Coastal Reserve (Ukraine)

H. A. Bryzhalin proposed the creation of a bird sanctuary on the shores of the Black Sea and the Azov Sea in 1919, following the example of American bird sanctuaries.

On July 14, 1927, a resolution was adopted by the Council of People's Commissars No. 172 that created a nature reserve on the coasts of the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. The reserve included Churyuk Island in the bay of Syvash in the Azov Sea; Dzharylhach Island in the Black Sea; Solonoozerna dacha; and the Kinburnsʹka, Kryva, Bilosaraysʹka, and Obitochna Spits, and covered 32,000 hectares. The term "Azov Reserve," though technically incorrect, may be used as an alternative to "Coastal Reserve."

Notable leaders of the 1920s environmental movement who took part in coastal reserve creation include Ilarion Kurylo-Krimchak, director of the Melitopol museum of local lore;[1] Ye. M. Lavrenko, Kharkiv Regional Inspector of Natural Monument Protection; A. Brauner,[2] and others.

By 1927, the creation of coastal reserve areas was considered the primary strategy for the protection of natural monuments.[3] A number of articles about reserve areas were published, and research expeditions were organised.

In the 1920s and 1930s, some parts of the reserve were established as independent reserves. These included the Obitochna Spit reserve,[4] Dzharylhach Island reserve, and Churyuk Island reserve.[5] The Ukrainian Committee for Natural Monuments Protection aimed for the creation of reserve administrations and special departments for protection; however, their attempts were unsuccessful. In 1928, gravel reserve areas were established, covering many sections of the sandy areas in the Lower Dnieper valley. In 1929, Coastal Reserve areas were discussed at all gatherings of the Bureau of Ukrainian Committee for Natural Monuments Protection; however these discussions did not lead to any action. By 1932, independent coastal reserves were incorporated into the Askania-Nova reserve. From January 1st, 1933, Askania-Nova was divided into two regions, the Black Sea State Reserve and the Azov-Syvash State Reserve, which today are known as the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve and the Azov-Syvash National Nature Park.

In 1927, scientist M. Sharleman led an expedition to study newly created coastal reserves on behalf of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.

The first excursion took place between the June the 10th and June the 23rd, 1927. Present on the trip was A. K. Shepe, a freelance researcher of the Zoological Museum UAS. The second excursion took place later that year, between September the 3rd and September the 14th. Present on this trip was O. Y. U. Borzakovskyy, and research workers from the Chapli Reserve who had partaken in the previous excursion. These individuals were the Heads of the Department of the Scientific Zoological Station, O. O. Schumer and entomologist S. I. Medvedev.

In his report of the expedition, Sharleman noted the urgent need to strengthen reserve protection and inform nearby villages about environmental protection. He also acknowledged the need for more detailed study of coastal reserves and the need for permanent research stations in reserve areas.[6] In 1928, the coastal reserves were studied by Odessa Regional Inspector for the Protection of Nature, V. H. Averin,[7] and the ornithologists S. I. Snihirevskyy[8] and L. A. Portenko.[9]

In 1928, a detailed description of the individual parts of the coastal reserves was released to the public in 'Protect Natural Sites in Ukraine,' a book issued by the Ukrainian Committee for the Protection of Monuments of Nature.

In 1932, describing the value of coastal reserves, Sharleman noted: 'The great flight ways of the birds of our union are near the seaside and the islands. The protection of health-arterial routes influences greatly on the number of birds in most parts of the union'[10] This initiated the construction of ornithological stations for studying bird flight in coastal reserves.

1. Averin V. Excursion to Churyuk island / Kharkiv, 1928 Averin V.
2. Kurylo-Krymchak A. 1929. A few words about the coastal reserve areas of Melitopol province // Ukr. hunter and fisherman.— 1929. — No. 11–12. — p. 39–41.
3. Lavrenko E., Зоз І. The vegetation of Michael stud (col. Of Kapnist) Sumy provinces // Protection of natural monuments of Ukraine. Digest 2.- 1928, p. 23–37.
4. Scientific Chronicle // Journal of Natural Sciences, No.3–4, 1927, – p. 208
5. Sharleman M. Natural conservation and collect information about the animals "Natural monuments"// Exploring the nature of the land: a digest of articles on the methods of environmental studies and collecting. — Kyiv, 1932. — p. 105–112
6. Sharleman M. The southern reserve areas of Ukraine // Conservation of Nature in Ukraine — Kharkiv, 1928. — p. 4–15
7. Sharleman M. Something about coastal reserve areas/ Bulletin of science. — 1931. — No.:1/2. — p. 65–66.
8. Sharleman M. Something about coastal reserve areas // Ukr. Hund. And Fish.- 1929 – No.2–3 – p. 9-11
9. Sharleman M. Materials on ornithofauna of Dzharylhach island in the Black Sea (with O. Shumer) // Digest of studies of Zoological museum – 1930 -No.8 – p. 99–117