{"id":3750,"date":"2024-10-15T00:46:59","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T21:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uanimals.org\/media\/?p=3750"},"modified":"2025-01-31T14:46:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T12:46:26","slug":"step-u-vohni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uanimals.org\/media\/en\/statti-en\/step-u-vohni\/","title":{"rendered":"Steppe on Fire: How the War is Transforming the Kamianska Sich National Nature Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\u201c<\/span><\/em>On February 22, 2022, we were in the park on an expedition. We had come to study the population of the Red Data Book species, Crocus reticulatus. It was so quiet,\u201d<\/em> recalls Oleksandr Khodosovtsev, an employee of the Kamianska Sich National Nature Park. \u201cThat was the first time we recorded a white-tailed eagle in the park, and by evening, we reached Puhach Cape. Around 4 o\u2019clock, we set off for Kherson. Only 36 hours remained until the full-scale invasion.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The invaders entered Kamianska Sich on March 9. After nine months, the Ukrainian Armed Forces drove them out of the steppe in the northern Kherson region, but the park remains under threat from russian forces on the left bank of the Dnipro. Enemy drones hover over the area, and combat engineers are clearing mines by the hundreds.<\/span><\/p>\n

The park also bears the scars of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam, as part of the former Kakhovka Reservoir\u2019s water area used to be part of Kamianska Sich.<\/span><\/p>\n

How has the war altered the landscape, and how does it continue to influence it?\u00a0 What is happening in this nature park under constant fire? UAnimals Media spoke to the park\u2019s researchers, who initiated its creation \u2014 Ivan Moisiyenko and Oleksandr Khodosovtsev. Both are professors at the Department of Botany at Kherson State University.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

A Diversity of the Steppes<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most of Ukraine\u2019s steppe reserves are located on the left bank of the Dnipro River and in the south. Kamianska Sich, on the other hand, preserves steppe ecosystems on the right bank in the northern part of the Kherson region. And what a steppe it is!<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]\u201cThis is an area of true, or temperate, steppe,\u201d<\/em> explains Ivan Moisiyenko. However, it\u2019s not just that. On the south-facing slopes, there are fragments of desert steppe. Its natural zone in Ukraine stretches as a thin strip along the Black Sea. In addition, the park hosts species from the meadow steppes of the forest-steppe zone, such as Stipa tirsa and the European feather grass.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDesert steppes are located 150 kilometers to the south, while the forest-steppe lies about 200 kilometers to the north. Yet all of these are present in Kamianska Sich! This is truly a unique diversity of steppes,\u201d<\/em> summarizes Ivan Moisiyenko.<\/span><\/p>\n

The botanist is also proud of his discovery in the park: \u201cDuring an expedition, I spotted an unusual grass. It turned out to be <\/em><\/span>Psathyrostachys juncea<\/b>. This is only the fourth recorded site in Ukraine and the first on the right bank of the Dnipro. Usually, Psathyrostachys juncea is found in the semi-deserts of Kazakhstan.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Overall, about 500 plant species grow in the park, 10% of which are protected.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Stipa tirsa. Source: Wikimedia Commons\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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European feather grass. Source: Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Psathyrostachys juncea. Source: SEINet<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Why has the steppe survived here? Parts of it were once used as sheep pastures, so they were never plowed. The broad Mylivska and Kamianska ravines, with their limestone slopes where the Kamianka River once A meander is a curve in the channel of a river.<\/span>meandered<\/span><\/span>, also remained untouched. Ivan Moisiyenko and Oleksandr Khodosovtsev proposed to the government that this area be designated a protected nature reserve. They had been studying the steppe long before the park was finally officially established in 2019. Ivan recalls, \u201c<\/em><\/span>At first, the steppe seemed just vast. But as we started studying it, we discovered it was also incredibly rich!\u201d<\/b><\/em> And not just plant-wise.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThat Mole Vole Ruined All Our Excavations!\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/em>Archaeologists were excavating a Late Scythian settlement. The site was riddled with holes, like Swiss cheese. They asked, \u2018What\u2019s been digging around here?\u2019\u201d<\/em> Ivan Moisiyenko remembers when he was surveying the future park\u2019s territory. The culprit was the endangered northern mole vole. \u201cThat mole vole of yours ruined all our excavations!\u201d<\/em> the archaeologists complained.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Mole Vole. Photo by Peter Romanow. Source: BioLib.cz<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Kamianska Sich is home to a large population of mole voles, a small rodent that spends most of its life underground, feeding on the roots of plants. In Ukraine, it is classified as an endangered species.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another creature that troubles archaeologists is the solifuge, a member of the arachnid family. \u201cThis unique species comes to us from the east, from Crimea, and can be found in Kamianska Sich. They look quite terrifying as they scuttle about!\u201d<\/em> Ivan says. \u201cWe had to hide from those solifuges during our expedition in Kazakhstan. They were huge, running around at night. I even saw them in Morocco. And now they\u2019re here in Sich!\u201d<\/em><\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Solifuge. Photo by Arthur Tiutenko. Source: \u00abNature Images\u00bb<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Ivan Moisiyenko first encountered the solifuge in the Kherson region in 2017, and it was, without exaggeration, the meeting of the century. Together with his Polish colleagues, he documented the find in the Ukrainian Entomological Journal. While preparing the academic <\/span>paper<\/span><\/a>, they unearthed records showing that solifuges were last seen in the Kherson Governorate in 1886-1887. No one had seen them since \u2014 until 130 years later when a solifuge was encountered near Kamianska Sich!<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The Park After the Invasion<\/span><\/h2>\n

The park was liberated from russian forces on November 10, 2022. On December 1, 2022, Ivan Moisiyenko and Oleksandr Khodosovtsev made their first visit back to the park after its liberation. They were greeted by tons of trash left behind by the invaders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We had heard about the \u2018love for cleanliness\u2019 of the russian military, but seeing it in person… It was shocking. There was an enormous amount of household waste; about 300 tons were removed from the park,\u201d<\/b><\/em> Oleksandr recounts. Nothing remained of the park\u2019s property \u2014 its administrative building was in ruins. During the occupation, the russians took everything: office equipment, vehicles, and boats.<\/span><\/p>\n

During their first visit, the researchers inspected the steppe slopes of the Mylivska ravine. On their second attempt to access the same area, the military blocked them, as the site had been remotely mined with \u201cbutterfly\u201d mines, Oleksandr explains: \u201cIt\u2019s still inaccessible because no one has cleared these butterflies.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On June 30, the scientists descended to the bottom of the former Kakhovka Reservoir for the first time. \u201cThe water had receded more than 10 meters vertically. It was like some kind of Martian landscape,\u201d<\/em> recalls Oleksandr.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another remarkable discovery was the reappearance of the Kamianka River, which had existed in this area until 1956 and now flows again through the steppe. In the 18th century, a Cossack fortress called the Kamianska Sich is an administrative and military centre of the Zaporizhian Cossacks.<\/span>Kamianska Sich<\/span><\/span>, which gave the park its name, stood along its banks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore, we studied nature. I [focused on] lichens while Ivan [studied] plants,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr says. \u201cWe never thought we\u2019d end up studying the impact of war on the environment. But from our first expedition [after the invasion], that\u2019s exactly what we started doing.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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What Is Impacting the Park\u2019s Ecosystem?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00b7 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ALTERED LANDSCAPE<\/b><\/h3>\n

Explosions in the steppe have left craters\u2014areas of Bombturbation is the disturbance of soil caused by explosions.<\/span>bombturbation<\/span><\/span>. russian forces also dug trenches and other fortifications on the slopes of the ravines. \u201cThe worst part is that a few trenches were dug directly in the untouched, virgin steppe within the protected zone. There aren\u2019t many, but they\u2019re there,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

These fortifications alter the landscape of the flat steppe. Weeds quickly take over these depressions, making it difficult for steppe plants to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s also a trap for animals. Burrowing animals dig into the trenches, fall in, and can\u2019t get out \u2014 both insects and rodents. In Kamianska Sich, even a roe deer fell into a trench and died,\u201d<\/em> adds Ivan Moisiyenko.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to park employees, restoring the steppe will require human assistance. Trenches need to be filled in layers: soil on top and limestone on the bottom. Seeds of steppe plants should be sown into the ground. However, this can only be done after complete demining.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u00b7 \u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 MINES<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe impact of mining on nature is minimal. In some cases, you could even say it\u2019s positive, mostly for the plant cover, since people can no longer access these areas for illegal activities. It provides temporary extra protection for the reserve,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr explains.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, in mined areas, no field research or monitoring can be conducted \u2014 only remote observations are possible. In addition, animals can <\/span>trigger mines<\/span><\/a>. Mines also cause chemical contamination of the soil that can persist for decades.<\/span><\/p>\n

The park is being demined by its director, Serhiy Skoryk, along with six volunteer employees who underwent training to become deminers. They carry out the demining work partly on their own and partly in collaboration with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Let\u2019s Support Ukrainian National Parks!<\/p>\n

UAnimals has provided Kamianska Sich\u2019s deminers with two mobile drone detection systems, MDDSR1 \u201cXeon-M.\u201d We also purchased and delivered a DJI Mavic Air 3 Fly More Combo drone. Thanks to this drone, the volunteers can monitor fires and the overall situation in the park.<\/p>\n

All of this was made possible by donations from people who care. You can become a donor, too!<\/p>\n

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Support UAnimals<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]As of early September, 639 TM-62 anti-tank mines were <\/span>discovered<\/span><\/a> and neutralized in the park. The workers handed them over to the National Police of Ukraine\u2019s Tsunami assault regiment, which is part of the separate Liut (Fury) assault brigade. These munitions will be used to liberate the left bank of the Kherson region.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 FIRES<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/b><\/em>Fires that occur once every 5-10 years can even benefit the steppe, but frequent fires are harmful,\u201d<\/em> says Ivan. \u201cGrassy plants generally aren\u2019t affected by the fires; they have underground bulbs that allow them to regenerate the following year. However, shrubs suffer because their regenerative buds are located above the ground.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

According to the scientist, fires don\u2019t cause catastrophic damage to the steppe itself. However, the frequency of fires has exceeded the \u201csafe\u201d limit. The area is constantly burning due to artillery fire or explosives from drones. While the park recorded only three fires in 2021, there were 26 in 2022, 34 in 2023, and more than 30 already in 2024, with the total expected to surpass 50 by the end of the year.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Oleksandr says that fire and heat affect different elements of the Lithophytes are plants that can grow on stones without soil cover. <\/span>biotopes<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in various ways. He studies lichens: \u201cIf lichens are exposed to thermal radiation from an explosion in the early morning when everything is moist, they will die. We studied one such explosion site and found that within a 100-meter radius of the epicenter, the trees were alive, but the lichens on them had perished.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, lichens that grow on limestone are incredibly resilient. \u201cWe examined a crater in the rocky steppe after a Grad [rocket] hit and just a meter from the explosion\u2019s epicenter, we found live lichens on the stones,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr explains.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u00b7 \u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span>DAM DESTRUCTION<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/b>In any case, <\/span>the biggest impact on the park\u2019s ecosystems came from the destruction of the [Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant] dam<\/b><\/em>,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr Khodosovtsev asserts. The landscape has since changed, and scientists now face the question: what will become of this territory? It was a disaster for aquatic ecosystems, which have simply disappeared. \u201cHowever, the recovery of terrestrial ecosystems on the former Kakhovka Reservoir\u2019s bed is happening at a rapid pace,\u201d<\/em> Oleksandr adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many have heard of the willow thickets that have <\/span>sprouted<\/span><\/a> from the silt on the former reservoir bed. Even botanists did not expect nature to recover at such a pace. \u201cBut the slopes covered in meters-thick layers of dead shells are slow to regrow,\u201d<\/em> says Ivan Moisiyenko.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his view, the spread of steppe vegetation to the slopes is being hindered by a strip of willows and reeds that grew along the former shoreline. Still, Ivan is confident that a so-called Lithophytes are plants that can grow on stones without soil cover. <\/span>lithophytic<\/span> <\/span>steppe<\/span> will eventually form on the shell deposits: \u201cThis is an ideal environment for such steppes. There\u2019s no doubt that they will recover; it will just take time. If the war ended, we could launch a project to restore the lithophytic steppe.\u201d<\/em> This would involve mowing steppe plants and scattering hay with seeds onto the shell deposits. Otherwise, weeds will take hold first, slowing the steppe\u2019s recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2024, botanists visited the bed of the former Kakhovka Reservoir in the Zaporizhzhia region. The area was vast: the distance to the left bank was 15 kilometers. According to the researchers, the situation in the natural environment there is similar to that in Kamianska Sich.<\/span><\/p>\n

It turns out that the willow thickets will soon become a forest. Previously, these thickets were only called a forest metaphorically, as a true forest has different layers. Now, those layers are beginning to form. Ivan explains: \u201c<\/em><\/span>This year, we observed a more complex plant structure and the development of layers. The tallest willows have risen above the herb layer \u2014 this is now the shrub layer; bryophytes have appeared, forming the moss-lichen layer. In our classification, plants taller than 5 meters fall into the tree layer. Next year, the tree layer will definitely appear, and a forest will have formed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The number of plant species on the former reservoir bed has also increased. During the first expedition, 11 species were recorded. During the second, 69 species were found, and in the third expedition to the Zaporizhzhia region, around 30 more species were discovered. In total, more than 100 species of plants have appeared in the area within a year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, a protected species, rye sedge, was found on the former bed for the first time. \u201c<\/strong><\/em><\/span>This indicates that the plant cover is acquiring conservation value,\u201d<\/strong><\/em> says Ivan.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThey Directed Fire at Us\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Near Kamianska Sich, the Dnipro River is 4-5 kilometers wide, with its narrowest point being just 3 kilometers and 300 meters across. \u201c<\/strong><\/em><\/span>You can see people walking [on the other shore] through binoculars,\u201d <\/b><\/em>says Ivan Moisiyenko. This area is easily reachable by russian drones and artillery, which regularly bombard the park. Despite this, the park\u2019s security service and its director, Serhiy Skoryk, remain on-site, demining the area, monitoring fires, and keeping an eye on the water bodies.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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On the left is Serhiy Skoryk\u2014the director of the park. Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Even in demined areas, research is impossible due to the threat from russian drones. Oleksandr Khodosovtsev recalls an incident in October 2023 when a reconnaissance drone hovered over him:<\/span> \u201c<\/span>They directed fire at us. Five minutes after we moved away, they fired three mortar shells at that spot.\u201d<\/b><\/em> FPV drones, which are now frequently used, can be almost undetectable, and there isn\u2019t always enough time to react. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The only defense against them is EW stands for electronic warfare measures that can jam drones.<\/span>EW<\/span>, but you can\u2019t stay in a vehicle all the time \u2014 you\u2019ll need to step out into nature. To properly document the vegetation on a monitoring plot, you need an hour. In that time, enemy drones will definitely spot you.\u201d<\/em> As for zoologists, they haven\u2019t even been able to conduct research in the park, as their tasks require significantly more time.<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point, the researchers are not only focusing on nature but have also begun collecting data on human activity. This includes the memories of park employees\u2014nature protection inspectors \u2014 who, during the occupation, assisted the Ukrainian Armed Forces in destroying a significant amount of enemy equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The botanists are also searching for information about the first Ukrainian soldiers who entered Kamianska Sich after its liberation. Oleksandr explains: \u201c<\/em><\/span>We want to learn the names of the fallen Ukrainian heroes who were the first to step onto the park\u2019s steppe slopes and honor their memory. Unfortunately, their vehicle hit a mine, and they all perished.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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This was found in the park after deoccupation. Source: Kamianska Sich National Nature Park<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Reaching the Old Riverbed<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ivan Moisiyenko and Oleksandr Khodosovtsev are determined to continue their research, and they remain hopeful that, despite current conditions, they will be able to work directly in Kamianska Sich. So far, they have managed to visit the northern edges of two ravines, which were previously inlets of the Kakhovka Reservoir. Now, they aim to reach the Dnipro River\u2019s course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think Ivan Ivanovych [Moisiyenko] and I will experience a new emotional surge when we finally reach the Dnipro\u2019s shore in Kamianska Sich,\u201d<\/em> says Oleksandr.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The researchers are particularly eager to reach the Dnipro\u2019s original bank, which existed before 1956 and is now once again in its original location. They hope to explore the main riverbed and observe the liberated left bank of the Kherson region from the right side of the Dnipro.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″]\n

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<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This publication was compiled with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework \u00abEuropean Renaissance of Ukraine\u00bb project. Its content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\u201cOn February 22, 2022, we were in the park on an expedition. We had come to study the population of the Red Data Book species, Crocus reticulatus. It was so quiet,\u201d recalls Oleksandr Khodosovtsev, an employee of the Kamianska Sich National Nature Park. \u201cThat was the first time we recorded a white-tailed eagle in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[75,63,38,74,126,113],"topic":[76,92],"class_list":["post-3750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-statti-en","tag-ekotsyd-en","tag-okupatsiia-en","tag-nauka-en","tag-viyna-en","tag-wild-en","tag-dyki-en","topic-nadvazhlyvi-en","topic-obureni-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSteppe on Fire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is happening in Ukrainian nature park under constant fire? Read in this article, which is part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uanimals.org\/media\/en\/statti-en\/step-u-vohni\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Steppe on Fire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is happening in Ukrainian nature park under constant fire? 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