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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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WEST POLESIE |
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| General Description |
West Polesie Biosphere Reserve is situated about 40 km north-east of Lublin adjacent to Ukraine’s Shatskiy Biosphere Reserve. It comprises a vast open lowland landscape with a mosaic of swamps, moors, lakes, rivers and forests which have a high biodiversity and include patches of extensive economical use areas. The whole area is a melting pot of inhabitants of different cultures, nationalities and religions. Villages in this rural area show many examples of traditional wooden architecture and still maintain a cultural and folklore life. 41,600 people live in the biosphere reserve (1999). Main economic activities in the area are agriculture, sustainable forestry, fisheries, ecotourism and weekend recreational activities. It is hoped that the biosphere reserve concept will help to create opportunities to develop this sparsely populated area which is currently under big social and economic change. However, at the same time, local communities are interested that economic development is balanced with the conservation objectives of the biosphere reserve. The longer-term aim is to merge West Polesie and Ukraine’s Shatskiy Biosphere Reserve to a single one. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Boreal needleleaf forests or woodlands; temperate and sub-polar broadleaf forests or woodlands including water and peatbog ecosystems | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Water ecosystems including lakes, marshes, rivers; peatbogs (high moors, transitional moors and low moors) with Utricularia minor, U. intermedia, Carex limosa, Drosera anglica, Aulacomium palustre, Drosera rotundifolia etc.; Alntetea glutinosae forests with Salix cinerea, S. pentandra, S. aurita, Alnus glutinosa, Betula pubescens, Ribes nigrum etc.; marshy meadows (Querco-Fagetea) including Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior, Ulmus laevis etc.; dry ground forests (Querco-Fagetea) with Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata, Acer pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides etc.; marshy meadows (Salicetea purpureae) with Salix trianda, S. viminalis, S. purpurea, Calystegia sepium etc.; coniferous forest (wet and marshy) with Pinus sylvestris, Betula pubescens, B. pendula, Sorbus aucuparia etc.; mixed coniferous forests (Vaccinio-Piceetea) including Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur, Q. petrea, Picea abies etc.; coniferous forests (fresh and dry) (Vaccinio-Piceetea) including Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula, Quercus petrea, Juniperus communis etc.; meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea-zwiazek Cynosurion) with Cynosurus cristatus, Trifolium repens, Veronica filiformis etc; meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea - connection Arrhenatherion) characterized by Arrhenatheum elatius, Geranium pratense, Centaurea jacea, Holcus lanatus etc.; meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea - connection Molinion) characterized by Molinia caerulea, Dianthus superbus, Gentiana pneumonanthe, Iris sibirica etc.; meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea - connection Filipendulo-Petasition) with Filipendula ulmaria, Geranium palustre, Veronica longifolia etc.; dry and watery sands; agroecosystems; rural areas | |||
| Location |
51°27'19"N; 23°10'24"E (central point) 51°18'32" to 51°43’25"N; 22°38'11" to 23°42’05"E (outer point) |
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| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 139,917 | |||
| Core area(s) | 5,224.5 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 43,215 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 91,477.5 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | -38.8 to +202.8 | |||
| Year designated | 2002 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Forum of the International Biosphere Reserve "Polesie Zachodnie" | |||
| Last updated: 09/03/2005 |
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