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Public monitoring of small rivers of the Zhydachivsky Rayon
was undertaken
Sources of pollution and rubbish dumps on the banks of the Rivers
Stry, Svicha and Berezhnytsya were identified and indicated on a map. Three
hundred photos were taken of the river system in the rayon, the sources of the
rivers, and rubbish dumps on the riverbanks. These photos were used for
environmental education; video film was also shot.
During August-September 2003, chemical analyses of the water in
the river system were made; members of the organisation, together with the
"Zhydachivvodokanal" city communal enterprise, took the samples. In
total, 100 water samples from 18 different points in Zhydachiv Rayon were
analysed. These water analyses showed higher than normal concentrations of
nitrates and - to some extent - phosphates. According to these indices, the
waters are either 'heavily' or 'very heavily' polluted. In Zhydachiv Rayon, the
quality of water in the Dniester is improving the due to the presence of two
mountain rivers, the Stry and the Svicha, but it is also deteriorating because
of the poor quality of all the rayon's small rivers. Because Zhydachiv is an
agricultural rayon, the source of organic pollution of the waterways is
agriculture and cattle breeding.
Habitats of Ukrainian lamprey were investigated and relevant
maps were produced
Based on information provided by local fishers, 20 sites where
Ukrainian Lamprey (Eudontomyzon mariae) is known to have occurred in the
past were monitored. As result of investigating the 10 km of the Stry above its
confluence with the Dniester, two areas of habitat suitable for Ukrainian
Lamprey were identified. Ukrainian Lamprey is listed in the Red Data Book of
Ukraine. Unfortunately, this species has disappeared below the man-made dam that
was built for water in-take by the Zhydachivsky Pulp and Paper Mill. The dam and
pollution from the mill are the main reasons why the Lamprey has disappeared
from the lower Stry as it joins the Dniester.
Measures were taken to clean up and plant trees in
water-protection zones along the rivers
Within the framework of the All-Ukrainian action, "Clean
Ukraine - Clean Earth", an activity entitled "Clean Banks" was
carried out on the following rivers: Stry (within Zhydachiv town), Dniester (where
the River Svicha flows into it, at Novoshyno village) and Berezhnytsya (in
Berezhnytsya and Livchytsi villages, with the aid of Berezhnytsya Village
Council).
On the River Stry, the water-protection zone was cleaned up
between the water in-take point at Zhydachivsky Pulp and Paper Mill and the road
bridge; 30 schoolchildren were involved (the work was financed by Zhydachiv
Municipal Administration). On the Grebny Canal, 300 trees were planted over an
area of 0.5 ha. In the Bazyivka area, the steep banks of the River Stry were
reforested with pine and fir trees (120 trees in total); some places were
planted with a mix of grasses (using turves). In total, 100 people participated
in the event. Members of "EcoDovkillya" also monitored the ban on the
wholesale extraction of building materials (gravel and sand) from the River Stry.
As the areas bordering the rivers are mostly beach zones designated for
recreation, the public actively resisted attempts to destroy them through the
extraction of gravel and sand for city building requirements.
The water-protection zone of the Dniester was cleaned up in the
"Rock Deposits and Campanian Sands of Bakotsynsky Region" natural
landscape area. This activity took place at the same time as a field trip to
study the surroundings; scouts from the "Plast" camp (Zhydachivska
branch) took part. A total of 25 people participated in the action.
Boards giving information about protecting rivers were made
and installed
On 17 June 2003, members of "Eco-Dovkillya", together
with Zhydachiv Administration of Drainage Systems, installed boards giving
information about how to comply with the regulations relating to activities
within 50 m of protected riverbanks. The boards were installed near the road
bridge on the River Stry in Zhydachiv town and above the Stry's confluence with
the Dniester, not far from Zalestsi village. The boards describe all the
activities prohibited on protected riverbanks that can have negative effects on
the condition of the river system, in particular, on the population of River
Lamprey (the following activities are prohibited: ploughing up land, gardening,
agriculture, grazing and keeping cattle, servicing and washing cars, creating
manure heaps and rubbish dumps, storing and using pesticides and catching
lampreys).
River sources were inspected and tidied up
In co-operation with the Zhydachiv Administration of Drainage
Systems, "Eco-Dovkillya" studied and tidied up springs in the villages
of Bakivtsi (River Kryvulya), Vybranivka (River Davydivka), Novoshyno (River
Svicha), Chorny Ostriv (River Sukhodolka), Borynychi, Husyatychi, Kvitneve,
Kniselo, Luchany, Pyatnychany and Trybokivtsi (with the help of the village
communities). A total of 35 springs were inspected and described, and each was
catalogued; 30 people took part in these activities.
The organisation also carried out two major actions to tidy up
the spring that is the source of the River Kuna (Teisariv village) and the
spring near Mount Bazyivka (Zhydachiv town). Tidying up the spring included
clearing the bed of silt and fallen leaves, cleaning up the surrounding rubbish,
fixing the fence, planting pines and fir trees on the surrounding territory, etc.
Fifteen members the "ECOS" environmental group and 15 members of
"Eco-Dovkillya" took part in these activities ("ECOS"
functions under the auspices of the Zhydachiv Centre for Children and Young
People's Creativity).
Information and educational materials about the waterbodies of
the rayon were produced
- A model of the water network near Zhydachiv town
A large, pictorial, schematic model of the water network in Zhydachiv Rayon
was made on a piece of fibreboard measuring 2 x 1.5 m; it also showed the
route of an environmental trail around Zhydachiv town along the River Stry.
This illustrative map was installed in the environmental classroom at "ECO-Dovkillya".
- An information board about the environmental trail scheme
An information board was installed in the town centre in front of #1
Secondary School.
- A brochure entitled "Nature, Local Lore and the River Network of
Zhydachivsky Rayon"
Seven hundred and fifty copies of the
brochure were published and distributed to all the educational institutions
and libraries in the rayon.
- A new website was made for "ECO-Dovkillya" Public Organisation (www.ekodovk.narod.ru,
http://eko.civicua.org).
The following information has now been placed on the website: Zhydachiv
Rayon's environmental programmes, items about local lore, and details of
projects.
Public hearings were held on "The State of Small Rivers
in Zhydachivsky Rayon"
Public hearings on river system issues were the first attempt by
"ECO-Dovkillya" to bring together people who wished to take an active
part in the actions to protect water resources in the rayon. A public hearing
was held on 30 January 2004, and 30 people took part. The following resolutions
were made:
- to initiate the establishment of a protected area in the basin of the
River Stry in the Bazyivka area;
- to recognise the Rivers Teisarivka and Berezhnytsya as the most polluted
rivers in Zhydachiv Rayon on the basis of the chemical analyses and water
monitoring undertaken. To direct most future activity into improving the
condition of these rivers;
- to begin developing projects such as:
- the organisation of real water protection zones in the lower reaches of
the River Stry;
- the facilitation of an environmental trail for tourists along the "Rock
Deposits and Campanian Sands at the Confluence of the Dniester and Svicha"
unique natural landscape area;
- reforesting the national park of local importance in Livchytsi village
along the River Berezhnytsya, in accordance with a project prepared by
Ivan Franko State University, Lviv.
- to take an active part in nature-protection activities such as planting
greenery along the water-protection zones, etc.
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