18 April — Environment Day
On the third Saturday of April, Ukraine marks the ecological professional holiday, Environment Day. Protected areas in the agglomerations of the industrial cities of Donbas especially need the strengthening of nature-conservation measures.
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Section No. 1 "Bilenke". Kramatorsk regional landscape park
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In the environs of
Kramatorsk lie unique gifts of nature — landscape reserves of local significance.
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| Section No. 1 "Bilenke". Kramatorsk regional landscape park |
The nature-reserve-fund object "Zmiina Hora", covering 246 hectares, has had protected status since 2018.
The reserve lies east of the city and borders the Sloviansk district.
The nature monument is a territory cut by ravines and gullies on the bank of a drying-up river.
The mountain ridges and peaks, heights and hills have their own names and features.
The mountain with a surface outcrop of chalk deposits is called Bila (White). Hrekova Hora is marked by two grottoes, which may have been worked as a flint workshop.
It is crowned by the ten-metre rock Pikova Hora.
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| Kramatorsk. The "Zmiina Hora" reserve. Hrekova Hora |
Red-coloured stones are scattered in a scree across the slopes.
Some basalt monoliths reach a height of 5 metres.
In spring the undulating terrain is covered with varied grasses, among which fescue, feather grass and other steppe plants are found.
Larks, thrushes, linnets and other feathered representatives have taken a liking to the space and desolation. The northern part of Zmiina Hora is planted with pines and acacia. It is divided into 5 sections that surround the city from the north and the south. This unique gift of nature has been protected by the state since 2004.
The Kramatorsk regional nature park
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| Section No. 1 "Bilenke". Kramatorsk regional landscape park |
Section No. 1 "Bilenke" is a virgin steppe with a ridge of wave-like heights.
The hills were given their names for their characteristic features.
Chervona Hora (Red Mountain) contains clay.
Kushchevata is covered with small bushes of steppe vegetation. On Mount ChildHood a resident of Kramatorsk shot a short film of that name about violence among teenagers. A rise elongated from north to south earned the nickname the Dragon's Ridge. A hill with two summits was nicknamed Podviinyi (the Double). Mounts Shchohla, Tupyi Kamin, Morozova, Strunka, Dyka, Kosulyn Budynok — such are the names of the hills in the regional park.
Some species of plants inhabiting the nature park are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
The slopes of the chalk mountains are green with plantings of pines of various ages.
The area cannot be called deserted, since townspeople come to the mountains to ride sledges in the snowy season, fly a kite and admire the panorama of Kramatorsk.
Unfortunately, not all the residents of the neighbouring settlements are fond of the green islets in the industrial zone, and not everyone cares about preserving these unique corners of nature.
In November and December, cases of the felling of coniferous trees (the Crimean pine) are recorded. In spring and summer, deliberate arson destroys the vegetation cover, insects and birds' nests.
The Komyshuvakha section— a unique corner where the beauty of natural landscapes, a place of rest for townspeople, the history of the region, an architectural monument, tales of astonishing fates, incredible legends and even mysticism have come together.
The manor house of the landowner Bantysh built in 1856, is shrouded in legends. The historical and architectural monument is planned to be restored, and a nature museum opened in the estate.
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| The "Komyshuvakha" section. Kramatorsk landscape nature park. Bantysh estate |
The slopes of the winding gullies are covered with forest tracts and carpets of wildflowers. The commonwealth of oaks, ashes, elms, maples and lime ionises the air of the 200,000-strong city and lowers the temperature in the hot summer. On the park territory there is a "Visit Centre" with a complex of tourist services, where you can enjoy the natural beauty, visit a mini-zoo and take a boat ride on Lebedyne Lake.
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| The "Komyshuvakha" section. Kramatorsk landscape nature park. Lebedyne Lake |
The Bilokuzmynivka chalk mountains — a geological
nature monument of local significance. If you drive from Kramatorsk to the south-east, then after 10 kilometres the familiar flat terrain suddenly heaves up into a hilly ridge. Water erosion has divided these unmanmade barrows with gullies and ravines. For Donbas, with its harsh slag heaps, white mountains with smooth summits are a unique natural creation.
The rock strata resemble the sails of a ship half-sunk in a stone abyss. The crag looks like a ruined castle with towers as tall as a nine-storey building.
For its resemblance to a bladed weapon the mountain was named "Mech" (the Sword). Its age is about 90 million years.
From here, on the top of the plateau, as if from a viewing platform, you can admire the vistas with fields and unploughed feather-grass steppes.
Not all tourists consider it their duty to protect it, but they certainly wish to leave their mark. One would like the pristine appearance of the nature monument not to be disturbed by travelling pilgrims.
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