Tarutyns'kyj steppe

Tarutyns'kyj steppe (landscape preserve)
Ukrainian: Тарутинський степ (ландшафтний заказник)
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Grazing cattle at Tarutyns'kyj steppe
Location of Reserve
Location	Tarutyne Raion, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates	46°15′39″N 29°26′26″E / 46.26083°N 29.44056°E / 46.26083; 29.44056Coordinates: 46°15′39″N 29°26′26″E / 46.26083°N 29.44056°E / 46.26083; 29.44056
Area	52000 ha

Tarutyns'kyj steppe is a protected landscape located in Tarutyne Raion, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine. It is one of the largest preserved fragments of a steppe in Ukraine, a landscape preserve of the local value.

Location

Tarutyns'kyj steppe is located in the Odessa Oblast in the territory of Veselodolyns'ka village council. "Tarutyns'kyj steppe" is in constant use of Veselodolyns'ka village council. The total land area of the preserve is 5200 hectares. Lands are not to given for ownership or any use. Among the 5200 hectares, 4800 hectares are farmlands and 400 hectares are wooded areas .^[1]

Creation

Initially, the purpose of the regional landscape park was to protect a large area of the landscape and to organize its management .^[2][3]

Veselodolyns'ka village council (decree № 94-3/V, 03.09.2008 "Pro stvorennya regional'nogo landshaftnogo parku "Tarutyns'kyj steppe"") (in 2011 this decree was modified, the status of the territory was changed to landscape preserve),^[4] gave a permission for the establishment of regional landscape park. But after a series of appeals the State Administration of Environmental Protection in the Odessa region to approve the creation of the regional landscape park in 2007-2010, the district council rejected them.^[5] The initiators of the creation of the object have modified their request and changed the status of the proposed object from regional landscape park to landscape preserve. After that, in 2011 and 2012m the Tarutins'ka District Council and Tarutins'ka district administration agreed to create a landscape preserve .^[6][7]

The landscape preserve of the local value "Tarutyns'kyj steppe" was announced by a decree № 445-VI during the 12th session of the Odessa Regional Council of People's Deputies of the Sixth Convocation (26 of April, 2012). A decree was signed in consideration of adjustment of Veselodolyns'ka village council, Tarutyns'ka district administration of Odessa Oblast, also State Department of Environmental Protection in the Odessa Oblast.

November 18, 2013, during a meeting of the Committee on Environmental Policy, Natural Resources and liquidation of consequences of Chernobyl disaster under the title "Natural-reserved fund: problems and solutions" There were suggestions create a national park on the Tarutyns'kyj steppe area.

Threats and Risks

A preserve occupies a part of the former Tarutyns'kyj military range, which had an area of 24 521.19 hectares and was created in 1946. Residents of several villages of the district were evicted from these lands and a military range was created instead. Also, the lands of the former villages and farmlands became a part of the Tarutyns'kyj military range. Military exercises were conducted here, and grazing and mowing was stopped. In the late 1990s the intensity of use of the range by the military gradually decreased, and in 2005 the Tarutyns'kyj military range was liquidated.

Since 2005, a dispute between Tarutins'ka district administration and The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine continues for the right to dispose of the lands of the former military range.

Value

The territory of the preserve is a central part of the former Tarutyns'kyj military range.

The presence of the military range in the past with the large protected zone used for grazing created conditions similar to natural steppe ecosystem requirements - the conditions of moderate grazing pressure and lack of plowing.

The main value of the preserve are ecosystems of forb-fescue-feather grass and fescue-feather grass virgin and secondary steppe. Here, Stipa capillata, Stipa lessingiana and rarely other feather grass speacies are dominated. Among animals which occur here over 40 species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. The steppe plays an important role for the preservation of many rare species of steppe birds. Also, the territory is important for the southern birch mouse. It's population in "Tarutyns'kyj steppe" landscape preserve is one of the last population which has been preserved in Ukraine. For more than a century, a significant part of the military range territory was not plowed and had no intensive impact of human activities.

The preserve is nominated as the object of the Emerald Network and is included in the Emerald Network database by a Bern Convention Secretariat.

Flora and fauna

A significant floristic and faunal diversity is a characteristic of the preserve. Below is a list of wildlife and flora which exist in the area.

Plants

• Stipa capillata
• Stipa lessingiana
• Stipa pennata
• Pulsatilla pratensis
• Astragalus dasyanthus
• Ornithogalum oreoides
• Crocus reticulatus
• Bulbocodium versicolor

Animals

• Dolichophis caspius
• Elaphe quatuorlineata
• Sicista subtilis
• Mustela eversmanii
• Spalax arenarius
• Lanius excubitor (winter)
• Pastor roseus (migrates)
• Ciconia nigra (migrates)
• Circus cyaneus (winters)
• Buteo rufinus (nesting)
• Aquila chrysaetos (winters)
• Falco cherrug (nesting)
• Falco peregrinus (зимує)
• Grus grus (migrates)
• Anthropoides virgo (migrates)
• Otis tarda (winters)
• Burhinus oedicnemus (nesting)

References