EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

NOMINATION DOSSIER ANNEX 6.2.1
"ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Fundamentals for a modern
management concept for the Carpathian
Biosphere Reserve (Transcarpathia,
Ukraine – including the Ukrainian
parts of the UNESCO World Heritage
Site „Primeval Beech Forests of the
Carpathians“).
Funded by the DBU
Project management:
University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde
Faculty of Forest and Environment
Prof. Dr. Pierre Ibisch
Project period: 01.07.2009-31.10.2010
One of the outstanding characteristics of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve in Ukraine is its
large, well-preserved primeval beech forest that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site
“Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians”. Following several years of studying and visiting
this area and on the basis of initial research work undertaken by the University of Applied
Sciences Eberswalde the idea about an applied research project regarding the development of
the reserve’s management emerged from conversations and close contact with the reserve’s
administration. The management of the CBR is facing and challenged by local, national and
global changes including land use change and climate change. The overall goal of the project is
to support the CBR in effectively implementing current strategies and action plans of the
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage network in line with the management in the
context of (eco)regional initiatives (e.g. Carpathian Convention). The first step will be to provide
the basis for the development of a strategic, proactive management concept for the area of the
CBR. This includes the identification of stakeholders and key actors and their position regarding
the CBR and the region’s development, the estimation of the sustainable development potential
of the region, the elaboration of conservation priorities and a risk analysis taking current and
future developments and their impact on the conservation objectives of the CBR into account.
Finally the need for developing and adapting conservation planning of the CBR will be identified
and a concept for the integrated and sustainable development of the region drafted.
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