UNEP/CMS/AW-3/Doc.6.2 NATIONAL REPORT FROM UKRAINE This reporting format is designed to monitor the implementation of the Action Plan associated with the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation Measures for the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola). Reporting on the Action Plan’s implementation will support information exchange throughout the range and assist the identification of necessary future actions by the Signatories. The questions presented here go beyond the scope of information already requested from CMS Contracting Parties for national reports to the CMS Conference of the Parties. GENERAL INFORMATION Which agency or institution has been primarily responsible for the preparation of this report? Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine List any other agencies, institutions, or NGOs that have provided input: Ukrainian Society for Bird Protection Reports submitted to date: 30.04.2006, 15.04.2010 Period covered by this report: from 01/05/2010 to 01/04/2015 (dd/mm/yyyy) (dd/mm/yyyy) Memorandum in effect in Signatory since (dd/mm/yyyy): 21/05/2003 Designated Focal Point (and full contact details): Dr. Domashlinets Volodymyr Head of Fauna Protection Division Department of Natural Resources Protection Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Mytropolyta Vasylya Lypkivskogo str., 35 Kyiv, 03035, Ukraine Tel./Fax: +380 44 206 31 27 e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Report prepared: Dr. POLUDA Anatolii Expert of Ukrainian Society for Protection of Birds Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, Bogdana Khmelnitskogo Str. 15, 01601 Kyiv 30, Ukraine Tel/Fax: +380 44 235 01 12, E-mail: [email protected] OBJECTIVES 1.0 POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE 1.1. To promote national and international broad policies and legislation which favour the conservation of the Aquatic Warbler and its habitat 1.1.1. Promote the full protection of the Aquatic Warbler and its habitats through national and international legislation a) Is the Aquatic Warbler protected under national legislation in your country? Yes, the species is protected and protection level is sufficient Yes, the species is protected, but protection level is not sufficient No, the species is not protected b) If Yes, please describe the state of protection and limitations and conservation responsibilities this protection status imposes on the state, conservationists and land-users. Aquatic Warbler is included in the Third Edition of the National Red Data Book (2009). According to the Law of Ukraine «About the Red Data Book» (2002) sites of habitat of the Red Data Book species (including Aquatic Warbler) should be included into nature-reserved fund of state importance. c) If the Aquatic Warbler is not protected or protection level is not sufficient, please describe what your country is planning to do to ensure highest possible protection of the species. d) Is there national legislation in place in your country that ensures effective protection of Aquatic Warbler habitat (breeding, stop-over and wintering sites), including prevention of potentially detrimental activities (drainage, mineral extraction, industry, etc.). Yes No e) If Yes, please provide details. Nearly almost 85% of Aquatic Warbler breeding sites in Ukraine included in protected territories. The Law of Ukraine “About Nature-reserved Fund of Ukraine” (1992) ensures effective protection of Aquatic Warbler breeding habitats. Ukraine is a Party to the Bern Convention and CMS to which appendices the species is included. f) If No, please describe measures taken to ensure protection of Aquatic Warbler breeding habitats. 1.1.2. Seek national or international policy incentives to maintain suitable farming practices at breeding/migration/wintering sites which are impacted by drainage or threatened by succession Are there any national or international policy incentives to maintain suitable farming practices at sites occupied by the Aquatic Warbler in your country (agro-environmental schemes, etc.)? Yes No Country is outside of breeding range 2 If yes, please describe briefly the nature of the incentives and whether they are effectively applied or used by farmers and land-managers. If no, please describe what measures are being taken to ensure availability of such incentives. Development of the National Programme for Biodiversity Conservation 2.0 SPECIES AND HABITAT PROTECTION 2.1. To promote adequate protection of sites occupied by the Aquatic Warbler and remove key factors adversely affecting the habitat 2.1.1. Seek designation as protected areas of all sites regularly holding breeding Aquatic Warblers. a) In the table attached (Annex I), please provide details for all regularly occupied Aquatic Warbler sites in your country and indicate their protection status (please expand the table if necessary). b) If Aquatic Warbler sites currently are not fully protected or protection level is not sufficient, please provide information about constraints and what your country is planning to do to ensure full and adequate protection of these sites. The important condition of protection of AW is the conservation of its breeding sites. Without giving to these territories the legal status of protected areas this is difficult to ensure. And, undoubtedly, more reliable guarantee of their protection is a high conservation category of such areas. In 2007 the National Nature Park “Prypyat-Stokhid” was established and the protected status of AW sites became better. Now most part of birds (more than 55 %) habitats is located on the territories of national natural parks. 5 % and 19 % of Ukrainian AW breed on territories of zakazniks of national and local importance, respectively. Nearly 15% of the birds habitats are outside of protected areas. However, it is necessary to emphasize that the majority of these territories are at different stages of preparatory works on giving them the protected status. It is very important to create 3 reserves of state importance in Volyn region (The Prypiat population group) - UA-20: Turiia valley, marsh “Vyzhery”, UA-23: Styr valley, area between Naviz – Kolky, UA-24: Lakes Bile and Pisochne . Its total area of suitable biotopes is 725 ha (nearly 10% of Ukrainian AW area). c) If Site Management Plans have not been developed for all Aquatic Warbler sites, please describe what hampers development of Management Plans and what your country is doing to ensure development, approval and implementation of Site Management Plans for regular Aquatic Warbler sites. In 2007 due to the grant provided by the British Council (Ukrainian Office) the detailed study of 8 permanent breeding sites of the Desna-Dnipro population group (Kyiv and Chernigiv regions) was carried out. Besides, AW counts and hydrological measurements, there were other activities conducted to provide for more effective monitoring and management of the habitats. This list of activities includes: geobotanical description of habitats; detailed threats analysis; and developing objectives and recommendations for site management with accounting for conservation needs and community interests. Management Plans for sites of the Pripyat population group are under development. 3 d) Please advise what assistance you would require to complete or improve existing Site Management Plans. The financial support is required to improve the situation with Site Management Plans. 2.1.2. Prevent habitat alteration, habitat fragmentation, pollution and other factors that could be detrimental to the Aquatic Warbler in sites it regularly occupies for breeding/migration/wintering. a) Are new development projects that could potentially have a detrimental effect on current or potential Aquatic Warbler sites (such as drainage, peat extraction, construction of highways, etc.) subject to environmental impact assessment in your country? Yes No b) Have there been any potentially detrimental projects implemented in any Aquatic Warbler habitat in your country since signing this Memorandum of Understanding? Yes No c) If yes, indicate sites involved, give details and describe the outcome of impact monitoring if available. More than 20 years drainage melioration not is carried out in Ukraine. Though the attempts of the disguised drainage are undertaken regularly. One of them is the deepening of the river-bed on some parts of the Prypiat in 2004-2007 (the “Ecology-2010” Programme). As a result of the deepening works the water level of the river and the adjacent parts of the floodplain decreased by more than 50 cm of usual level. The number of the AW decreased significantly after the start of riverbed-deepening works - it was particularly noticeable in 2008, despite the fact that the year was rather water abundant. The total number of the AW was the lowest in the last 10 years being 80-100 males comparing with 300–350 in 2004. d) Has implementation of any potentially detrimental project in any Aquatic Warbler habitat in your country been halted since signing this Memorandum of Understanding? Yes No e) If Yes, please give details. Due to activity of Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds and Administration of National Nature Park “Prypiat-Stokhid” in 2008-2009 the works on deepening of the river Prypiat (the “Ecology-2010” Programme) were not carried out. The threat of resumption of such works remains. 2.2. To manage the breeding habitat to increase numbers, productivity and distribution and manage migration and wintering sites. 2.2.1. Regulate water levels and restore natural water conditions a) Has water management been implemented at Aquatic Warbler breeding/migration/wintering sites in your country? Yes No b) If Yes, please describe actions taken, sites involved and effects expected/achieved. 4 The greatest number of AW in Ukraine is located in valley of the rivers Prypiat and Tsyr between Vetly, Birky and Tsyr (UA-14). The part of the area is under influence of drainage canals. They are dug through the western and central parts of the area. Negative impact of the canals on about 120–150 ha of AW habitat can be proved based on our observations. There are no adjusting sluices at these drainage canals.