Town Planning, Kyiv, Ukraine
Ecotourism is a part of a whole of tourism in Ukraine; ecotourism is carried out especially on landscape-recreational territories and within the boundaries of the natural reserve fund.
The network of the natural reserve fund, where ecotourism is realized, comprises 6737 territories and objects, which occupy 3,9% of the total territory of Ukraine (Fig. 1).
National natural parks, regional landscape parks and biosphere reserves play a very important role for the ecotourism organization in Ukraine. The possibility for wider use of the reserves, zakazniks and nature-monuments territories for commercial ecotourism has been looked at (Fig. 2).
The territory of the southern part of Ukraine is known for it\’s unique complex of natural resources, has broad access to the Black Sea basin and the main of Ukrainian rivers – the Danube, the Dnister and the Dniper. There are a couple of hundred environmental protection objects, the most well-known among them are: the Black Sea and the Danube Biosphere Reserves. Their flora and fauna have specific in the Black Sea steppe and Estern-european forest geobotanical provinces. Rich vegetation and the diversity of animals, birds and fish contribute to the quality of the region.
For example, the Danube Biosphere Reserve has three main attractive peculiarities (Fig. 3).
The first famous place is the Danube Plavni — the area with a landscape unique in Europe that occupies a number of islands, aquatoriums and marine areas of the Black Sea. Danube Plavni is included on the list of wetlands of international importance and supports 563 plant species.
The second attraction is the Sasyk Lake that has been made into an artificial fresh water reservoir and Zhebriyanska Bay in the south of the Danube Plavni; this area is very rich in flora and fauna.
Figure 1. Natural reserve fund of Ukraine
Figure 2. Natural reserve fund structure
1 - natural reserves; 2 - bios phere reserves; 3 - national natural parks;
4 - zakazniks; 5 - botanical and zoological gardens, dendroparks, parks - monuments of horti culture, natural monuments;
6 - regional landscape parks; 7 - reserve territories
Figure 3. Pilot Project: Development of international ecotourism complex in the Danube Delta, Zhebriyanska Bay (proposal by T. Panchenko, A. Tkachov, 1996)
And the third original place is the town Vyikove, which has recently celebrated its 250-th anniversary. This historical town is located on the small islands of the Danuba Delta and is an ideal settlement for tourism aims. Vyikove is one of the lovely places for fishing and boating; it is surrounded by a number of channels and hence often referred to as a "small Venice".
The environmental attraction of the area is the reason behind the development of the ecotourism complex of international importance on the waters of the Danube river with the aim of accepting tourists from countries such as Germany, Austria, Greece Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary and others, so that they can appreciate this natural phenomenon.
For decision of the similar problem in 1996 the Ukrainian architects and ecologists proposed a pilot project of development ecotourism complex in the Danube Delta, provided for: functional zoning of the territory of the ecotourism complex; modeling of the tourism routes; establishment of service centers for tourists; improvement to the environmental status of the historic-cultural center Vyikove, recreated zones, marine areas and aquatourisms, beaches and nature landscapes; the long-term objectives of the project were establishment within the boundaries of the Biosphere Reserve an ecotourism complex which will function on the principles of Sustainable Development; short-term objectives – elaboration of the structure project of the arrangement of special free tourist economic zone.
So, the rare natural richness and particular quality of this locality create unique conditions for development not only of recreation and tourism but also for amateur fishing and hunting, ecological education of the population, for scientific work that on the whole is referred to ecotourism.
According to the Strategic Action Plan for Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea (1996) this region is recognized as an area of special ecological status and international attention. This document declares: "Ecotourism should be stimulated in the region, amongst other things, through the implementation of concrete pilot projects in the Black Sea coastal states". With regard to this point of view it is necessary to decide above problem by means of participation of national tourism authorities and international organizations. The further activation of this cooperation are designed to play a significant role in the Black Sea international tourism system.
References
1. Background Report on the "Black Sea Sustainable Tourism Initiative". – Istanbul, BSEP-PCU, 1996.
2. Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea. – Istanbul, GEF-BSEP, 1966.
3. Development of Ecological Tourism in Ukraine. – Kiev, UNDP, 1999.
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