Ukraine possesses a high level of biodiversity despite occupying a small percentage of Europe's total area. This is due to its location at the intersection of migration routes and natural zones. Ukraine is home to over 70,000 species, many of which are rare, relict, or endemic. Forest cover has decreased in plains and foothills but increased slightly in recent years. Protected areas now cover 29% of Ukraine's territory and focus on preserving forests, meadows, wetlands, and steppe habitats. The country has many rivers and large wetland areas that are important for biodiversity. However, environmental damage from the ongoing war, such as pollution, destroyed habitats, and risk of nuclear accidents, poses a major threat

1. z
Ecological
situation in
Ukraine
Mohammad Raihan Khan
59F+

2. Biodiversity Facts
Occupying less than 6% of the area of Europe, Ukraine
possesses 35% of its biodiversity. This is due to its favorable
location, with a lot of migration routes and natural zones
occurring in the country. Biota comprise over 70 thousand
species, including many rare, relict and endemic species. A
number of flora and fauna species in need of special
protection are included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (the
most recent edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009)
contains 826 species of flora and 542 species of fauna).

3.  Ukraine occupies about 11% of the Carpathian mountain range which
encompasses significant environmental, aesthetic, scientific,
educational, recreational and health resources. Over the last two
centuries, forest cover in the plains and foothills of the Carpathian
Mountains has decreased. However, more recently, an annual
average increase of vegetation of 4 m3 per ha has occurred
(fluctuating from 5 m3 per ha in the Carpathians to 2.5 m3 per ha in
the steppe zone). There has also been an increase in the area and
number of territories and objects protected under the Nature Reserve
Fund (Ukraine’s protected areas network). Natural and semi-natural
vegetation cover about 29% of Ukraine’s territory which is
represented mostly by forests (15.9% of the territory), meadows,
mires, steppes and saline habitats. Some of the species found in
the country are endemics and relicts. Almost one-quarter of
Ukraine’s floral species is concentrated in forests.

4. The country boasts of about 63,000 rivers totaling 206,000 km in length,
with the area of coastal protection lines along rivers totaling 1.3 million
ha. The area of Ukraine’s wetlands comprises around 4.5 million ha.
Biological resources of the Black Sea and Azov Sea are depreciating in
condition, in general, although in the last years there has been a trend
towards improving their condition. As a result of the calamitous condition
of red algae (Phyllophora sp.), its exploitation was recently prohibited. In
addition, the territories in which the main reserves of red algae are
concentrated have been declared botanical zakazniks (game reserves)
known as “Phyllophora’s Field of Zernova” (2008) and “Small
Phyllophora’s Field of Zernova” (2012). The harvesting of club-rush (a
plant of the genus Scirpus) has become an important economic activity
in some areas during the winter. Annually, thousands of people are
engaged in club-rush harvesting and processing in the wetlands of the
Danube Delta.

5. Positive changes are illustrated by a decrease in the
number of polluted lands (particularly those that are
radioactively contaminated) used in agriculture, as well
as in open land without vegetation cover or with little
vegetation. Data from 2012 reveal that, since 2000,
there has been an increase of 97.2 thousand ha in the
area represented by hayfields and pastures. At present,
the conservation of natural habitats of animals and
plants occurs mainly through the creation and
expansion of institutions under the Nature Reserve
(Zapovednik) Fund.

6. Ecological Crisis In Ukraine
 The conflict has ruined vast swaths of farmland, burned down
forests and destroyed national parks. Damage to industrial facilities
has caused heavy air, water and soil pollution, exposing residents to
toxic chemicals and contaminated water. Regular shelling around
the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, means
the risk of a nuclear accident still looms large. The total number of
cases of environmental damage tops 2,300, Ukraine’s environment
minister, Ruslan Strilets, told POLITICO in an emailed statement.
His ministry estimates the total cost at $51.45 billion (€48.33 billion).
Of those documented cases, 1,078 have already been handed over
to law enforcement agencies, according to Strilets, as part of an
effort to hold Moscow accountable in court for environmental
damage.

8. Left: Hostomel, Ukraine, after a Russian assault. Right: Port
of Mykolaiv after a Russian strike

9. z
Ecological impact of the ukraine war ?
 The war has scarred Ukraine’s natural
environment — polluting its rivers and lakes,
contaminating its soil, eviscerating its forests
— a circumstance that experts fear could lead
to a long-term increase in cancers and other
illnesses among civilians.

10. Artificial related to Ukraine ecological issues
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/13/ukraine
-war-environment-impact-
disaster/#:~:text=The%20war%20has%20scarred%20Ukra
ine's,and%20other%20illnesses%20among%20civilians.
https://www.politico.eu/article/environment-
scars-russia-war-ukraine-climate-crisis/
https://www.ecomena.org/environmental-
problems-ukraine-is-facing/

11. Video related to Ukraine ecological caused
and damage
https://youtu.be/137P2XWQpCQ
https://youtu.be/XQfypynn6rE
https://youtu.be/f3QYYLbnKYU

14. MASSAGE FOR UKRAINIAN PEOPLE
 Наші серця з вами, і
наш Господь з вами,
оберігає вас і береже
Україну і світ від війни і
робить все знову
мирним і спокійним.
 Our hearts are with you and
may God be with you and
protect you and keep Ukraine
and the world away from war
and make everything peaceful
and calm again.
.
‫و‬ ‫أوكرانيا‬ ‫عن‬ ‫يبعد‬ ‫و‬ ‫يحميكم‬ ‫و‬ ‫معاكم‬ ‫ربنا‬ ‫و‬ ‫معاكم‬ ‫قلوبنا‬
‫أخرى‬ ‫مرة‬ ‫هدوء‬ ‫و‬ ‫سالم‬ ‫فى‬ ‫شئ‬ ‫كل‬ ‫يجعل‬ ‫و‬ ‫الحرب‬ ‫العالم‬

16. THANK YOU