Project Accomplishments

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2. PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

Practical experience and scientific research have demonstrated that so far the network of specially protected areas being created on the basis of the Scheme is not representative of all most valuable ecosystems and species.

 

The results achieved have fallen short of the target of establishing an integrated and comprehensive system of protected areas in the valleys of the Dnipro, Desna and Sozh rivers. Migratory species are still at risk.

 

The Project will provide the scientific rationale for identifying the Dnipro River Source complex landscape reserve as a specially protected area and will identify the status and borders and the management regime of this area. It is expected that the necessity of creating a new protected area will be preliminarily discussed and coordinated with local environmental bodies, local administrations and self-government bodies. The Project final goal is to include the newly-established specially protected area into the new revised version of the Scheme of rational distribution of specially protected areas of the Russian Federation.

 

The 1st phase resulted in the preparation of basic cartographic and forest management materials and collection and analysis of available information. In June and July 2002 a comprehensive scientific field study of the area was conducted. Figure # 2 represents the fragment of soil classification map of the planned nature reserve witnessing to the soil variety at this area.

 

A preliminary analysis and generalization of the data obtained indicate that the establishment of a new protected area (preserve) – the Dnipro River Source – will significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts in the Dnipro Basin. This area is a constituent part of a migration corridor of European significance. According to preliminary data it is home for at least 12 rare endangered plant species listed in the red books of the Smolensk region and the Russian Federation.

 

The area is very diverse and rich in plant and animal species many of which are listed in the regional Red Book of endangered species.

 

In addition it has an important international role in preserving some rare and vanishing species found in Europe.

 

When creating a hydrological preserve, it will not suffice to establish such management regime that will help preserve natural river flow formation conditions but it is also necessary to examine ways to exploit its tourist potential. This preserve has the potential to and should be turned into an interesting tourist attraction.

 

The Dnipro River source is a site which will be of interest not only to the residents of the Smolensk region but also to visitors from many other parts of the country as well as from the near and far abroad. Like the Volga River source, the Dnipro River source is something like a holy place for many Russians - the fact that should undoubtedly be used in developing the recreational potential of the region.

 

Undoubtedly, in order to attract tourists it is necessary to develop the river source area and primarily to enhance the aesthetics of this place and develop it in the best possible way. To do so will require the adoption of a land development project which designed on a competitive basis by landscape design experts and designers including Belarus and Ukrainian specialists.

 

The area must be planted with aesthetic forest-plantations and be developed in such a way as to provide comfortable access to water in that part of the river valley where the water flow stabilizes. In future a small hotel or other type of accommodation for tourists should be built in the village of Bocharove. It is well to organize here a small Dnipro River museum enlisting the supporters of this idea from Belarus and Ukraine.

 

The findings of the comparative analysis of estimated indicators could be used to resolve many practical issues.

 

In particular, these findings could be used to justify the distribution and transformation of farmland, conversion of agricultural land to non-farm uses, and to improve land use. They could also be used to identify those crops that are best suited to the local natural conditions and to rationally distribute them in the area occupied by a farm, and to ensure maximum use of such rotation crops which are best suited to the local soil characteristics and economic conditions.

 

Narrow strips within water protection zones of rivers, lakes and water reservoirs are reserved for protective shorelines where restrictions on economic and any other activity are even tighter than those imposed in water protection zones. Water protection zones and protective shorelines of rivers, lakes and other water bodies are subject to special land management regime which involves the imposition of restrictions on certain rights or bans on the exercise of certain land ownership rights of life owners, users or holders whose land plots are located within the above-said zones.

 

The state of water protection zones is a major factor influencing the state of large and small rivers, lakes and water reservoirs.

 

In addition, floodplains located within water protection zones are the best pastures in summertime while bottomland is best suited to growing many field crops. Forests and shrubbery growing in water protection zones – above the floodplain and on slopes of bed-rock banks, ravines and gullies - prevent erosion of banks and soil slips, river-channel silting and influence the river flow and water quality by reducing its hardness and turbidity. Therefore, the disappearance of forests in water protection zones for various reasons may have very negative implications for water bodies.

 

Cultivation of floodplains which are part of water protection zones and protective shorelines leads to the destruction of soil microrelief resulting in the deterioration of the river flow, excessive soil humidification and subsequent swamping of floodplains. Cultivation of floodplains causes damage not only to water bodies but also to soil due to the loss of warp, which is the most fertile soil layer. Normally even very high flood water practically does not wash out this layer as the vegetation cover effectively prevents flood-lands from erosion. Flood-lands are severely damaged by heavy agricultural machinery that leaves deep ruts in the ground which turn into large pools of stagnant water. Subsequently swamping extends into adjacent areas.

 

Historically, floodplains have always been used for grazing. Overgrazing is common and leads not only to the destruction of meadow phytocenoses but also to the degradation of floodplain ecosystems.

 

Floodplain relief undergoes changes with hillocks, bars and holes becoming a regular sight here. The prevailing plant species are grasses resistant to grazing: wormwood, dock, ranunculus, koliuchnik and bluet, etc. Affected are not only meadows but also brushwood and forests. Overgrazing among other things leads to the appearance of cattle tracks and formation of cracks which accumulate water in fall. During frosty spells the water freezes widening cracks and pushing them further inland. The banks subsequently slide and collapse.

 

We should also mention the role of forests adjacent to the Dnipro River source, which is even more significant relative to other river stretches. First, given the small size of the catchments it is not unlikely that 100% or most of the forests may be cleared resulting in the deterioration of soil alimentation and river shallowing. Second, because of the small input of water from tributaries it is highly likely that the river will get silted up. Third, shoreline trees and brushwood play an important role in preventing bank erosion and abrasion and reducing evaporation and absorbing heat. All this must be taken into account when conducting agrotechnical measures such as forest clearing, afforestation and land cultivation in the water protection zone of the Dnipro River and adjoining areas.

 

Under the Water Code of the Russian Federation, all water resources must be protected from pollution, contamination and depletion which may cause damage to human health, reduce fish stocks, adversely affect water supply and have other negative effects due to changes in physical, chemical and hydrobiological properties of water and deterioration of its self-purification capacity.

 

Enforcement of a special management regime in water protection zones is key to improving the hydrological, hydrochemical, hydrobiological, sanitary and ecological parameters of water bodies and developing and improving their shorelines.

 

The size and borders of water protection zones and protective shorelines as well as management regime therein are established taking into account physical, geographical, soil, hydrological and other characteristics with due regard for projected changes in the waterline of water bodies.

 

The Regulation on water protection zones and protective shoreland of water bodies was endorsed by a resolution of the government of the Russian Federation (No 1404 of 23/11/1996 ).

 

The Regulation requires that the width of water protection zones and protective shoreline strips be established

- for rivers, lakes and oxbows – from the average multi-annual waterline in summertime;

- for swamps – from their boundary (zero depth of peat deposits).

 

As regards swamps located in river source areas and swamps that shape the river flow in catchments water protection zones are established in the adjoining areas.

 

The minimum width of water protection zones is established depending on the distance from the river source:

- Up to 10 km – 50 m;

- From 10 to 50 km – 100 m;

- From 50 to 100 km – 200 m;

- From 100 to 200 km – 300 m;

- From 200 to 500 km – 400 m; and

- From 500 km – 500 m.

 

In river sources water protection zones must be at least 50 m wide. The minimum width of water protection zones of lakes and water reservoirs is 300 m (for those with a water area of up to 2 square km) or 500 m (for those with a water area of 2 square km and more). The same rule applies to swamps that form the flow of constant watercourses.

 

Thus, water protection zones in the Dnipro River source area are from 300 to 500 wide and those along the river stretch from the Dnipro River source up to the village of Bolshevo (Novo-Duginskiy district) are 100 m wide.

 

The minimum width of protective shorelines of rivers, lakes, water reservoirs and other water bodies is established as follows:

 

 

The width of protective shorelines in the area under examination varies from 25 to 35 m.

 

The following activities are prohibited within water protection zones:

- aerial spraying and sowing;

- application of pesticides and herbicides;

- application of manure effluents;

- construction of warehouses for storing pesticides, fertilizers, fuels and lubricants, pesticide filling grounds, livestock farms, storage and burial sites for industrial, domestic and agricultural wastes, cemeteries, livestock burial grounds, and wastewater ponds;

- storage of manure and garbage;

- fuelling, washing and servici9g of cars and other transportation means and machinery;

- construction of summerhouses, gardening and vegetable-growing if the water protection zone is less than 100 wide and the rate of adjoining slopes is over 3 degrees;

- car parking including on summerhouse grounds, in gardens, and vegetable gardens;

- clean felling;

- construction and remodelling of buildings, structures, communication lines and other facilities, mining activities as well as excavatory and other works without the permission of basin-wide and regional water management and protection bodies of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.

 

Owners of small holdings, summerhouses, gardens and vegetable gardens located within water protection zones are required to observe management regulations that prohibit pollution, contamination and depletion of water bodies

 

Selection felling and other forest management activities aimed at water protection are not prohibited in water protection zones.

 

As regards protective shorelines, in addition to restrictions imposed by Paragraph 6 of this Regulation the following activities are prohibited:

- land cultivation;

- application of fertilizers;

- dumping of eroded soils;

- grazing and summer pastures (except for usual watering-places), cattle washing;

- erection of seasonal fixed-site holiday camps, construction of summerhouses, gardening, vegetable growing and home building;

- road traffic of motor cars and tractors except for special-purpose motor vehicles.

 

Protective shoreland may be allotted for construction of water supply facilities, recreation facilities, fisheries and game reserves, water intakes, ports and hydrotechnical structures subject to availability of a water use licence requiring compliance with the water protection regime. Protective shorelines must be covered by durilignosa or converted to meadowlands.

 

The responsibility for maintaining water protection zones, protective shorelands and water protection sighs in proper condition rests with water users. The landowners, landholders and users who own water protection zones and protective shorelines must comply with the land management regime established for these zones and strips.

 

The establishment of water protection zones does not entail the confiscation of land from landowners, landholders and land users. Nor does it prohibit land transactions except as otherwise provided by law.

 

Violators of the management regime in water protection zones and protective shoreline strips are held liable in accordance with the existing legislation.

 

The responsibility for exercising state control over compliance with the rules for establishing sizes and borders and with the management regime established for water protection zones and protective shorelines rests with executive bodies of subjects of the Russian Federation, basin-wide and regional water management and protection bodies of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, authorized state environmental bodies, state bodies for control over land management and protection and authorized forestry management bodies within the limits of powers vested in them.

 

In cases where a river or another water body (natural hydroecosystem) is of special environmental, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational or sanative significance it may be declared a specially protected water body. These water bodies in part or in full for a specified or indefinite period of time are excluded from economic activity (economic activities are banned here). Such water bodies include wetlands, watercourses and ponds which are part of unique natural landscapes, spawning areas of valuable fish species and protection zones in the upper reaches and estuaries of water bodies, etc.

 

Cultivation of shorelines causes soil and bank erosion and river-channel silting. Therefore one of the effective water protection methods is conversion of arable shorelands to meadowlands or their afforestation depending on local terrain features, – withdrawal of arable land from use.

 

Forest shelterbelts consolidate river banks, protect them from erosion, silting and contamination, divert surface run-off to groundwater aquifers and improve water quality.

 

The Project provides for afforestation of shoreline hayfields and pastures.

 

A survey of forest-plantations covering an area of 14.8 ha was conducted. When selecting trees to be planted it is necessary to take into account agro-ameliorative conditions which depend on the steepness of slopes and soil types. The selection of seedlings and plants of trees and brushes, planting dates, subsequent management of forest-plantations, achieving of an adaptability rate of at least 70% – all this is expected to be done under the direction and guidance of an experienced forester or by a local contractor – a specialized forestry organization.

 

Explication of Land Types in the Specially Protect6ed Area of the Dnipro River Source 

(Sychev district, Smolensk region) as of 01.09/2002