Rewilding for Ecovillages in Ukraine

Project Title: Rewilding for Eco-settlements and Eco-stations

Project Description:
The main goal of the project is to restore and preserve the natural environment through educational and informational initiatives within the eco-settlements. The project envisages the creation of information stands that will tell about the local flora and fauna, as well as the importance and opportunities of rewilding for biodiversity conservation and local development.

Description of the Problem for the Grant Application

Problem:.
Our society, in particular local communities, often do not realize the value and potential of the natural resources of their territories, especially in terms of rewilding and biodiversity conservation. This leads to underestimation and, consequently, inefficient use and conservation of natural resources.

**The main problems are.

• Low Awareness:** Local communities do not have sufficient information about the values and opportunities provided by biodiversity and ecosystem services in their areas.
• Lack of Education:** Lack of educational programs aimed at studying and popularizing rewilding, birdwatching, thematic tourism and other areas that contribute to nature restoration and conservation.
• Economic Disadvantage:** There is a lack of understanding of the economic benefits of conserving natural resources compared to traditional activities such as farming, logging and intensive agriculture.

Comparative Characteristics:

• Cereals vs. Carbon Offsets:** Returns per hectare from cereals versus potential revenue from carbon offsets over the long term.
• Logging vs. Forest Protection:** The economic benefits of timber harvesting compared to the benefits of preserving forest plantations to prevent desertification.
• Intensive Agriculture versus Water Conservation:** The profitability of commercial berry farming versus the importance of preserving lakes and reservoirs to protect communities from drying up wells.

Objective of the Problem Solving:
Development and implementation of a project aimed at raising awareness of local communities about the value and potential of their own natural resources through education, information support and practical rewilding activities. This will not only preserve unique ecosystems and biodiversity, but also open up new economic prospects for local communities based on the principles of sustainable development and environmental responsibility.

Mission: Mission:
To raise public awareness and stimulate involvement in the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems through information support and educational initiatives.

Vision:** Vision:
Promoting sustainable development of eco-settlements and eco-stations by integrating the efforts of the community, experts and local authorities in preserving the natural environment and developing responsible tourism.

Objectives:

1. Create information stands about local flora and fauna in eco-settlements.
2. Involvement of experts to audit local flora and fauna.
3. Develop a map of flora and fauna for each of the eco-settlements.
4. Raising awareness of local communities about the importance of nature conservation.
5. Development of thematic tourism and carbon economy.

Implementation Locations:.

• Chmyrivka - two dams. Place a stand describing biodiversity and water conservation.
  Implementer: Nastia Koroleva

• Svitankove, Sumy region - a large lake, placement of stands and bird watching points
  Performer: Vyacheslav Bogdanov + Birdwatcher

• Zeleni Kruchy - a small lake, make a pedestrian zone around the lake and a stand
  Performer: Kostya Booth

• Omelyanivka - a stand near the saved forest, arrangement of an eco-trail
  Performer: Sasha Stepanov and Pavlo

• Kolo forest - 40 hectares of private land, a stand with plants and animals, on the festival territory
  Performer: Stanislav Surzhenko, possibly Roman Rybakov

• Space of Love Landscape reserve and arboretum - creation of an eco-trail and a river crossing
  Performer Anatoliy Nagorny

• Kuyalnyk - development of stands, bird watching points, and eco-routes
  Tamara should be added to the coordinators to develop the stand layout for the Kuyalnyk itself.

Involvement of Participants:** **.

• Experts from the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group and Rewilding Ukraine.
• Local enthusiasts, naturalists, wildlife watchers.
• Local communities and media.

Implementation Methods:

1. Formation of a coordination focus group to develop basic stand layouts.
2. Collection of information about local flora and fauna, development of maps.
3. Centralized printing of layouts and their distribution to locations.
4. Installation of stands and their opening with the participation of local communities.
5. Submission of reports with photo and video materials about the opening of the stands.

**Project duration: 3-5 months.

Description of the Stand: Each stand will include information about the territory, a list of valuable representatives of flora and fauna, links to rewilding movements, sustainable development goals, climate initiatives, carbon economy and prospects for local communities.

Profiles or socials of other main team members publicly associated with the project (N/A for solo founders):

Maksym Zalevskyi https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxzalevski/
Iryna Kazakova
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iryna-kazakova/
Camilla Nielsen-Englyst
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cenglyst/