Askania-Nova Nature Preserve

The Askania-Nova Nature Preserve, in Kherson region in the south of Ukraine, is a unique place in Europe, where one can find a pristine feather-grass steppe. This amazing silvery grass is among the rarest of plants. However, it is not only the feather grass that makes Askania famous. The preserve was established in the late 19th century by Friedrich von Falz-Fein, a pioneer conservationist, on the territory of his estate. It was one of the world’s first attempts to preserve and protect the wild steppe. At first, the aim was to preserve the wild animals, and later, to create a dendrological and zoological park. Prominent Ukrainian scientists began research on the acclimatization of animals and plants, meteorology, etc. As of today, the preserve occupies 11,000 hectares of steppe. >>

The Shatski Lakes

The country has a wealth of rivers. More than a hundred of them are longer than 100 km. The longest among them are Dnipro, Dnister, Danube, Southern Buh. But even wealthier is Ukraine on its lakes which are over 3000 throughout the country. They are located mostly in the area of Volyn, the Black Sea lowlands and the Crimean Peninsula. >>

A Trip to Chernobyl

There’s hardly a person in the whole Europe who is not familiar with the word Chernobyl. The 1986 nuclear reactor explosion in Ukraine had struck the whole world. But few people know how the tragedy affected hundred of thousands lives of Ukrainians and inhabitants of neighboring Byelorussia.  >>