Nobelskyi
Country: Ukraine
Area: 25,318.0 ha
National protection status: National Park
International protection status: Emerald Network* (UA0000168) - Stokhyd-Nobel (57,000 ha); IBA (UA007) - Stokhod river valley (17,800).
*The following description relates to Stokhyd-Nobel Emerald Network site.
The area consists of three sections. The first one includes the lower reaches of the Stokhid River for about 90 km, with fragments of forest massifs adjacent to the river floodplain. The second section includes the valley of the Prypyat’ River for about 30 km, between the Pripyat-Stokhid National Nature Park (Ukraine) and the Prostyr Area of Special Conservation Interest (Belarus), as well as the large lake Nobel and several smaller lakes. The third section, the southern part of the Nobelskyi National Nature Park area, includes a large fragment, several large patches and many small patches of the forest-bog complex on the watershed of the Stokhid and the Styr rivers. In general, the area is a typical fragment of Polesia with waterlogged river floodplains, mires and forests, and large polder systems.
The beds of the both rivers, within the area, are fully preserved in their natural state, strongly meandering, with numerous branches and flow paths. The floodplains are heavily marshy. In the north-east, it is bounded by protected areas in Belarus (PA – Prostyr). Emerald Network: Stokhyd-Nobel (UA0000168), as well as Prypiat-Stokhid National Nature Park (UA0000044) and Prostyr (BY0000050) border each other and overlap with the Pripyat-Stokhid-Prostyr Transboundary Ramsar Site, along with the Pripyat River Floodplains (Site no.776) in Ukraine and Prostyr (Site no.1611) in Belarus, spans a 100-kilometre stretch of the Stokhid River up to its confluence with the Pripyat River, as well as a 120-kilometre stretch of the Pripyat River. It combines very diverse biotopes: forests and swamps with lakes, river valleys with natural riverbeds and large polders. Wetlands occupy about half of the area: mires – about 40%, ponds and watercourses – 6% of the territory. Forests, including forests on bogs, occupy about 50%, meadows – 4% of the area. Lowland mesotrophic bogs, as well as pine and black alder forests prevail.
2
major rivers preserved in the fully natural state
21
habitats included
in Resolution #4 of the Standing Commission to the Bern Convention
>60
species included into resolution #4 of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention
Land cover
Forests, including forests on bogs
Mires
Ponds, watercourses
Meadows
Biodiversity and natural values
Biotopes
The area of the site is characterised by diversity of forest, meadow, and wetland habitats. 21 natural habitats included into Resolution No 4 of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention have been identified here. The area is of exceptional importance for conservation of the following natural habitats: Floating frogbit rafts (3150), Floating water-soldier rafts (3150), Floating Salvinia natans mats (3150), Floating bladderwort colonies (3150), Mesotrophic vegetation of slow-flowing rivers (3260), Beds of large sedges normally without free-standing water, Low and medium altitude hay meadows (6510), Moist or wet eutrophic and mesotrophic grassland (6440). In addition, natural habitats as follows have been identified here: Floating Aldrovanda vesiculosa communities (3150), Transition mires and quaking bogs (7140), Mesotrophic vegetation of slow-flowing rivers (3260), Riverine willow woodland (91E0), Sphagnum birch woods (91D0), Nemoral bog conifer woodland (91D0), Inland Sand Dunes (2330) and others.
Fauna
Over 60 species occurring here are included into Resolution No 6 of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention.
The diversity of mammal species in the area includes the European beaver (Castor fiber), the Common Otter (Lutra lutra), the Murin des marais (Myotis dasycneme), the European mink (Mustela lutreola).
The area is a very important habitat of a number of fish species: the Lake minnow (Phoxinus percnurus), the Ukrainian brook lamprey (Eudontomyzon mariae), the European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis), the Ziege (Pelecus cultratus), the Spined loach (Cobitis taenia), European bitterling (Rhodeus sericeus amarus), аs well as of reptiles and amphibians: the European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis), the Crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and the Fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina).
Rare insect species’ inhabit the area, such as the Large white-faced darter (Leucorrhinia pectoralis), the Water Beetle (Graphoderus bilineatus), the Scarce Fritillary (Hypodryas maturna), the Large Copper (Lycaena dispar), and the False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus).
Birds
The territory is of great importance for a number of bird species, for instance, the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), the Great Snipe (Gallinago media), the Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), European Roller (Coracias garrulous), the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), the Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), the Whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybridus), the Little crake (Porzana parva), the Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana), the Three-Toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), the White stork (Ciconia ciconia), the Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus), the Corncrake (Crex crex), the Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius), the Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria).
Besides, the area is important for nesting of several other birds of prey and wetland birds, such as the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), the Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the Black Kite (Milvus migrans), the Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix tetrix), the Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), the Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) etc.
The most important impacts and threats
Logging and dead wood removal
Illegal hunting and fishing
Old drainage systems
Illegal amber mining
The wetland ecosystems suffer from the existing polders both inside and outside the national park and their possible reconstruction. Meadow ecosystems are degraded by scrub encroachment due to the cessation of haying and grazing, conversion of meadows to arable land, cereal cultivation, spring and autumn burning. Forest habitats and species are threatened by clear-cutting, sanitary felling, removal of dead wood, and forest plantation. Pollution by domestic waste, illegal fishing and hunting are among the negative factors affecting the entire area of the national park. The southern part belonging to the Nobel National Nature Park has been severely degraded by illegal amber mining.
Conservation measures
The area is protected as a landscape reserve of national importance, where drainage, construction, logging and some other activities are restricted. Some of protected species’ habitats are under protection of land users. A management plan has been developed for the area.
About 80% of the area lies within the Nobelskyi National Nature Park and Stokhid Landscape Reserve. For these areas (overlapping with the national park and the reserve) timber harvesting, clearcut logging, incremental and gradual felling, hunting, drainage are banned, whereas some other restrictions are imposed.
Detailed inventory of the conservation values (species’ habitat and natural complexes) is necessary, and ensuring their protection by creating special protection zones.
Our activities in the area
Сameratraps were installed to study current distribution and abundance of big mammals in the project region.
Since the beginning of the war, funds were raised for the support of Polesian PAs that have been directly affected by the war or need support in accommodation of Internally Displaced People. Nobelskyi NP was receiving regular financial support for covering expenditures like fuel, vehicle spares and maintenance, building maintenance, services (rent, telecommunications, etc.) and office supplies.
