Tourism and recreation within the Carpathian National Natural Park

In 1643 Dora and Yamna were mentioned in documents, in 1647 - Rosiana Sloboda, and in 1686 the village of Sloboda was mentioned for the first time, which in 1700 became known as Yablunytsia. At the end of the seventeenth century opryshky (social brigands) started their activities in the vicinities of Mykulychyn and Dora villages.

First data on the population in the villages are dated to 1781-1787. At that time in Mykulychyn and Dora there were 169 and 68 houses, 192 and 71 families, 775 and 351 people respectively.

The third historical period of population begins in the late eighteenth century. Then the land in Dora started to be cultivated, and the first water sawmill was run in Mykulychyn.

In 1825 the construction of a road along the Prut valley through the villages of Dora and Mykulychyn to Yablunytsia began. Local peasants were involved in the construction of this road until the cancellation of the bondhold in 1848.

In 1893-1894, a railway from Stanislaviv to Voronenka about one hundred kilometres long was built, which gave an impetus to the development of tourism and spa resort business in the Prut basin. In the village of Yablunytsia there began to appear holiday homes for tourists. In Vorokhta, Mykulychyn, Yamnia and Yaremcha grew up hundreds of villas and pensions, roadside Hutsul huts offered paid accommodation, craftwork items, and souvenirs. All the above boosted embroidery, woodcarving, necklace weaving crafts, etc. In 1910 Yaremcha town, in 1927 Vorokhta village and in 1929 Tatariv village were registered as independent settlements [1].

The characteristic feature of settlements within the territory of the Park is their location in river valleys along the roads, as well as farm development of territories on mountain slopes near roads and settlements. The territory of the Park hosts chloride, carbon dioxide, sulphate, hydrocarbonated mineral waters such as "Boijomi", "Narzan", "Essentuki", "Arzni". Especially famous are carbonated sodium bicarbonate and calcium waters, the so-called "Burkuts".

According to the available data, in 1934 more than 20,000 people rested and were treated here. The Hutsul heritage occupies a special place in the complex of recreational resources of the Carpathian National Natural Park. It is divided into archaeological objects (remains of ancient settlements, fortifications, manufactures, ancient roads, burial places, ancient items, sections of the historical cultural layer of ancient settlements), historical objects (buildings, memorial places and objects related to the most important historical events in the life of the Hutsuls, their culture and everyday life, the development of science and technology), architectural objects (remains of ancient settlement layouts, cemeteries, buildings of military and religious architecture, as well as related items of monumental, fine, decorative and applied art).

At present, there are 7 settlements within the territory of the Park located in two administrative units.

At the territory of Yaremche City Council within the NNP such settlements as Yaremcha, Mykulychyn, Tatariv, Yablunytsia, Vorokhta are located. At the territory of Verkhovyna district such villages as Bystrets and Berestechko (Dzembronia) are partially located within the NPP.

Hutsul houses, outbuildings, wells, fences, stone bridges and tunnels are of great interest for tourists. Along the road from Yaremche to Yablunytsia there are many historical monuments, namely a monument to partisans-followers of Kovpak, the grave of Sichovi Striltsi (Sich Riflemen), a monument to Shevchenko in the village of Dora and in urban settlement Vorokhta. The museum of liberation struggle in Yaremche, the museum of Metropolitan A. Sheptytskyi, which presents a private collection of spiritual works of priest Yaroslav Svyshchyk, the Dovbush stone and rocks are just a few from the list of objects that can attract the interest of tourists.

Residents of Hutsul villages were mainly engaged in livestock husbandry. In the village of Yamna in 1847 there was a tarworks. At the boundary of the villages of Dora and Deliatyn a foundry was functioning for a long time, where iron was smelted from local bog iron ore using charcoal. In 1875 there was a sawmill in Yablunytsia, and at the end of the nineteenth century in the hamlet of Pidlisni near Mykulychyn a wood chip factory was put into operation. Wood for sawmills was taken out of forests in winter and floated along the Prut, Prutets and Peremyska rivers. The information on the construction of a special building for floating wood along the Peremyska river has been known since 1780. Such building was erected on the Chemyhivskyi Pruts in Mykulychyn village and operated till the beginning of the 20th century. The Stanislav-Voronenko railway was built in 1893-1894 and contributed to the industrial development of the area, although this railway gave much boost to the development of recreation and tourism [1].

As it can be seen from the historical references, the industry at the NNP territory was underdeveloped. In all zones of the Carpathian NNP, excluding the reserved area, only forestry related felling is performed, i.e clean cutting (except for thinning) and sanitary felling. Where this is permitted, non-timber resources are used, e.g. harvesting of wild fruits, berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cowberries), mushrooms. This can be made only for pleasure since industrial harvesting of non-timber raw materials is prohibited.

Livestock husbandry with a predominance of sheep breeding has been occupying an important place in the Hutsuls' economic culture since ancient times. This became the basis for the development of the culture of Polonyna economy with its structures, ways of grazing, production functions, organization of everyday life, methods of milk products processing, etc. Livestock grazing in summer, milk processing, hayharvesting for winter were the main activities of the Hutsuls. The cattle and sheep gave other profits as well. After being appropriately treated, sheep skin was used for the production of coats, hats, etc.; cattle skin was used to make shoes and horse harness; sheep wool was used for clothing, blankets etc.

Within the Carpathian NNP, collective farms and state farms during the Ukrainian SSR time existed only in the Verkhovyna district. At these farms the land was used for hay harvesting and grazing of big and small cattle. Collective farms and state farms were mainly engaged in livestock husbandry. After their reformation the Hutsuls carry on cattle husbandry and sheep breeding at their private farms.

Preservation and increase of productivity and value of natural resources, ensuring their rational use, as well as preservation of typical and unique natural complexes, determination of objects of living and nonliving nature are the main tasks assigned to forestry workers. In its practical activities, the State Park Protection Service actively implements the achievements of science, first of all, of forestry and forest protection.

The total area of lands of the Carpathian NNP permanent forest fund is 38,322 ha, of which 11,401 ha (29.8%) is the territory of the reserve. Forest land constitutes 34,827.4 ha (90.9%), including 33,998.3 ha (88.7%) covered with forest vegetation of the total area of lands under permanent use of the NNP. Forestry crops, i.e. growing stock, planted by the man constitute 13,170.2 ha or 38.7 percent of the total area of lands covered with forest vegetation. In the forests predominant are European spruce (79.3%), forest beech (10.2%), white fir (3.7%), mountain pine (4.1%) of the total area of lands covered with forest vegetation and the rest are European birch, grey alder, mountain alder, common hornbeam [2].

Forests in the Carpathian National Natural Park play an important water conservation, water regulation, soil protection, field protection and avalanche control functions. The NPP forests are a significant recreational and medicinal resource. Dominance in forest ecosystems of coniferous trees, which produce phytoncides and terpenes, provides high health and hygiene functions of the park. Forests play a major role in preserving the environment, accumulating harmful impurities and filling the air with medicinal phytoncides. At the territory of the Carpathian NNP in sanatoriums "Prykarpatskyi", "Prut", "Hirske Povitria", "Smerichka" located at altitudes ranging from 520 to 800 m above sea level adults and children suffering from lung diseases can improve their health.

The Park's natural conditions, namely the mountainous terrain, are favourable for skiing. The village of Vorokhta holds annual international "Carpathian Cup" competitions in ski jumping, competitions for the championship of Ukraine in biathlon, ski racing and Alpine combination, sports and athletics. "Avangard", "Zaroslyak" and "Ukraina" sports bases are available to develop these exciting sports.

Recreation centres "Karpaty", "Hutsulshchyna", "Hirskyi", "Prut", health camps "Kamin Dovbusha", "Smerichka", "Karpaty" and "Lavanda" are especially popular among holidaymakers.

Apart from the static rest, within the territory of the National Park such activities as car racing, hiking, water and ski tourism are offered. For non-organized tourism the Park makes available recreational areas, which are located near transport routes. Appropriate landscaping with the use of small architectural forms contributes to the caring attitude towards the natural environment. There are following recreational areas in the territory of the NNP: "Zhonka", "Vodospad", "Vorotyshche", "Zakutok", "Zhenets", "Rebrovach", "Tramplin'', "Hostryi Hrun", "Kolysanka", "Bohonchyk", "Hoverla", "Zaroslyak". Such recreations as "Chornohoritsia", "Dzerelo", "Pichnyi Potik", "Barania", "Tomnatyk", "Vesnarka", "Hropynets" [2] also attract the attention of tourists.

In the National Park there are more than 460 km of tourist, scientific and educational routes, which are the best form of informative recreation. The mostrecreational load is on such routes as "Dovbush trail", "To Khomiak", "To Hoverla".

Walking along tourist routes, ecological and educational trails, visitors get acquainted with the most valuable plantings, their natural composition, terrain features and diverse landscapes. Access to the trails is subject to agreement with the Park administration, no deviations from the trail are allowed. Lifting gates are installed at the entrance to the territory of the protected zone. On the routes there is a strict control over compliance with the rules of staying in the forest and norms of recreational loads.

Historical, architectural and memorial monuments attract the attention of the Park visitors. Wooden churches in Yaremcha, Vorokhta, Mykulychyn, Tatariv have historical value in terms of ancient folk architecture.

A fine monument of modern architecture is the restaurant and recreational complex "Hutsulshchyna".

The most visited ones are NPRD Hoverlianske, Yaremchanske, Yamnenske and Zhenetske (Table 1, Fig. 1, Fig. 2).

Table 1.

Dynamics of visiting the Carpathian NPP per NPRD, persons*

*compiled by the author based on the statistic data provided by the CNNP.

Fig. 1. Dynamics of visiting the Carpathian NPP per NPRD, persons *