Nature
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Flora of the region is rich and diverse. It encompasses over 2 thousand species of higher cryptogamous and flowering plants (among which are 70 species of trees, 110 species of shrubs, and grasses), circa 500 species of deciduous mosses and 860 lichens.

The main forest-forming species are forest beech (Fagus silvatica), european fir (Picea abies), white fir (Abies alba), common oak and rock oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatatnus), grey alder (Alnus incana), cedar pine (Pinus cembra) etc. Among the shrubs those having edificator-cenoforming value are: purple pussy-willow, blackening pussy-willow and osier (Salix purpurea, S. nigricans, S. viminalis) growing in river valleys; hazel (Coryllus avellana), bloody dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), common juniper (Juniperus communis) – these form secondary groups in the forest massif belt; mountain pine (Pinus myghus), siberian juniper (Juniperus sibirica), green alder (Alnus viridis) and east-carpathian rhododendron (Rhododendron kotschyi). Flowering plants and grasses are presented by more than 1500 species, among which are almost 300 officinal herbs and also many edible, dye and tanning herbs.

The highland flora is especially original and rich. It has 26 common-carpathian endemic species, 74 east-carpathian endemic species, 80 arctic and 60 arctoalpine species which are mostly rare plants. Carpathian endemics are moldavian monkshood (Aconitum moldavicum), Carpathian bell-flower (Campanula carpatica), Carpathian fescue (Festuca carpatica), Opiz’s lady’s smock (Cardamine opizii), meadow grass (Poa granitica) etc, east carpathian ones are Host’s monkshood (Aconitum hosteanum), Krajn’s milk-vetch (Astragalus krajnae), Carpathian centaury (Centaurea carpatica) and others.

Relic flora is also distinguished by its diversity. Tertiary period relics are Hungarian gravel bind (Soldanella hungarica), (Homogyne alpina) etc; glacial age relics are pussy willow (Salix herbacea), rockfoil (Saxifraga aizooides), alpine aster (Aster alpinus) etc.

Tirlich (42 K)
© Photo by Vasyl Myroniuk

The fauna of vertebrates in the Ukrainian Carpathians is presented by 435 species, including: fishes – 53, amphibia – 17, reptiles - 11, birds - 280, mammals - 74 species. The dominating ones are: the yellow bellied toad (Bombina variegata L.), grass frog (Rana temporaria L.), carpathian newt (Triturus montandoni Boul.); from reptiles - the viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara Jacq.); from birds - water pipit (Anthus spinoletta L.), jay (Garrulus glandarius L.), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs L.), white-crop thrush (Turdus torquatus), mountain wagtail (Motacilla cinerea Tunst.) etc; from mammals - the forest vole (Clethrionomys glareolus schreb.), Sorex araneus L., the Carpathian squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris carpathicus Pietr.), the fox (Vulpes vulpes L.).

The indicator species of the region are the alpine newt (Triturus alpestris Laur.), the spotty salamander (Salamandra salamandra L.), the carpathian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus rudolfi Dombr.), the carpathian two-tail owl (Strix uralensis macrura Wolf.), the carpathian white-back woodpecker (Dendrocopus leucotus carpathicus But.), Loxia curvirostra, Sicista betulina Pall., the Sherman vole (Arvisola terrestris Scherman Shaw.), the brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) and the carpathian deer (Cervus elaphus carpathicus) and others.

The endemic species among the vertebrates are: the carpathian newt (Triturus montandarius), the carpathian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus rudolfi Dombr.), the carpathian squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris carpathicus Pietr.) and others.

As a result of economic activity of human the fauna of vertebrates became scanty. Today enrichment of forest fauna comes to protection of the carpathian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus rudolfi Dombr.), the north-european heath-cock (Lyrurus tetrix L.) and others from final extinction. Fauna of mountain rivers also needs enrichment. For instance, almost extinct brook trout (Salmo trutta morpha favio L.) is to be reacclimatized.

European lynx (25 K)
© Photo by Igor Kropivnitsky

In the last years in the Ukrainian Carpathians the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, the The State Reserve «Gorgany», the «Vyzhnyskyy», the «Synevyr», the “Uzhanskyy”, and the “Skolivski Beskydy” national parks, reginal landscape park «Nadsiansky» were created . On the Ukrainian Roztotchya the National Nature Park “Yavorivskyy” was created. On December, 1998, UNESÑO Programme commission “Man and Biosphere” officially confirmed two Ukrainian reserve territories –“Uzhanskyy” National Nature Park (39159 ha) and “Nadsyanskyy” Regional Landscape Park (19428). They became the parts of the “Eastern Carpathians” International Biosphere Reserve. Together with neighbouring Polish “Beschadsky” National Park (27064 ha), “Cisnyansko-Vetlinsky” Landscape Park (46025 ha), “Dolyna Syanu” Landscape Park (35635 ha), and Slovakian “Polonyny” National Park they create one nature reservation international territorial complex that does not have any analogues all over the world.

National Nature Park “Yavorivskyy”
32, Lvivska St.
Ivano-Frankove, Yavorivskyy district
Lviv region
Ukraine
Tel.: (380 259) 23135, 23134

"Carpathian watch" in the Carpathian reserve (43 K)
© 1999 Carpathian school

General information | Flora | Fauna | Reserve territories | Contact addresses