At the same time, the project should help to make activities of the Ukrainian authorities more effective. 

“We have got two years to elaborate a cookery book to be applied by our Ukrainian colleagues. We have had experience from similar projects implemented in Armenia and Georgia. Therefore, we have known that first of all, it is necessary to invest energy and time into local experts. It will definitely be just up to them how to combine their knowledge, skills and experience and our recommendations. Of course, further political, social and economic development in Ukraine will be of utmost importance,” explains Tomáš Růžička from the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA CR) who manages the project.  

“Not only theory, but also practice is important. That is why we demonstrated to the Ukrainian colleagues how we cooperate with the army in the Brdy Highlands Protected Landscape Area (PLA) in Central Bohemia.  Within the specific environment, such as a firing range impact area in the Brdy Highlands, using heavy machinery helps to maintain valuable moorlands there. We also visited the Brdy Highlands House of Nature at Tři Trubky to present guests how we present regional beauties of nature to visitors,” says Bohumil Fišer from the NCA CR.   

Experts from the Ukrainian Ministry of the Environment, Regional Park Administrations and NGOs participated in the week study visit. During field trips they visited the Křivoklátsko, Brdy Highlands and the České Středohoří/Central Bohemian Uplands PLAs. The project  „Conservation of Natural Heritage for Life in Ukraine – ConNaturLIFE Ukraine“ (Project´s No. 101148569) is funded by the EU LIFE Programme and co-financed by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic. 

Photo © Bohumil Fišer