In Ukrainian Polissya, there are areas that have not been affected by civilization at all. On the other hand, there are lands that have been irreparably damaged by illegal amber miners. Why is this region valuable? Is amber mining always harmful to the environment? How to work in harmony with nature? We are talking about this talked about with Mykhailo Franchuk, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Rivne Nature Reserve.
Mykhailo Franchuk has been exploring Polissia for a long time. He appreciates this place because of its untouched humanity.
We had French colleagues who were making a movie about the crane. They said that here, in Polissia, you can go to some corner of the forest or swamp and record the real sound of nature! There are no noisy helicopters, no barking dogs, no cars driving, no airplanes flying. In Western Europe, it's almost impossible to be alone with nature."
Therefore, European tourists who have "lost" their nature will always be interested in Ukrainian Polissya. They will come here to listen to the sound of pine trees rustling in the wind and the sounds of the evening swamp, says Mykhailo Franchuk. Thus, there is an opportunity to develop green tourism.
Illegal amber diggers: how Polissya suffered
At the same time, illegal amber miners have caused irreparable damage to Polissia's nature. In certain areas inThey cut down the forest.
These lunar deserts left behind by the miners have changed the natural complexes, the researcher says:
Species that are not typical for our flora are growing, and a significant number of them are alien and are on quarantine lists. For example, certain species of the American flora are more aggressive and take over territories where birch and aspen could grow. These are irreversible processes."
In addition to deserts, illegal miners have left behind artificial water bodies - ditches and lakes. This affected animals. In particular, the American mink has replaced the European mink, which is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine, and the American muskrat has appeared. This had a negative impact on the population of our rodents, adds Mykhailo Franchuk.
Interference with the hydrological network of a certain area leads to secondary consequences. For example, if water is withdrawn in one area, the territory at a distance of 300 meters may dry up. And vice versa, water will appear where it was not before, which will affect the natural complex of the area.
According to Mykhailo Franchuk, the land affected by illegal amber mining is now a "minced meat" of altered areas where vegetation cover has been destroyed and new habitats, such as water bodies and canals, have been formed. In some places, these are areas of forest that were restored and then repeatedly affected by mining.
How to live in harmony with nature?
Any human activity harms nature. But it can be mitigated, the environmentalist believes. In particular, if you work in compliance with the requirements of the law.
After all, subsoil users who hold licenses are obliged to obtain the following before starting commercial amber mining conclusion on environmental impact assessment (EIA). And upon completion of the work, carry out reclamation (restoration) of the land.
What is an EIA report? It is a permitting document that describes the expected negative impact on the environment.
When preparing EIA reports for their sites, Amber Galbin Group's executives turned to the Rivne Nature Reserve's specialists to obtain the most objective and high-quality conclusions.
Thus, the specialists examined not only the sites themselves but also the buffer areas around them, Mykhailo Franchuk noted. They were looking for rare species of flora and fauna, and their habitats. In doing so, we took into account the requirements of national and international environmental documents, including the Red and Green Books of Ukraine and the Berne Convention.
Amber extraction does not necessarily have a negative impact on the nature of Polissia, said Mykhailo Franchuk. For example, the canals dug by amber miners have contributed to the reproduction of beaver, which is protected by the Bern Convention. The animal likes to swim there.
In some areas, the researchers recorded otter tracks. Conditions have also been created for the natural growth of willow bushes, which are used by the Red Book elk.
In this regard, licensed subsoil users are different from illegal miners - they intend to mitigate their impact from their activities.
In general, if you work legally and comply with the law, as the companies of the Amber Galbin Group do, everyone wins: business will make a profit, the state will pay taxes, and the environment will suffer the least damage from humans.