Regional Landscape Park “Kleban Byk”
August 1-14 2006
The Regional landscape Park Kleban Byk is an oasis of pure nature and fresh air, in the territory of in the center of the industrial region of Konstantinovka (Donbass), in the south-east of Ukraine. It covers an area of more than 1870 hectares - with in its centre, a lake of 630 ha - and composed with remarkable landscape; interesting geological structure (several different natural zones, including steppe, chalk rocks with chalk flora and fauna) geological natural monument like petrified trees and a rich faun and a flora, include 200 bird species, many reptiles and mammals and more than 600 plants. Many of them are included in the Ukrainian Red List. In August 2006 SVIT-Ukraine jointly with Lugansk Regional Organization “Green World” has organized international volunteer project in Kleban Byk.
Work consisted of two components: Collecting trash left by visitors and removing it from the territory of the park. It was the main work of the volunteers. During the time of the workcamp, we collected something like more than a tonne of garbage, in the different beaches near the lake, the places most frequently visited by people. We sorted it (glass, plastic, metal and organic) and gave it to recycling (when it was possible). Re-painting three information boards, which were damaged.
Group Dynamics
Nicolas, Michal, Martina, Maarit, Sabine, Anna, Karolina, Michal and Damian, from France, Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland and Poland. They were our nine foreigners’ volunteers. The group consisted too of four Ukrainians volunteers (Katya, Marina, Vova and Denis), two members of SVIT (Anya and Slavic) and two campleaders. During ten days, the camp neighbored with a scientific group composed of four people, which was there to collected flora and fauna samples for making cadastre. There were only some contacts between the two groups which had two projects different and different rhythms of life.
Social and Free Time Program
We used our days off to organize daily trips to Donetsk, to Artemovsk with excursion to the salt mines and the museum of local history, and to Svyatogorsk (Saint Mountain) to see the monastery and the monument to communist leader Artem. During the free time, we could go to Konstantinovka, the nearest town from the project (about 8 km), and, at the territory of the park, we had the choice between to have excursions and hikes, to fish, swimming in the lake, excursions on the lake with the boat, etc.
Accommodation and Food
In the forest, with a beach on the lake. The camp was situated in a pleasant place, in the center of the park, not far away from the fishing station. All participants were staying in the tents or, for some of them, sleeping near the camp-fire was a better option. Food and working materials had their own tent too, to be stolen. The “maximum” of comfort was available with tables and benches; toilet and shower (water from the lake) were made; and permanent "Russian" stove was built for cooking. A stove where the volunteers learned how to cook for almost twenty people and discover to the others some national dishes. Because the group was quite big, shopping had to be done every day (by bus and taxi, and some times, by car with the people from the scientific expedition). Drinking water had to be brought from the town as well every two days. Electricity was available at the camp thanks to an accumulator.
Contacts with Local Population
During the camp,the group had regular contacts with the fishermen (who brought to us traditional fish soup for example) and with the inhabitants of Alexandro-Kalinovo, a village situated near the park (when we went to buy food, to walk there). But, for the foreign volunteers, the contacts with the local population were above all with the Ukrainian volunteers (two of them were coming from this area).
Study Element
The volunteers have participated to an excursion through the territory of the park to learn about the history of this place and first settlements of Cossacks on this territory (16th century), its geology, flora and fauna. A “manual” was at the disposal of the volunteers containing information and photo about the plants and insects included in the World, European and Ukrainian Red List; carts of the park; information (scientific articles) about the environmental situation of the region. During the daily trip to Artemovsk, a presentation about SCI and SVIT was made. For three days, during the second week, five participants of the travelling workcamp visit us and organized two workshops about the human rights.