Threats and Challenges
Kuialnytskyi NNP
Environmental Challenges
Kuialnytskyi National Nature Park, as a protected area, is located near the large city of Odesa. This offers significant opportunities for tourism and recreation development but also brings certain problems and threats.
Pollution
Various harmful substances from the city of Odesa and other nearby settlements can enter the Kuialnyk Estuary and small watercourses within the Park’s territory. Additionally, pollution by chlorinated organic compounds may result from surface runoff from agricultural lands. Addressing illegal dumpsites that existed long before the Park was established also requires joint efforts with local authorities.
Within the area later included in the Park, the Odesa Railway’s washing and steaming station operated for many years. After its closure, the area and the cascade of ponds have gradually been naturally rehabilitated. However, soils and bottom sediments in some ponds remain contaminated with transformed petroleum products, mostly deprived of toxic properties.
Technogenic Pressure
Parts of the estuary’s water area and adjacent Park territories may experience technogenic pressure in the form of atmospheric emissions due to their close proximity to the city of Odesa and numerous industrial facilities (such as the Odesa Thermal Power Plant and the district boiler houses in the Peresyp area), as well as infrastructure objects (the bypass road, Odesa-Sortuvalna railway station), among others.
Excessive Water Salinity
As an emergency measure to improve the hydro-ecological condition of the Kuialnyk Estuary, a hydraulic structure was built in past years to connect the estuary with the Odesa Bay of the Black Sea. This prevented the Kuialnyk Estuary from nearly drying up but did not solve the problem of increasing salinity. Today, salinity levels significantly exceed optimal values, which may lead to the loss of the therapeutic properties of the mud and brine. Additionally, heavy regulation of the Velykyi Kuialnyk River’s flow prevents the natural replenishment of the estuary with fresh water.
Climate Change
Among the global environmental challenges facing Kuialnytskyi National Nature Park are climate change and desertification. Their consequences include rising seasonal temperatures, droughts, wildfires, disruption of the estuary’s water-salt balance, and increased soil wind erosion.
Invasive Species
The spread of invasive plant and animal species can have significant impacts on the Park’s ecosystems. This primarily concerns flora and fauna from other continents that can successfully naturalize within Kuialnytskyi National Nature Park and displace native species.
Military Actions
Military activities pose a significant and widespread threat to the natural complexes of Kuialnytskyi National Nature Park. Rocket strikes increase the risk of highly toxic components from missile fuel entering the estuary’s ecosystem, cause fires, and damage rare habitat types. Explosions frighten animals, especially affecting birds during their nesting period.