EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

2.a.7 Stuzhytsia − Uzhok (Ukraine)
Abiotic conditions
This cluster is a part of the serial nomination and a part of the “Uzhanskiy National
Nature Park” (UNNP), located in the western part of the Transcarpathian Region in the Tysa
River basin in the frontier zone and close to the borders with the Slovak Republic and Poland.
The area of the cluster belongs to the three climatic zones: warm, temperate and cold,
having the annual precipitation 850–1.000 mm and snow cover the ground during 120–180
days.
This area mainly includes flysch hills based on upper chalk layer and the Magura Zone
(topsoil formed during Paleogene). The most usual soils are brown soils and meadow brown
soils based on alluvial and delluvial sediments.
Biota (vegetation and flora)
The total area of the “Stuzhytsa-Uzhok” cluster is 6.147 ha: core zone is 2.532 ha, and
buffer zone is 3.615 ha.
The territory of Stuzhytsa-Uzhok is situated in the Stavnensko-Zhdenivskyi Geobotanic
Region.
Soil and climate here are favorable for beech forests which occupy the vast territories at
elevation 400-1.200 (1.250) m above sea level. The beech mono- and oligodominant climax
communities predominate here, viz., Fagetum nudum, Fagetum dentariosum glandulosae,
Fagetum festucosum (altissimae) and Fagetum ruboso hirti–festucosum (altissimae). A
noticeable admixture of Acer pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides, Fraxinus excelsior, but
sometimes of Acer campestre and Cerasus avium is characteristic for these forests. At 1.200-
1.260 m (upper limit of growing of deciduous trees), there is a transitive zone of beech
crooked forests.
Meanwhile, the communities Acereto pseudoplatani-Fagetum-Ruboso hirtidryopteridosum
filix-max and Acereto-Fagetum dryopteridosum filix-max occur the rocky
slopes. In Stuzhitsa-Uzhok two groups of sycamore-beech forests occur, and they are
sycamore-beech groves growing on rocky slopes and the same on the upper timber level.
The grass layer of the foregoing forests includes Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris filixmas,
Carex pillosa, Festuca altissima, Mercurialis perennis, Dentharia bulbifera, Lunaria
rediviva, Symphytum cordatum, Salvia glutinosa, Senecio fuchsii, Oxalis acetosella, Actea
spicata, but also in early spring Anemone nemorosa, A. ranunculoides, Corydalis cava, C.
solida, etc. Within them, Galanthus nivalis, Leucojum vernum and Lilium martagon are
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