The Drevlyan nature reserve is located in the Narodytska community on land contaminated by radionuclides after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Two years ago, it suffered from large-scale forest fires, and this year – from the Russian invasion.
-Due to shelling, 2,100 hectares of the reserve were burned. The pine trees planted as part of the campaign “Let’s green the planet together with the Yves Rocher Ukraine Foundation” under the auspices of the Institut de France also burned down.
-The russians mutilated a 600-year-old oak over 25 meters high. The tree was fenced and had a sign saying that it was a nature reserve, but the occupiers deliberately set it on fire “to keep warm.” Oak was of special recreational value. Every year he gathered tourists from all over Ukraine under his branch.
-The russians left behind them mined lands and blown-up bridges, which greatly complicates the possibility of extinguishing forest fires: it is dangerous for workers to move through the reserve (in September, a forester’s car was blown up by a mine) and it is difficult to get to the centers of fires. Part of the territory of the reserve was demined. In one place alone, over 40 anti-tank mines were removed and about 10 anti-personnel mines were neutralized. Employees of the reserve helped the armed forces with the demining of the territory.
-The local shrine – the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God in the village of Vyazzka – also came under fire. The church was built in 1862.
The work of the reserve workers continues even during the war. And the reserve needs help: we need spare parts, fuel, a color printer (there was one and it broke), a camera, a laptop (currently there is 1 computer per 3-4 people in the reserve).
If you can help the nature reserve, call 04140-2-13-25 or write to the nature reserve’s page.
Photo Drevlyan Nature Reserve
