A guidebook entitled ‘Establishing Protected Areas: Benefits for Communities’ was presented in Ukraine. Its purpose is to explain why new nature reserves and national parks do not limit community prosperity but rather create new development opportunities.
Prepared by the NGO Ecoaction, this publication aims to equip local authorities and residents with straightforward arguments to counter misconceptions and concerns about nature conservation.
The guide is based on the results of a sociological survey of nearly a thousand residents from 19 communities across Ukraine. The study showed that a significant proportion of people fear losing their land or jobs due to the establishment of new nature reserve facilities, and also believe that nature conservation issues should be postponed due to the war. It is these fears that often block decisions to grant protected status to valuable natural areas.
The guide refutes most of these prejudices, provides examples of successful cooperation between communities and nature conservation agencies, and shows the real benefits: from new tax revenues for local budgets to the development of tourism and the preservation of traditional crafts.
“Establishing protected areas is about preserving what communities already have and creating new development opportunities. We developed this guide to provide local authorities with simple and clear arguments for their dialogue with those who are hesitant about the feasibility of protecting natural areas,” notes Bohdan Kuchenko, Ecosystem Conservation Specialist at Ecoaction and co-author of the guide.
The guide is aimed at local authorities, regional environmental departments, and anyone involved in decision-making on nature conservation. It is intended to be a practical tool to help reduce mistrust and make decisions in favour of preserving valuable areas.
Translated from Ukrainian by Ecoaction volunteer Polina Tsybulska.