Ivano-Frankivsk Region

The perfect form of nature conservation is the creation of natural protected areas and objects. They provide favorable conditions for the protection of the gene pool of types of flora and faunaas well as the natural ecosystems. In addition, important functions of cherished natural areas are their use for recreation and recreation of the peoples.

Current nature reserve fund of Ivano-Frankivsk region has 472 territories and objects with total area of 218,8  thousand hectares, accounting for 15,7% of the total area.

Among them: Natural Reserve “Gorgany” with area of 5,3 hectares, 5 national parks with total area of 120,3 hectares (Carpathian National Nature Park, National Nature Park “Hutsulshchyna”, Halych National Nature Park, National Nature Park “Syniogora”, National Nature Park “Verkhovynskyy”), 3 regional landscape parks with area of 38,4 thousand hectares, 64 reserves with area of 45,93 thousand hectares; 183 natural monuments with area of 1,2 thousand hectares, 7 dendrology parks with area of 0,15 thousand hectares, 8 parks and monuments of the landscape and garden art with area of 0,084 thousand hectares, 196 natural reserves with area of 7,3 thousand hectares.

The biggest values have:

• Natural Reserve “Gorgany” – Nature Reserve was created to preserve the natural state of mountain landscapes of the central part of the Ukrainian Carpathians, conducting of the scientific research and ecological and educational activities. The reserve is located in the inaccessible mountainous and rocky part of Gorgan – Dovbushanski Gorgany. Its peaks and upper slopes are covered with stony placers, which formed sandstone. These placers are locally called “gorgany”. In reserve territory are developed dense river network. It originated about 30 rivers, which are tributaries of the Bystrytsya Nadvirnyanska. Unique vegetation of the reserve lies in the fact that most of its territory it remained in a natural, almost pristine condition, and the originality and diversity of landscape conditions contributed to the formation of rich species of plants, including much of the rare, relict and endemic. In the upper of the strip spruce forests common European pine cedar - a relic of the early holocene. The flora of the reserve has 451 species of vascular plants and 235 species of mosses. In the fauna of vertebrate animals of the Reserve there are 149 species. Common in the reserve are red deer, roe deer, wild boar wild hare, squirrel usual.

• Carpathian National Nature Park – a park was established to preserve typical for Chornogora and Gorgan of the mountain and valley-river natural systems, valuable historical, architectural and ethnographic monuments, to conduct research in the field of environmental protection, creation of conditions for rest and recovery population, promote environmental knowledge and environmental education. The park is located in the upper basin of the Prut and the middle of Chornyy Cheremosh. Most of the territory was covered with beech, spruce, fir, and mixed forests, occasionally birch and pine forests. On the territory of the park were created 48 tourist routes, the network of stationary recreational points, arranged environmental and educational routes, well-developed infrastructure of rural green tourism, there are various stationary recreation facilities (sanatoriums, health centers, recreational camps, etc.).

• National Nature Park “Hutsulshchyna” – is a national park intended for conservation, restoration and sustainable use of genetic resources of plants and animals, unique natural complexes and ethnocultural environment Pokuty-Bukovyna Carpathians. One of the greatest treasures of the national park “Hutsulshchyna” are the forests. In its lowlands part are dominated the deciduous forests, mostly – oak. Besides oaks, in the lower tree layer grow the beech and hornbeam, and in the more humid habitats – ash, birch, elm. On the territory of the park grow over 1000 species of higher plants, including many rare, endangered and endemic. Animal world of the park is also varied. There are brown bear, carpathian deer and other species. On the territory of the park are well developed tourist and recreational infrastructure, there are many bases of rest, resorts and sanatoriums. The park has environmental educational paths, intensively developing horse riding, rural green tourism, etnotpurism, ski tourism.

• Halych National Nature Park – a park was created for the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of typical and unique forest and forest-steppe natural systems Precarpathians. Territory of the park is located along the Dniester River and the lower reaches of its tributaries - rivers Limnytsia, Lukva, Hnyla Lypa. The territory of the park includes forest tracts, wetlands, areas with valuable group’s meadow-steppe vegetation, geological formations. On the territory lives about 5000 species of animals and 700 species of higher vascular plants. Halych National Nature Parkhas many priceless monuments of history and culture and has the high recreational potential. There are all preconditions for the development of tourism on the rivers Dniester and Limnytsia.