News from Daffodil Valley: abnormal heat and intensive mowing

A huge number of nature conservation areas of Ukraine have now been destroyed – as a result of hostilities or occupation. Today, we cannot influence the preservation of these territories. But we can and must work with double strength to preserve those valuable areas that are in relative safety.

Last year, our organization, together with the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve and with the support of EOCA and ORTOVOX, started working on the “Save the Narcissus Valley” project. At the end of last year, as part of the project, two additional dams were installed in the Valley to hold water in the Valley.

This year, Transcarpathia is experiencing abnormal heat and drought. Even the channel of the Khustets River, which flows near the Narcissus Valley, has dried up. Instead, the canal in the Valley itself still holds water. “Thanks to the system of dams,” explains Petro Paparyga, head of the environmental monitoring laboratory, PhD, senior researcher. In total, 8 dams were built in the valley over 12 years. “We have to keep the water. There will be no water – there will be no Narcissus Valley either,” adds the scientist.

As part of the project, it is planned to continue the construction of hydraulic structures in order to restore the water regime of the wet meadow in the most valuable areas and not to damage the roads to the settlements. “We have a very difficult task ahead of us – with a height difference of only 6 centimeters, we need to bring water to a distance of 10 meters.”
On the other hand, the situation with eviction improved. If in previous years the park had to look for funds to mow even the most valuable areas, then this year local residents are massively applying for permits to mow hay.

Park workers explain – the summer was hot, the hay burned, so hay became scarce. War and worsening economic situation are also an incentive for mowing.

This year, only those areas where hay is unsuitable for animals (in particular, areas dominated by sedge and those overgrown with young trees) remained unmowed. In total, they are almost 100 hectares. Part of these plots will be mowed at the expense of the project “Save the Narcissus Valley”.

“Only the availability of a suitable tractor, which will have attachments for mowing and mulching different types of vegetation, along with the use of grazing of different types of animals and the construction of small dams to retain water during the rains, can ensure the sustainable preservation of the daffodil valley for decades, even in the face of severe climate change” – notes the project manager, Ph.D. Bohdan Prots.

We thank the defenders of Ukraine. Thanks to you, we have the opportunity to work to preserve the natural heritage of Ukraine for future generations.