National Nature Park "Cheremosky" Putila

Accommodation around

The Cheremosky National Nature Park (CNP) was founded on November 25, 2011 (Park Office: Chernivtsi region, Putyla village, 174a Ukrainska str. Opening hours: 8:00-17:00, Sat and Sun - days off). Its area is 7117.5 hectares. The park covers the territory of the Chyvchyno-Marmaros massif - the Chornyi Dil and Zhupany ranges. It includes the Chornyi Dil and Molochnobratskyi Karst reserves of national importance and the Cheremosky Regional Landscape Park. In addition, the Verkhovynskyi National Park (Ivano-Frankivsk region) and the Mountains of Marmaroshchyna Nature Reserve (Romania) operate in the adjacent territories.

The main relief elements of the lands included in the Cheremosky NNP with the withdrawal are the submeridian ranges of Yarovytsia-Tomnatyk with an absolute height of 1574 m (Yarovytsia) and Chornyi Dil-Zhupany (highest elevation - 1480 m), which separate the deep valleys of the Perkalab and Sarata rivers with their numerous channels from the neighboring ranges. The lowest level of the national park at the confluence of these two rivers and the formation of the White Cheremosh is 947 m, which indicates the mid-mountainous nature of the relief. The Cheremosky National Park is located in the altitude range of 947-1574 m.

The relief of the right bank of the Sarata River, including the Yarovytsia-Tomnatyk ridge, has soft contours caused by the formation of flysch deposits. Slopes of varying steepness (5-15°) prevail, less steep in the crestal parts of the macro-slope spurs and more steep in the valleys of the side tributaries. Closer to the crest, the steepness increases to 15-20° in general, but there are no cliffs. In the upper parts of the ridge, the ancient leveling surfaces have been preserved, where the predominant elevations are 1480-1565 m, and the fluctuation of the ridge level does not exceed 80-100 m. The relief here has a flattened-convex shape. The relief of the Chornyi Dil-Zhupany ridge, divided by the saddle of the Sarata River headwaters, is similar. Here, too, the ancient plateau-like areas with minimal slopes are well preserved, but the general hilly-wavy appearance is broken by the sharp-edged cliff tops of carbonate cliffs, the most expressive of which are the peaks of the Big Stone (1453.6 m), the Molochnobratsky karst massif (1475 m), and Sarata (1298 m). The slopes are distinguished by some powerful reject blocks and rocky outcrops of gravelites. The slopes themselves are steeper - up to 30-35°, in some places they turn into scree cliffs up to 45-55° on the northern slopes of the Chornyi Dil ridge near the Perkalab settlement.

Surface waters within the Cheremosky NNP are mainly represented by the rivers Bilyi Cheremosh, Perkalab and Sarata with numerous unnamed tributaries that drain and dissect the slopes of the Chornyi Dil, Zhupany, Yarovytsia and Tomnatyk ranges and belong to the White Cheremosh basin. The hydrological regime is determined by the peculiarities of weather conditions, and the hydrochemical composition is generally of the hydrocarbonate-calcium type. The rivers have a mountainous character. Their valleys are usually narrow and deep, with sometimes steep slopes. The riverbeds have a significant drop, are often cluttered with stones and rock fragments, and sometimes have rapids. On the territory of the mountain settlement of Perkalab, the White Cheremosh River originates, which absorbs the waters of two tributaries - the Perkalab and Sarata Rivers. Natural drops on the territory of the Cheremosky NNP are represented by several waterfalls located on the eastern and western slopes of the Chornyi Dil ridge. The largest of them is the Cortuzian waterfall, up to 3.5 meters high.

The park's wetland coverage is low, and there are three types of bogs on its territory: hanging, hollow, and sloping. The hanging bogs are located within the Chornodilska crystalline midland on the northeastern slopes of the Chornyi Dil ridge; the hollow bog is located on the second terrace of the left bank of the Sarata River at a distance of approximately 50 meters from the riverbed and the sloping bog is located at the foot of the Chornyi Dil ridge in the Sarata River valley (complex natural monument of local importance "White Stream").

The peculiarity of the park's territory is its physical and geographical location - in areas with wildlife with a specific climate, within the forest belt of the Carpathians. It is dominated by pure forests of European spruce, which belong to the group of mountain dark coniferous forests. Forest beech and white fir are found as admixtures in spruce stands. The most valuable are the fragments of cedar-spruce forests found on the Velykyi Kamen mountain of the Chornyi Dil ridge. Cedar pine is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. In total, 49 species of vascular plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine grow on the territory of the national park, including multicolored sossoirea, Jacquin's skereda, and baggy gentian, which are known only on the territory of Cheremosky National Park. Five plant species are included in the European Red List: Filyarsky's lungwort, Remann's bluegrass, Polonynsky's primrose, doubtful broom, and Zavadsky's elisanthus, which is also included in the IUCN Red List.

The park's fauna is rich and diverse. There are at least 5 thousand species of invertebrates and 147 species of vertebrates alone. Of these, 34 representatives are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (common crucian, Carpathian, Alpine crucian, newts, spotted salamander, black stork, lesser kutora, brown bear, etc.) 19 species of animals are listed in the Red Data Book of Bukovyna, five in the IUCN Red List (alpine copperhead, river otter, golden eagle, Danube salmon, medical leech) and five in the European Red List (Ukrainian lamprey, alpine copperhead, river otter, Danube salmon, medical leech).

There are approximately 12 species of fish, 6 amphibians, 6 reptiles, 93 birds, and 29 mammals in the park area. More than half of the vertebrates of the Bukovyna Carpathians live on the territory of Cheremosky.

The main tasks of the Park are:

Preservation and restoration of valuable natural, historical and cultural complexes and natural objects on its territory;
Creation of conditions for organized tourism, recreation and other types of recreational activities in natural conditions in compliance with the regime of protection of protected complexes and objects;
Organization and implementation of research and development activities, including the study of natural complexes and their changes in the conditions of recreational use, development and implementation of scientific recommendations on environmental protection, reproduction of certain species of flora and fauna, restoration of disturbed ecosystems, management and efficient use of natural resources, organization and monitoring of landscape and biological diversity;
Revival of local traditions of nature management, centers of local arts and crafts and other types of folk art;
Conducting environmental education and upbringing activities, etc.

The park's territory attracts visitors not only for its nature, but also for its historical and architectural monuments, folk crafts (pottery), and places of life and activity of prominent people. Green tourism is beginning to develop in the park.

Excursions along marked routes and ecological trails: for adults - 70 UAH, for children under 14 - 36 UAH.
Walking (cycling): one day - 300 UAH, half a day (up to 5 hours) - 180 UAH, 2 hours - 120 UAH, one hour - 60 UAH.
The use of the parking lot is paid: Buses and trucks - 90 UAH, cars - 60 UAH, motor vehicles - 36 UAH.
Short-term vacation on the territory of the Cheremosky National Park: For adults - 24 UAH, for children under 14 - 12 UAH.
Use of the gazebo - 60 UAH.
Amateur photo and video shooting by citizens - 30 UAH.
Citizens and organizations conducting video, film and television filming - 120 UAH.

The best nature reserves of the Cheremosky National Park

1. The highest peak of the Bukovinian Carpathians - Mount Yarovytsia (1574.4 m high).

2. The highest mountainous shrine of the Bukovyna region is the chapel of the Holy Great Martyr Eustathius Plakida, the protector and guardian of the animal world, located at an altitude of 1340 m on Mount Tomnatyk.

3. The highest peak of the Black Dil National Landscape Reserve is Mount Velykyi Kamen (1454 m), which is one of the richest in terms of rare and endemic plant species in the Ukrainian Carpathians. There are 28 species of vascular plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and more than 30 endemic species.

4. The rarest species of the Ukrainian flora - multicolored sussurea (Saussurea discolor (Willd.) DC.), Jacquin's schereda (Crepis jacquinii Tausch) and baggy gentian (Gentiana utriculosa L.) - are species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, the habitats of which are unique in Ukraine and are known only from the territory of the Cheremosky National Park on the top of Mount Velykyi Kamen.

5. An extremely rare orchid of the world flora is the Carpathian black orchid (Nigritella carpatica (Zapał.) Teppner, Klein et Zagulski), the habitat of which is known from the Yarovytsky ridge - Mount Mlakovata.

6. The deepest vertical mine in Bukovyna is "Molochni Braty" with tectonic karst cavities (37 m), located within the karst-speleological reserve "Molochno-Bratskyi Karst Massif" on the Chornyi Dil ridge in the Cheremosky National Park.

7. The most valuable in sozological terms on the territory of the national park and Putyla district are fragments of absolutely indigenous communities of cedar-fir forests (Pineto (cembrae) - Piceetum (abietis) vaccinioso (mvrtilli) - hvlocomiosum) growing on carbonate rocky outcrops of the Chornyi Dil ridge.

8. The rarest insectivorous plant in the Bukovyna Carpathians is the alpine fatwort (Pinguicula alpina L.), the only habitat of which is known within the Bilyi Potik complex natural monument on the territory of the Cheremosky NNP.

9. The most valuable, the only habitat in the Ukrainian Carpathians of the Red Book species - Siberian (Bukovyna) pagan (Ligularia sibirica Cass.) is known from the territory of the Cheremosky NNP - within the complex nature monument "White Stream".

10. The highest flower of the Bukovinian Carpathians is edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass.) This flower of love grows at an altitude of 1445 m on the top of the Velykyi Kamen mountain. This place, which is attractive for tourists, is located on the territory of the Cheremosky National Park and is called "Top of Edelweiss".

11. The most picturesque flower valley in the Bukovyna Carpathians is the "Gladiolus Valley", located on the territory of the Cheremosky National Park on the outskirts of the village of Sarata, where in summer you can observe the massive flowering of wild gladioli - a Red Book species - tiled gladiolus (Gladiolus imbricatus L.).

12. The most blooming "Valley of Saffron" - on the ranges of Yarovytsia and Zhupany you can observe the picturesque flowering of Heuffel's saffron (Crocus heuffeliаnus Herb.).

13. The oldest dam - a monument of Hutsul architecture - the Crown Prince Rudolf Dam was built in 1879 on the Perkalab River.

14. The most valuable medicinal plants that grow in the meadow grasslands of the national park are mountain arnica (Arnica montana L.), broad-leaved star anise (Laserpitium latifolium L.), upright buttercup (Potentilla erecta (L.) Raeusch) and yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea L.), which are often used by highlanders in folk medicine.

15. The rarest predators in Europe - European lynx (Lynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758) and brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758), which are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine, protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are common in the forests of the Cheremosky NNP.

The main goal is to preserve this unique nature of the Carpathian Mountains, a national treasure, a standard of untouched beauty. Let us remember! It is the civic duty of each of us to preserve the rainbow colors and green clothes of the ancient forests and to pass on to future generations all the bounty of the fir cradle of our native land.

The Cheremosky National Park always welcomes guests of the region, tourists, enchanting them with its unexplored beauty, filling their hearts with romance, and healing their souls. And all this God's grace inspires us to live, to do good and happiness in every heart, in every family, in Ukraine! May our generous hospitality and kindness of the Hutsul people live and prosper, and may the Putyla region, the magical cradle of the Carpathian Mountains, where the mother's song sounds sweet and where you always want to return, live and prosper...