A polonyna is an alpine meadow distinctive to the excessive slopes and rolling ridge tops typical of the Carpathian mountains. From a hen’s-eye view, Polonyna Borzhava in Transcarpathia is formed like a hen. One wing factors northwest in the direction of Volovets, the opposite southeast in the direction of Mizhhiria, and it has a head and a tail.
Borzhava has an abundance of air. Mountaineers and lovers of the nice outside from throughout Ukraine come right here all yr spherical to breathe it in. Borzhava is ideal for Kyivans, as a result of because of handy logistics, it’s simpler to get to than virtually every other Carpathian mountain.
You get on the practice within the night, straight from work, and subsequent morning you get off at Volovets and simply begin climbing the mountains – no want for a minibus, diesel automotive or taxi. That evening you sleep in a tent underneath the celebrities, and on Monday morning, after the practice journey again, you’re again within the workplace, the place nobody is aware of in regards to the unbelievable journey you’ve skilled on an strange weekend.
And nobody will inform on you, as a result of within the mountains you’ll solely meet individuals like your self – fugitives from the town. Or locals gathering yafyns (the native time period for blueberries) within the mountain meadow who care nothing for the secrets and techniques of visiting vacationers.
The contours of Polonyna Borzhava
PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE ARTICLE “AUTUMN MIGRATION OF BIRDS OVER POLONYNA BORZHAVA (UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS)”
In some locations in Borzhava, the air rises upwards. You may’t see it, however dangle gliding and paragliding fans know tips on how to catch these upward currents, they usually love these locations greater than anyplace else within the Carpathians. It’s like Koktebel [a resort in Crimea famous for hang gliding], however we will solely bear in mind and dream about that now.
Birds fly over Borzhava, travelling midway internationally, racing with the winds. However due to these winds, greater than thirty wind generators are set to be constructed on the mountain ridge, every one taller than the Gulliver constructing in central Kyiv [Ukraine’s second-highest building]. Or the Nice Pyramid of Giza.
The wind generators will generate electrical energy which, as so usually, is being touted as “inexperienced”. However the individuals who go to Borzhava to hang-glide, decide berries and escape from the cities with their noise, buying centres and places of work shall be pushed out. And the wind turbine-covered mountains won’t ever look the identical once more.
On this article, Ukrainska Pravda explains why the vitality from the deliberate wind farm in Borzhava is not going to be “inexperienced”, and the way each individuals and wildlife lose out when wind generators are constructed.
Polonyna Borzhava may very well be saved if a nature reserve, reminiscent of a nationwide park, have been established there. However environmentalists’ efforts to attain which have to this point been unsuccessful.
Flying over a blind spot
The truth that we live in an period of extinction at present (the Holocene extinction) is hardly a shock to anybody. That is an undeniable fact.
A barely much less well-known truth is that in addition to the species of organisms we find out about, species which are fully unknown to science are additionally dying out and can proceed to die out. In any case, there are lots of sorts of invertebrates residing in tropical rainforests, and too few scientists who can describe them, and the forests are exhausting to get to.
Besides for many who reduce them down. So the rainforests are disappearing quicker than zoologists and botanists can research their “inhabitants”.
Even fewer individuals know that hundreds of miles away from the rainforest, there are additionally loads of “blind spots”, so far as biology is anxious, within the very coronary heart of Europe. In fact you’re not going to find a beforehand unknown inhabitants of Attenborough’s echidna right here. However in case you take a more in-depth have a look at animals we predict we all know effectively, you discover that there are sometimes many essential issues about them that we don’t know. Ukrainska Pravda has already reported on this utilizing the instance of the lynx within the Chornobyl nature reserve.
One other instance is the сommon crane. In Ukraine, these birds nest primarily within the northern a part of the nation. The southern border of the species’ vary runs by our nation. The primary crane inhabitants in Europe lives north of Ukraine – within the Baltic states, Finland, and so forth.
In autumn we see and listen to these birds as they head south to Africa to overwinter, returning right here to breed. However the place precisely are their migration routes?
It seems that even at present, not sufficient is understood about this – not solely from a purely tutorial viewpoint, but additionally so as to shield these birds, that are listed in Ukraine’s Pink E book of endangered species.
Frequent cranes over Polonyna Borzhava
PHOTO: OLEKSII DUBOVIK
Wind generators
Andrii Bokotei, a professor at Ivan Franko Lviv Nationwide College and a number one researcher on the State Pure Historical past Museum of the Nationwide Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, says that the Ukrainian Carpathians are an actual blind spot on the hypothetical hen migration map. Little or no is understood about which birds fly over these mountains, precisely after they fly, and in what numbers. The primary purpose why is similar as ever – it is a huge nation with loads of work for ornithologists to do, and never sufficient ornithologists or funding to pay for them.
An article by Bokotei and his Ukrainian colleagues is just about the one severe try that has been made to bridge this hole. Revealed in 2020 within the journal Zoodiversity, it targeted on the autumn migration of birds over Polonyna Borzhava. The article was prompted by plans to construct a wind farm on this picturesque nook of the Carpathians.
In 2017, it was reported that Atlas Volovets Vitality, a Volovets-registered firm based by Turkish traders, deliberate to construct greater than thirty wind generators on the Borzhava ridge to generate electrical energy. Every of the buildings can be over 150 m tall.
One tour group in Borzhava was unexpectedly joined by one other participant simply earlier than they set off.
The mission will contain giant masses being delivered to the mountains, ditches being dug, wind generators being put in in them, communication strains being laid underground, and at last, the wind generators beginning to function. It’s apparent that it will impression the surroundings.
To learn the way a lot, and whether or not it’s doable to by some means align the pursuits of individuals with the wants of nature conservation, the regulation requires that an environmental impression evaluation (EIA) be carried out in such circumstances. The individuals working the mission rent consultants to do that – botanists, ecologists, zoologists, soil scientists and so forth – who conduct scientific analysis and draw up a report.
Relying on the conclusions reached, the mission could also be green-lighted or rejected, or alterations could also be proposed to cut back the hurt to nature – for instance, transferring to a special place or time, relying on the character of the mission.
An impediment for birds
Within the case of the Borzhava wind generators, the EIA turned out to be a record-breaking 1,800-odd pages lengthy. The overall conclusion was that the mission is ok and won’t trigger a lot hurt to nature. Nevertheless, it raised many questions and feedback amongst nature conservationists – a lot in order that the case was taken to court docket.
One of many many questions involved migratory birds. Will they be harmed by the towering wind generators? It is a very pertinent query provided that in the US, for instance, round 400,000 birds die yearly due to wind generators.
Simply don’t ask what number of die in Ukraine. There are wind generators right here, after all, however ornithologists are usually not allowed anyplace close to them – presumably in order to not spoil anybody’s temper.
A cross on the highest of Voskresenskyi (Resurrection) Peak
Two ornithologists from Melitopol performed analysis in Borzhava as a part of the EIA and concluded that there isn’t a trigger for alarm as a result of there are only a few birds there in the course of the migration interval.
Theoretically, that is fairly doable as a result of birds don’t migrate simply anyplace: they comply with set routes that go well with their wants. However for different ornithologists, the conclusion didn’t ring true: it’s exhausting to imagine that simply two individuals can do an correct rely of the birds within the longest mountain meadow in Zakarpattia Oblast. Particularly when a lot is hanging on the outcome – and never solely from a scientific viewpoint.
Which birds fly over Borzhava?
Andrii Bokotei and his colleagues determined to do a recount in Borzhava to get a extra goal image.
In 2018, seven ornithologists set to work within the mountains. They noticed a totally completely different image from mid-September to early November than their predecessors had.
The ornithologists counted over 3,500 frequent cranes alone. The earlier yr, the researchers from Melitopol had seen fewer than 2,000.
Along with the cranes, a number of different Pink E book species have been recorded: hen harrier, inventory dove, osprey and peregrine falcon.
A hen harrier
PHOTO: YULIIA BURLACHENKO
In whole, in the midst of their observations, Andrii Bokotei’s colleagues counted greater than 40,000 birds belonging to almost fifty species over Borzhava. And even this information is most probably an underestimate. Ideally, extra individuals are wanted, and the surveys ought to cowl an extended time frame.
What is going to occur to the cranes, chaffinches, storks and different birds if wind generators seem in Borzhava?
“There is no such thing as a doubt that the wind generators will pose an infinite hazard to them, as a result of a major variety of these birds fly on the stage the place the blades rotate,” Andrii Bokotei says.
Some birds could also be fortunate sufficient to slide by, whereas others might change their route. Whether or not it is going to be as handy and safe as their earlier one, we don’t know. However proper now, there’s a purpose why the birds fly over Borzhava.
Unsurprisingly, the corporate that determined to construct the wind generators will not be very fascinated by ornithological analysis – aside from the analysis contained within the EIA conclusion. It remained in pressure after a Supreme Court docket ruling was issued in April 2022, when there have been different issues absorbing the general public’s vitality and a spotlight. Moreover, Borzhava’s defenders insist that the court docket dedicated a variety of violations.
Along with the court docket case with respect to the EIA, there are two different ongoing circumstances associated to Borzhava and the wind generators, considered one of which prohibits the developer from beginning the mission.
Emerald territory
Polonyna Borzhava’s significance for wildlife is not only as a migration hall for tens of hundreds of birds, after all. It’s house to different Pink E book-listed animals, reminiscent of a number of species of bat.
The slopes of the mountain vary are coated with historical woodlands and primeval forests. These are ecosystems which have suffered hardly any adverse impression from people to this point, in order that they have preserved the utmost doable biodiversity, together with many vegetation and animals that can’t be present in forests “tended” by individuals.
As a result of its nice environmental significance, Borzhava was granted Emerald Community standing in 2016. There are Emerald Networks in different European international locations and signatories of the Berne Conference on the conservation of untamed natural world.
With out going into particulars, the functioning of the Emerald Community in Ukraine is among the situations for EU integration. As a signatory to the Berne Conference, Ukraine is obliged (!) to guard nature in these areas.
What’s water acquired to do with it?
At first look it could appear that wind generators shouldn’t trigger an excessive amount of hurt to wildlife if we overlook migratory birds. As a result of the buildings are so tall, the realm they cowl is comparatively small.
However that’s solely at first look. Conservationists say the development web site for a single wind turbine covers about two hectares. Throughout that space, not solely the grass cowl but additionally the soil to which it’s certain, which types very slowly within the mountains, shall be destroyed.
The floor layer may also be destroyed within the areas the place the underground cables are laid and the roads wanted for heavy transport are constructed. And these issues for nature in a short time start to impression individuals too.
Some elements of Borzhava have a dust street, which serves as a hyperlink with the climate station or is used to get to the polonyna to reap blueberries.
The grass-covered polonyna capabilities fairly like a swamp. It accumulates water equipped by the beneficiant Carpathian rains after which slowly transfers it to the mountain streams which are collected in rivers. However building work will inevitably disrupt the soil cowl, stopping the polonyna from performing its hydrological capabilities.
“Throughout wet durations, the water is not going to be retained, however will move down from the mountains as an alternative, resulting in the speedy formation of floods. However this may also have one other impact – in periods when there isn’t a rain, the polonyna won’t be able to yield the water that it ought to have gathered,” explains Oksana Stankevych-Volosianchuk, an ecologist who works for the general public organisation Ecosphere and is affiliate professor of the Division of Zoology at Uzhgorod Nationwide College.
“The [water] stage within the rivers is already falling catastrophically, however it’s going to fall much more.”
These issues – plus landslides, that are additionally associated to hydrology – will primarily have an effect on the individuals who stay within the close by Volovets and Keretsky hromadas [an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories]. By the way, some native individuals are against wind farms exactly due to this hydrological side.
Others, nevertheless, imagine that roads within the mountains will make it simpler to reap blueberries, an essential supply of revenue for the native inhabitants.
However conservationists say that there could also be fewer berries in Borzhava because of the brutal human intervention within the polonyna’s fragile ecosystem.
Wind generators vs guests to Borzhava
There’s additionally opposition to the wind generators from followers of outside actions and mountain sports activities. One of many foremost causes is clear: these big constructions spoil the mountain panorama and ambiance – the very issues that draw most individuals to the mountains.
However there’s additionally a purely sensible purpose associated to security. Ice freezes on a wind turbine’s blades in winter, and the blades then sling it round, endangering the lifetime of anybody who occurs to be within the path of such “precipitation”.
In consequence, wind generators will pressure dangle gliders and paragliders out of Borzhava. And Borzhava is exclusive within the Ukrainian Carpathians on the subject of handy logistics for take-off and touchdown websites and different options.
A voice from Europe
Since Borzhava is a part of the Emerald Community, Ukrainian environmentalists wrote to the Secretariat of the Berne Conference, which offers with nature conservation areas like this one. On the finish of 2021, they obtained an official suggestion from the Standing Committee of the Berne Conference which suggested Ukraine to desert the development of a wind energy plant in Borzhava.
“It’s clear that there shall be vital impression on the biodiversity curiosity [from the potential construction of wind turbines]; thus various websites ought to be sought [to construct the wind power plant] the place the impression can be a lot much less and wouldn’t impinge on an Emerald Community web site, however would permit the same contribution to be made to Ukraine’s renewable vitality targets,” the official doc says.
However because the doc was solely a “suggestion”, the Ukrainian management reacted accordingly (i.e. did nothing).
Recent wounds
The combat for Borzhava has been happening for over 5 years. At some factors, the case was virtually resolved in favour of nature. However only in the near past, the story has gained new momentum.
In October 2023, Oksana Isevych, the deputy head of an NGO referred to as Save Pikui, noticed a number of areas that had been dug up with particular tools. These areas are adjoining to the outdated dust street close to the Temnatyk, Plai and Velykyi Verkh peaks – the “wing” of the Borzhava “hen” that appears towards the settlement of Volovets.
The soil cowl in these areas has been deeply broken, to not point out the vegetation, of which no hint stays. The street itself has now been badly broken by heavy equipment.
The NGO Atmosphere. Folks. Legislation (EPL) stated this was clearly preparatory work for the development of a wind energy plant and printed an attraction to Ukraine’s senior management entitled With a motor grader by the inexperienced coronary heart of the Carpathians, or how “inexperienced” vitality is destroying a nationwide treasure. It was signed by a number of hundred environmentalists, scientists and activists.
EPL obtained the next response from Rostyslav Shurma, Deputy Head of the President’s Workplace: “Please be suggested that your attraction relating to issues associated to the development of a wind energy plant has been forwarded to Ukraine’s Cupboard of Ministers with a request that they think about it in keeping with its competence and inform us of the end result.”
Translation: Yulia Kravchenko, Tetiana Buchkovska. Enhancing: Teresa Pearce.
