Gorgany Nature Reserve

Gorgany Nature Reserve is a nature protection research institution. Its main tasks are protection and preservation of natural complexes and sites, conducting scientific research and observations of the environment, working on nature protection recommendations, and popularizing ecological education. Its main goal is to preserve unique pristine forests, especially those where Alpine Stone Pine grows.

History

The reserve consists of two Nature Protection Research Departments – Gorganskyi and Chernykivskyi. Its total area is 5344,2 ha, the surrounding protected area is 3852.8 ha.

The reserve is situated in the eastern part of Gorgany mountain group within altitudes of 750 to 1754 m above sea level.

The highest peaks are Dovbushanka (1754 m above sea level) and Vedmezhyk (1737 m above sea level). The sources of about 30 rivers – tributaries of the Bystrytsia Nadvirnianska are here.

In 1935 metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi founded the first Gorgany Cedar Reserve. In 1940, the Ukrainian SSR government issued a decree “On establishing the Gorgany State Reserve” (50 thousand ha), which was never properly established because of the war outbreak. From 1950 to 1980, a number of wildlife reserves, natural monuments and protected sites were set up on the territory of Nadvirna Forestry Enterprise.

In 1974 Gorgany Protected Forestry was organized. On September 2, 1996 the Gorgany Nature Reserve was established by decree of the President of Ukraine. Its territory included landscape reserves of state significance Dzyrdzi and Sadky, protected natural sites Ghernyk, Hnyliak, Novobudova, Elmy, Dovzhynets and Stoly. By the order of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast State Administration, in 1997 the protected zone 750-1100 m wide on the perimeter was established consisting of five forestries bordering on the reserve.

Flora and fauna

Forest vegetation prevails in the reserve (85.5% of the area). Coniferous forests dominate here (4524.8 ha), broad-leaved forests occupy approximately 1 % of the area covered with forests (45.7 ha).

Flora of the reserve consists of 459 species of vascular plants and 235 species of moss. The uniqueness of the reserve’s vegetation lies in the fact that it remains in the natural, almost pristine condition on most of its territory, while the specificity and variety of landscape conditions contributed to the formation of a great variety of plant species, among which a bigger part comprises rare, relict and endemic plants (which may be found only here). The rarest are Purple and Military Orchid, Common Twayblade, Frog Orchid and Perennial Honesty. Also on the territory of the reserve, there are five species of mushrooms which are included in the Red Book of Ukraine.

The fauna of the reserve is diverse. It is represented by the typical species of the central part of Ukrainian Carpathians. 1000 species of invertebrata and 174 species of vertebrata are registered in the reserve, among them there are about 12 species of fish, 9 species of amphibia, 6 species of reptile, 104 species of birds, 42 species of mammals. 33 of them are included in the Red Book of Ukraine. In the reserve one may see Brown Bear, Red Deer, Snow Vole, Montane Water Vole, Carpathian Squirrel, Mole, Mediterranean Water Shrew, Grey Wagtail, Alpine Accentor, Ring Ouzel, Three-toed Woodpecker, Nutcracker, White-backed Woodpecker, Capercaillie (local people call it Gotur), Yellow-bellied Toad, Spotted Salamander, Triturus Alpestris, Bull Trout (local people call it Pstruh) etc.

Because of great vulnerability of rare species of flora and fauna, tours on the territory of the reserve are forbidden. Environmental sites of the reserve may be visited only for scientific purposes, with the permission of the reserve authorities, and by being accompanied by the assigned employees. For this purpose, 14 scientific and educational pathways were organized. They are surrounded by the most intact habitats of species and population in existing natural ecosystems in the world and the least changed landscapes.

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According to the framework of the National Development Program of Reserve Management and Studies in Ukraine, by 2025 the territory of The Nature Reserve Fund is planned to be increased. The present comparatively small area of the Reserve cannot fully represent the physiographic region of Gorgany. The enlargement of the territory to 12 thousand ha will enable this territory to become the nucleus and ecological corridor for the free movement of animals, and in this way it will be connected with the neighboring protected areas, forming a single nature protection system of the Ukrainian Carpathians.