32-a Tatarbunarskogo Povstannia St., Vilkovo city, Kiliya district,
68355, Odessa oblast, Ukraine

Phone: (04843) 3 1195; phone/fax: (04843) 4 4619;
e-mail: reserve@it.odessa.ua

The Danube Biosphere Reserve (DBR), of the total area 46402.9 ha, was established by a Decree of the President of Ukraine of August 10, 1998 ¹ 861 on the territory of ‘Dunayski Plavni’ Nature Reserve and is its legal successor. By a UNESCO decision of February 2, 1999, DBR was included to the World Net of Biosphere Reserves as a part of bilateral Romanian-Ukrainian Biosphere Reserve ‘Danube Delta’. A Decree of the President of Ukraine of February 2, 2002 ¹ 117, enlarged its area by 3850 ha and now it is 50252.9 ha. There are 3 departments in its structure: the scientific department, the department of the reserve protection and the department of environmentalist education and tourism. It also has an information center. The principal research task of the Reserve is observations and studies under ‘Chronicle of Nature’ program, which is mandatory for all Ukrainian reserves.

Researchers conduct monitoring of the status of flora and vegetation, ornithofauna and population of birds, of theriofauna, ichthyofauna, hydrofauna, of herpeto- and batrachofauna. In the last 5 years they published over 70 papers and 3 monographic works. The flora of the Reserve numbers 954 species of vascular plants that belong to 380 genera and 101 families. 16 species were entered to the Red List of Rare Plants and Animals (Red Book) of Ukraine, 3 species – to the European Red List. The vegetation of the Reserve represents groups of genetically different types – from water to semi-desert ones. 10 groups of vegetation were entered to the Green Book of Ukraine.

Of the vertebrate animals of the Reserve, birds are notable for the largest range of species. 257 species of them were registered, which amounts to approximately 78% of species known in the Danube Delta and to nearly 63% of the whole species structure of ornithofauna in Ukraine. The stay of 42 bird species that are subjects of special protection was registered on the territory of DBR. These are, in particular, species entered to the Red List of Rare Animals of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Pelecanus crispus, Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Rufibrenta ruficollis and Haliaeetus albicilla. In the last decade, the stay of 40 mammal species (without Cheiroptera) was registered on its territory. 14 of them were entered to the Red Book of Ukraine. The ichthyofauna of the Reserve is represented by 97 species belonging to 30 families. All fish species entered to the European Red List are found in its water area. Of the 32 fish species entered to the Red Book of Ukraine, 15 species can be found here.

For the first time in Ukraine, the Reserve has developed and implements a Management-Plan for the reserved territory. According to the Plan and in compliance with the effective legislation, the Reserve carries out a system of measures towards biodiversity conservation in combination with the rational use of nature resources – fish, reed etc. Its administration gives considerable attention to developing environmental tourism as an important element of ecological education and self-financing.

The Danube Biosphere Reserve collaborates with numerous research institutions, state organizations, NGOs and mass media at the national and international levels; since 2003 it has published its own newspaper «The Delta and Man». Its workers provide methodological assistance to students of local institutes of higher learning in preparing term papers and graduation works, as well as to school teachers and pupils.