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Geoekološko vrednovanje reljefa Parka prirode Hutovo blato s aspekta njegove turističke i rekreacijske valorizacije provedeno je na temelju prethodne geomorfološke analize. U radu je promatran turizam i rekreacija kao sociološki elementi razvoja parka prirode Hutovo blato. Za postupak geoekološkog vrednovanja izdvojeni su reljefni oblici određenog stupnja atraktivnosti (vrhovi, padine, korita i dolinska dna, vododerine, područje oko Deranskog jezera, područje oko Svitavskog jezera i Svitavsko jezero), koji su vrednovani za sljedeće oblike rekreacije: šetnja, brdski biciklizam, rekreacijski biciklizam, promatranje ptica i krajolika te kajaking i kanuing. Stupanj pogodnosti reljefa za navedene vidove rekreacije određen je na temelju fizičke pogodnosti, estetske vrijednosti i dostupnosti. U postupku vrednovanja primijenjena je metoda relativnog vrednovanja reljefa. Provedeno vrednovanje ukazalo je na vrijedne i potencijalno vrijedne dijelove reljefa, ali i na one ograničavajuće elemente krajolika, zbog kojih pojedini dijelovi nisu do sada dovoljno turistički valorizirani. To se posebno odnosi na istočni i jugoistočni dio Parka s izraženim problemom fizičke pogodnosti i (ne)dostupnosti (udaljenost te nepostojanje ili neuređenost pješačkih staza, otežane plovnosti, nepristupačnosti obale obrasle vegetacijom). Predložene su moguće aktivnosti za povećanje geoekološke vrijednosti prostora (uređivanje infrastrukture za rekreacijski biciklizam, te obnova starih i uređenje novih edukativnih staza za šetnju i edukaciju na prostoru koji ima potencijal postati zanimljiv i atraktivan dio Parka prirode Hutovo blato)., The geoecological evaluation of the relief of the Hutovo blato Nature Park from the perspective of its touristic and recreational valorization was carried out based on previous geomorphological analysis. The paper examines tourism and recreation as sociological elements of the development of the Hutovo blato Nature Park. For the geoecological evaluation, landforms of a certain degree of attractiveness (peaks, slopes, troughs and valley bottoms, ravines, the area around Lake Deran, the area around Lake Svitava and Lake Svitava) were selected, which were then evaluated for the following forms of recreation: walking, mountain biking, recreational cycling, bird and landscape watching, as well as kayaking and canoeing. The degree of convenience of relief for the mentioned types of recreation was determined based on its physical convenience, aesthetic value and accessibility. In the evaluation process, the method of relative relief evaluation was used. The conducted evaluation revealed the valuable and potentially valuable parts of the relief, but also the limiting elements of the landscape, which are the reason why certain parts have not been sufficiently valorized for tourism. This especially applies to the eastern and southeastern parts of the Park, with a pronounced problem of physical convenience and (in)accessibility (distance and the absence or the lack of maintenance of footpaths, difficult navigation and inaccessibility of the coast overgrown with vegetation). Possible activities to increase the geoecological value of the area are proposed (introduction of infrastructure for recreational cycling, and renovation of old and introduction of new educational paths for walking and education in an area that has the potential to become an interesting and attractive part of the Hutovo Blato Nature Park)., Die geoökologische Auswertung des Reliefs des Naturparks Hutovo blato aus dem Gesichtspunkt seiner touristischen und Erholungswertung wurde anhand einer vorhergehenden geomorphologischen Analyse durchgeführt. In der Arbeit werden Tourismus und Erholung als soziologiosche Elemente der Entwicklung des Naturparks Hutovo blato in Betracht gezogen. Es wurden unterschiedlich attraktive Reliefs (Gipfel, Hänge, Mulden, Talsohlen, Erosionsrinnen, Gebiet um den Deransko See, Gebiet um den Svitavsko See und der Svitavsko See selbst), geoökologisch ausgewertet, die sich für folgende Arten der Erholung eignen: Spaziergänge, Bergradfahren, Radfahren als Erholung, Vogel- und Landschaftsbeobachtung, sowie Kayakfahren und Kanufahren. Der Eignungsgrad des Reliefs für die genannten Arten der Erholung wurde anhand der physischen Eignung, des ästhetischen Werts und der Zugänglichkeit bestimmt. Bei der Auswertung wurde die Methode der relativen Auswertung des Reliefs angewandt. Die durchgeführte Auswertung hat auf wertvolle und potenziell wertvolle Teile des Reliefs hingewiesen, aber auch auf die einschränkenden Elemente der Landschaft, die daran schuld sind, dass manche Teile bisher nicht genügend touristisch erschlossen wurden. Dies bezieht sich insbesondere auf den östlichen und den südöstlichen Teil des Naturparks, wo die physische Unzugänglichkeit besonders ausgeprägt ist, dazu sind die Fußgängerwege nicht gepflegt, oder es gibt sie nicht, das Ufer ist dicht bewachsen, und die Fahrt auf dem See ist erschwert. Es wurden mögliche Aktivitäten zur Steigerung des geoökologischen Wertes vorgeschlagen (Anlegen von Radwegen, Instandsetzung von alten und Einrichtung von neuen Lehrwegen in einem Raum, der ein interessanter und attraktiver Teil des Naturparks Hutovo blato werden kann).

Environmental education experience in parks has been neglected in literature. This study aims to explore environmental and sustainable educational experiences of visitors in Hong Kong Ma Wan Park where is a nature park that combines nature, learning, and arts. The authors conducted 24 in-depth interviews with visitors to explore the views on those environmental and sustainable educational experiences. This experience is defined as visitors’ knowledge acquired through visitation, and changes of attitude and behaviours toward environmental sustainability. Data analysis shows that visitors’ environmental education experiences are reflected in “7 Rs”: 1) Refocusing on green education, 2) Reinforcing pro-environmental behaviour, 3) Responding for sustainable development, 4) Rekindling low-carbon lifestyle, 5) Respecting nature, 6) Retrieving tree information, and 7) Relaxing and enjoying art in nature. Result suggests those experiences can enable visitors to acquire authentic, professional, and specific knowledge about nature, to develop appreciative and responsible attitudes toward environment, to show philanthropic support of environmentally sustainability, and to prompt environmentally responsible behaviours. The findings of this study show that the environmental education experiences can be 5I’s inspiring, influential, informative, interactive, and innovative in terms of influencing visitors’ awareness, value, attitude, and behaviours for environmental sustainability. This study provides insights for other nature parks to design and implement creative, artistic, and interactive environmental education experiences for visitors about environmental sustainability. Implications, limitations, and future research directions were discussed.

Zoological parks are the ex-situ conservation facilities to complement and strengthen the national efforts in conservation and strengthen the rich biodiversity of the country, particularly the fauna.[1]The architectural design or the map of the zoo depicting location and dimensions of the office,exhibit area, indoor holding area, visitor paths etc are some of the major components of Master (Layout) Plan of the Zoo. Central Zoo Authority is the competent authority to approve the Master (Layout) Plan of the recognized zoological parks recognized by CZA. This Master (Layout) Plan model design takes into account of 3 key parameters that one should keep in mind while designing the zoo: Animal welfare (i.e., making animal housing facility as comfortable as possible), seamless visitor experience and smooth working of zoo management personnel.

Payments for ecosystem services are a voluntary market-based instrument to remunerate provider(s) of ecosystem services by those who benefit from them. Our research aimed to create an ex post evaluation framework to identify bottlenecks and elements hindering the success of a solution-driven PES scheme. The framework was applied to a case study to assess its feasibility and concerns the provision of health and recreational services in the Medvednica Nature Park (Zagreb, Croatia). The framework was set up through three main sources: the study of PES implementation project documentation, semi-structured interviews with visitors and key stakeholders, and web-scraping of TripAdvisor reviews of the park. The main findings confirm society’s interest in the park, but the lack of mapping, quantification, and accounting of the services analysed, the little or no demand from society to pay for their provision, and confused knowledge of the property rights of some ecosystem service providers in the area limit the success of the PES scheme. The framework was useful to describe the chosen PES scheme and to identify bottlenecks and fragilities of the system in place, allowing it to correct its application flaws and, on the other hand, to demonstrate its replicability in other contexts.

В работе приведены результаты комплексного экологического обследования особо охраняемой природной территории «Репнинский лес» г. Воронежа. Дана оценка почвенному и растительному покровам, описаны зоо- и микокомплексы, населяющие объект исследований. Показана ландшафтно-экологическая, эстетическая, санитарно-гигиеническая и рекреационная значимость природного парка. The paper presents the results of a comprehensive ecological survey of the specially protected natural area «Repninsky Forest» of Voronezh. The assessment of soil and vegetation covers is given, zoo- and mycocomplexes inhabiting the object of research are described. The landscapeecological, aesthetic, sanitary-hygienic and recreational significance of the natural park is shown.

Park prirode Medvednica, kao zelena oaza nadomak glavnog grada, iznimno je vrijedan resurs za opuštanje i rekreaciju stanovništva grada Zagreba u prirodnom okruženju, ali i sve značajnija atrakcija za turiste koji posjećuju grad Zagreb i okolicu. Kako su pritisci na taj zaštićeni prostor sve izraženiji u urbanističkom, sportskorekreacijskom i turistički razvojnom smislu, smatralo se važnim ispitati stavove i percepciju stanovnika grada Zagreba prema razvoju zimskog sportskog turizma na području Parka. Podaci za ovo kvantitativno istraživanje prikupljeni su anketnim ispitivanjem na uzorku od 309 stalnih stanovnika grada Zagreba. Istraživanje je pokazalo da stanovnici hrvatske metropole zimi često posjećuju Park te da taj prostor ipak ima veći značaj i vrijednost za gradsko stanovništvo, nego kao turistička atrakcija za privremene posjetitelje. Iako velika većina ispitanika smatra kako su ekonomske koristi od zimskog sportskog turizma od velikog značaja za očuvanje Parka i njegov daljnji razvoj, svjesni su da takav razvoj vrši dodatan pritisak na održivost zaštićenog područja. Među ograničenjima daljnjeg razvoja zimskog sportskog turizma ispitanici primarno vide u ograničenom prostornom kapacitetu i nedostatnoj infrastrukturi, ali i u neizbježnim klimatskim promjenama koje štetno utječu na redovitost održavanja međunarodnih skijaških utrka i imidž Medvednice kao destinacije zimskog sportskog turizma. Nalazi ovog istraživanja ukazuju na potrebu povećane brige o raspoloživim resursima, kao i pomnog promišljanja o mogućnostima i posljedicama daljnjeg razvoja zimskog sportskog turizma na promatranom prostoru. Originalnost ovog rada očituje se u dizajnu istraživanja i njegovoj primjeni na specifičnom prostoru, što do sada u tom obliku nije znanstveno istraživano., Medvednica Nature Park, as a green oasis close to the capital city of Zagreb, is a highly valuable resource for relaxation and recreation of the urban population in a natural environment, but also an increasingly important attraction for tourists visiting the city of Zagreb and its surroundings. As the pressures on this area are increasingly pronounced in urbanisation, sports-recreational and tourism development terms, it was considered important to examine the attitudes and perceptions of the urban population towards the possibilities of developing winter sports tourism in this protected area. The data for this qualitative research was collected through a survey on a sample of 309 residents of the city of Zagreb. The research showed that residents often visit the Park in winter, and that this area still has more significance and value for the local population than as a tourist attraction for temporary visitors. Although the vast majority of respondents believe that the economic benefits of winter sports tourism are of great importance for the preservation of the Park and its further development, they are aware that such development exerts considerable pressure on the sustainability of the protected area. Among the limitations of the further development of winter sports tourism, respondents primarily see limited spatial capacity and insufficient infrastructure, but also inevitable climate changes that adversely affect the regularity of organizing international ski races and the image of Medvednica as a winter sports tourism destination. The findings of this research point to the need for increased care about available resources, as well as careful consideration of the possibilities and consequences of further development of winter sports tourism in the observed area. The originality of this research is reflected in its design and application in a specific area, which has not been scientifically investigated in this format so far.

This study’s objective was to explore some of the annual Prussian carp’s (Carassius gibelio) biological characteristics (sex ratio, length–weight ratio, and gonado somatic index - GSI) in the Kopački Rit Nature Park in Croatia. The Prussian carp is an invasive fish species originated from Asia, which became widely distributed throughout Europe and is believed to be responsible for a decline in the number of indigenous fish, invertebrate, and macrophyte populations in different areas. The fish sampling was conducted from September to November 2017 and from February to July 2018, respectively, using electrofishing. A total of 475 fish individuals were caught and measured for the total length, standard length, body height, and body weight. Males made up 34.31% of the population of Prussian carp. The mean value of Fulton condition factor (FC) of Prussian carp in Kopački Rit was 1.77 ± 0.28. Overall, the FC value had a relatively small amplitude, but it exhibited a clear seasonal vari ability. The average GSI values of females (9.91 ± 5.34) were higher than those of males (3.58 ± 1.37) during the observed period. The average GSI values indicate that the majority of females are spawning in the late April and May, which are also the same periods when other cyprinid species are spawning, allowing the Prussian carp to exploit its gynogenesis strategy., Cilj ovoga istraživanja bila je istražiti neke od bioloških karakteristika (omjer spolova, dužinsko-maseni odnos i gonadosomatski indeks) babuške (Carassius gibelio) tijekom jedne godine u Parku prirode „Kopački rit“ u Hrvatskoj. Babuška je alohtona vrsta ribe uvezena iz Azije koja se od tada proširila diljem Europe te se vjeruje kako je odgovorna za opadanje autohtone populacije riba, beskralježnjaka i makrofita u pojedinim područjima. Ihtiološko uzorkovanje obavljeno je od rujna do studenoga 2017. te od veljače do srpnja 2018. s pomoću elektroribolova. Ukupno je ulovljeno 475 jedinaka, na kojima je izmjerena ukupna dužina, standardna dužina, visina tijela i masa. Mužjaci su činili 34,31 % populacije babuške. Prosječna vrijednost Fultonova kondicijskog faktora (FC) za babušku u Kopačkome ritu bila je 1,77 ± 0,28. Sveukupno, vrijednosti FC-a su imale relativno malo varijacija, ali ukazuju na jasnu sezonsku varijabilnost. Prosječne vrijednosti gonado-somatskoga indeksa (GSI) za ženke (9,91 ± 5,34) bile su veće negoli za mužjake (3,58 ± 1,37) tijekom promatranoga razdoblja. Prosječne vrijednosti GSI-ja ukazuju kako se većina ženka mrijesti krajem travnja i tijekom svibnja, što je isti period kada se mrijeste i ostale ciprinidne vrste, a to babuški omogućuje da se koristi svojom strategijom ginogeneze.

Ijen Tourism Cluster (ITC) merupakan konsep pengembangan aktivitas ekonomi dan pariwisata melalui pemekaran dan penciptaan destinasi pariwisata baru di kawasan sekitar Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen. ITC memanfaatkan modal alam dan modal sosial yang terdapat pada kawasan destinasi pariwisata untuk menciptakan aktivitas pariwisata yang berkelanjutan di kawasan Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengembangkan strategi pariwsata berkelanjutan berbasis klaster pariwisata yang memanfaatkan intergrasi antara daya tarik alam dan potensi kelembagaan yang dimiliki oleh masyarkaat lokal dalam aplikasinya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat 3 kendala utama dalam aplikasi ITC untuk mengembangkan aktivitas pariwisata di kawasan sekitar Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen. Ketiga kendala tersebut terjadi karena belum optimalnya kapasitas kelembagaan pengelolaan BUDes dan BUMDesa Bersama; rendahnya lama tinggal wisatawan di area sekitar Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen; dan rendahnya integrasi klaster antar kawasan destinasi pariwisata disekitar Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen. Untuk mengatasi hambatan tersebut penelitian ini memberikan solusi berupa penciptaan dan pengembangan creative hub yang berfungsi sebagai wadah inovasi dan kreativitas masyarakat lokal, serta sebagai pusat sarana edukasi dan penguatan potensi pariwisata Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen. Kedepannya area creative hub pada kawasan sekitar Taman Wisata Alam Kawah Ijen akan menjadi pusat aktivitas ekonomi, edukasi, dan pelestarian lingkungan bagi masyarakat lokal dan wisatawan.

The article provides information on the biological landscape and agrobiodiversity of the Zaamin National Natural Park. In particular, studies were carried out on the types of microorganisms, plant and animal species growing in the territory of the Zaamin National Natural Park.

En este trabajo intentamos mostrar el aula de educación infantil como un espacio y un tiempo de historias que se recogen, se viven y se inician. El texto es fruto del estudio que hemos realizado en una escuela pública de una población cercana a la ciudad de Valencia. Es una escuela peculiar pues está en un paraje natural, donde el tiempo parece desacelerarse. Durante dos cursos hemos acompañado a las maestras y a las criaturas en dos aulas de 5 y 3 años respectivamente. Nuestra investigación de carácter narrativo explora, desde distintos puntos de vista, los procesos de creación curricular que observábamos en las aulas. En nuestra práctica de observación recogemos hilos con los que enlazar historias que nos muestran cómo el currículum se va creando en la escuela. En este texto exploraremos uno de esos hilos de nuestro estudio: el papel que los materiales tienen en la vida del aula, cómo determinados objetos (libros, elementos naturales, fotografías ) conectan la vida del aula con la vida de las niñas y los niños y sus historias familiares, y cómo cuando las maestras acogen estos materiales y les hacen espacio, aparecen nuevas historias para vivirse desde ellas. In this paper we aim to present the early childhood education classroom as a space and a time of collected, lived, and prompted stories. This text is the result of a study conducted in a state school located in a village near Valencia. It is a singular school, for it is situated in a nature park, where time seems to decelerate. For two school years, we have been alongside teachers and children in two classrooms of ages 5 and 3 respectively. Our investigation - which is of narrative character - explores from diff erent points of view the curriculummaking processes observed in the classrooms. In our observation practice, we gather threads with which to connect stories that show how the curriculum is created within the school. In this paper we will explore one of these threads of our study: the role materials play in the life of the classroom, the way in which certain objects (books, natural elements, photographs ) connect the life of the classroom to the life of the children and their family stories, and how, when teachers embrace these materials and give them a space, new stories to be experienced spring up

İnsanların boş zamanlarında katılmış oldukları rekreasyonel etkinlikler ile yaşam kalitelerini arttırmaları mümkündür. Sahip oldukları kaynak değerleri sebebiyle önemli bir yere sahip olan korunan alanlar, katılımcılara doğa ile iç içe vakit geçirebilecekleri olanaklar sunmaktadırlar. Ancak korunan alanlarda rekreasyonel engeller bazı kullanıcı profilleri üzerinde olumsuz etki göstererek katılımı azaltabilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, çalışmanın amacı kadınların rekreasyon alanı olarak korunan alanları tercih etmesinde etkili olan engellerin belirlenmesidir. Burdur Serenler Tepesi Tabiat Parkı araştırma alanı olarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada materyal olarak anket formu kullanılmıştır. Anket formunda rekreasyonel engeller “Güvenliğe dayalı engeller, kişisel engeller, mekânsal engeller, spora dayalı engeller, zamana dayalı engeller ve arkadaşa dayalı engeller” olmak üzere 6 ana kriter altında sınıflandırılmıştır. Anket formu 83 kadın katılımcıya uygulanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde SPSS programı kullanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak kadınların korunan alanları çok az kullandığı ve rekreasyonel tercihlerini etkileyen en önemli faktörün “Güvenliğe dayalı engeller” olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca kadınların demografik özelliklerine (yaş, eğitim, medeni durum, vb.) bağlı olarak rekreasyonel tercihlerinin değiştiği belirlenmiştir. Korunan alanlarda gerçekleştirilen mekânsal planlama ve tasarım çalışmalarında bu çalışmanın sonuçlarının dikkate alınması kadınların rekreasyonel faaliyetlere katılımına katkı sağlayacaktır., It is possible for people to increase their quality of life by engaging in recreational activities during their free time. Protected areas, which occupy an important place because of their resource values, offer participants the opportunity to spend time in contact with nature. However, recreational barriers in protected areas may negatively impact some user profiles and reduce participation. In this context, the study aims to identify the barriers to women's preference for protected areas as recreation sites. Burdur Serenler Hill Nature Park was identified as the research area. A questionnaire was used as material for the research. In the questionnaire, recreational obstacles were classified according to 6 main criteria: "safety-related obstacles, personal obstacles, spatial obstacles, sport-related obstacles, time-related obstacles and friendship-related obstacles". The questionnaire was applied to 83 female participants. The SPSS program was used to analyze the data. As a result, it was found that women use protected areas very little and that the most important factor influencing their recreational preferences is "safety-related barriers". In addition, women's leisure preferences were found to change depending on their demographic characteristics (age, education, marital status, etc.). Consideration of the results of this study in spatial planning and design studies in protected areas will help to promote women's participation in recreational activities.

With the advent of the golden jackal in the Lower Dnister, certain changes have taken place in natural complexes, which are primarily related to the impact of the new species on the local fauna. Under such conditions, the number of jackals in certain areas, the spatial structure and location of separate packs are important information for the development of measures aimed at maintaining an optimal abundance of this species. Given the active impact of wildlife on natural systems, there are a number of both biological and purely social problems that need to be addressed. The effectiveness of solving such problems directly depends on the level of study of various aspects of biology and ecology of jackals. In addition, knowledge of the current state of the Dnister jackal population allows timely and effective response to new environmental challenges, which are associated with an increase in the abundance of new species and in its impact on the native mammal fauna. The results of the research indicate a certain competition of the jackal with other species of predatory mammals, in particular the fox and the raccoon dog. Thus, within the territories where the study was carried out, with the appearance of the jackal at the lower course of the Dnister, the red fox was not observed at all and the number of raccoon dogs decreased significantly. Habitats of separate jackal groups within the Lower Dnister National Nature Park have been identified and their total abundance has been established. The dynamics of settlement by the species of the Lower Dnister area is analysed, the conservatism of the species in relation to the residential areas is indicated. It has been established that in some parts of the park, in particular on the northern bank of the Dnister Estuary, the density of animals is about 12 individuals per 1000 hectares, which significantly exceeds the permissible sanitary and epidemiological standards. At the same time, in some parts of the floodplains of the Lower Dnister, density exceeds 0.5 individuals per 1000 ha, which indicates a complex spatial distribution of separate packs and groups of jackals. Mapping of the number of jackals in the park showed that groups far from the estuary are smaller in number (6–14 individuals), whereas groups near the estuary are more abundant (13–20 individuals).

Air pollution by heavy metals in the urbanized surroundings presents a serious threat to human health and the environment. Road dust is distinguished as a high-level pollutant and characterized by a significant content of heavy metals. Green spaces play a leading role when it comes to improving the quality of atmospheric air in megalopolises. They trap pollutants. Most of them settle on the surfaces of plant leaves, but some can be also absorbed through the stomata. As a result of these processes, pollutants, along with fallen leaves, can later migrate to other components of the ecosystem. An important component of this system is forest litter that plays a kind of trigger role by regulating the directions of substance flows in the “leaves-litter-soil” system, keeping chemical elements from leaching out and evenly distributing their inflows. Thus, forest litter functions as a sort of biogeochemical barrier and plays a leading role in the ability of ecosystems to self-regulate. Thus, the purpose of this work was to assess the role of green spaces in improving the quality of atmospheric air in the urban surroundings and to conduct a preliminary assessment of the features of the processes of heavy metals transformation within the forest litter. The model site of research is located within the territory of Holosiivskyi forest, a part of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park (Kyiv). The content of heavy metals in the forest litter was determined using the methods of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of the study of Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr and Zn content annual dynamics within the forest litter of the hornbeam forest of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park show that the maximum concentrations are typical for the summer period, when the litter reserves sharply decrease, and the minimum ones – for the autumn-winter period during their accumulation. Comparison of the distribution of heavy metals content within the leaf and fermented layers showed that, under the conditions of the model area, Zn, Cu, and Ni are predominantly accumulated right in the leaf layer of the forest litter. Moreover, it was revealed that the processes of leaf litter mineralization lead to migration of Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr, and setting of Zn.

An annotated list of new records of butterflies and moths of the National Nature Park ‘Dvorichanskyi’ is provided. The list includes 103 species, of which 80 are registered in the park for the first time, 60 are new records for Kharkiv Region, and 3 (Trifurcula austriaca van Nieukerken, 1990, Ochsenheimeria capella Möschler, 1860, and Leucoptera genistae (M. Herring, 1933)) are new for Ukraine. Totally, there are 1,364 species of Lepidoptera registered in the National Nature Park ‘Dvorichanskyi’. There are 13 species from the Red Data Book of Ukraine and 24 species from the Red Data Book of Kharkiv Region of Ukraine registered in the park.

This study reports on the abundance and distribution of mangrove gastropods from Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Malaysia (KSNP). The line transect method with quadrats (5m x 5m) was employed to sample the gastropods. Gastropods were collected from the leaves, branches, stems and roots of trees and the mangrove floor. Nineteen gastropod taxa from seven families were recorded from the Bruguiera, mixed (Bruguiera, Avicennia and Rhizophora), Avicennia and Rhizophora zones. Avicennia sp. recorded the largest Girth at Breast Height (GBH) (mean±sd=37.3±18.2 cm) while Bruguiera sp. recorded the smallest GBH (mean=22.36±8 cm). The overall density of the gastropods at KSNP was 0.85 no/m2. The gastropod density was higher at the Avicennia & Rhizophora zone (150-200m (closer to the mudflats) (0.064±0.084 no/m2) followed by the mixed zone (50-150m) (0.046±0.30 no/m2) and lowest at the Bruguiera zone (0-50m) (0.08±0.080 no/m2) (closer to the coastal bund). Gastropod density between sampling zones did not vary significantly (p>0.05) but generally increased from the bund towards the mudflat edge. Further studies of the role of gastropods in the coastal food chain, as bio-indicators of habitat change and as potential food source for local populace are needed.

During the last decades, against the backdrop of radical social and economic restructuring, the rural environment has changed fundamentally, arising new social and economic dynamics and cultural realities. The second homes development has significantly contributed to this process and created major challenges for the need to protect the rural character. Therefore, with the purpose of integrated and sustainable spatial planning, a detailed acquaintance of second homes’ spatial differentiation as part of contemporary rural landscapes, is a core prerequisite. This study aims to determine the second homes spatial patterns in relation to the main characteristics of the local environment, and to create a practical cornerstone for stakeholders concerned with integrated planning of second home tourism. In order to achieve these goals, this research used five major datasets related to land cover, elevation, climate, management system for protected areas and other social aspects (e.g. tourism, native settlements). Twenty-three variables were defined using GIS and subsequently assigned to grid cells with a size of 1.5 km2. To reduce the dimensionality of spatial datasets, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed, resulting seven components that explained 77.2% of the variation. The PCA score was the subject of k-means cluster analysis that revealed nineteen landscape types. Finally, the spatial location of second homes is overlaid with the identified rural landscapes. This approach shows plenty of hidden nuances of second home tourism and facilitates its integration in both spatial, socio-cultural, and administrative dimensions.

The article outlines the details on several noteworthy records of corticoid fungi discovered in the course of mycological observations in Prypiat-Stokhid National Nature Park (Liubeshiv District, Volyn Region) in October, 2019. In Ukraine, Byssocorticium atrovirens is apparently known only from a single record of A. Pilat, 1933, from the present-day territory of Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. Piloderma bicolor has been earlier recorded only once from Skole Beskids National Nature Park, while Tomentella lilacinogrisea has been previously found in a single locality in Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. The data on detailed morphological descriptions, ecological peculiarities, substrate specialization, general distribution, photographs of basidiomata and original drawings of microstructures are provided.

The article presents the results of field research conducted in 2020 on the territory of the Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park. As a result of the conducted research, 32 species belonging to 2 families of hemiptera of the infraorder Pentatomomorpha I were identified. Among them, the predominant species composition of the family Lygaeidae is 21 species (66%), and 11 species are known from the family Aradidae (34%). On trophic specialization, they are divided into mycetophagy (11 species), phytophages (21 species, of which politicology – 16 types, wide oligotherapy – 3, narrow oligotherapy – 2). According to the type of food, both taking into account the number and number of species in the complex of hemiptera, phytophages clearly predominate. According to the number of generations per year, the hemiptera of the Ile-Alatau SNNP are divided into 4 groups: acyclic (different stages of development can be found simultaneously throughout the year) – 11 species, monovoltine (one generation per year) - 15 species, bivoltine (two generations per year) – 5 species, polyvoltine (several generations per year) - 1 species. There are 30 species with mesophilic ecology in the study area, only 1 species is hygromesophilus. Among the hemiptera of the Ile-Alatau GNPP, 19 species (61%) overwinter in the imago stage, 11 species (35%) in the imago and larvae stage, and 1 species (4%) in the egg stage.

Objective: This study was aimed at conducting a pilot survey of the ethno-medicinal plants in Finima Nature Park (FNP), Bonny, Nigeria, to elicit common medicinal plants and their uses. Method: A set of structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from three key informants (Traditional Medicine Practitioners-TMPs) and 62 household heads on the local medicinal utilization of plants in FNP. Plant utilization and preferences, perceived conservation status and use values were documented. Results: Eighty-three (83) plant species belonging to 45 Botanical families were frequently collected from FNP for local medicinal purposes. Rubiaceae was the most abundant (8%) plant family while the plant forms showed trees (46%), herbs (23%), shrubs (21%) and ferns (3%). Plant parts used for local medicine included leaves (44%), stem/barks (21%), roots (16%), whole plant (5%), fruits (5%), seeds (6%), tubers (2%) and flowers (1%). Infectious diseases were the most treated (30%), urogenital and endocrine diseases - such as thyroid (15%) and abdominal diseases (11%). Oral (62%) and dermal (30%) constitutes the main modes of administration. Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel. had the highest use value (3.5 - 4) while Ocimum gratissimum Linn., Vernonia amygdalina Delile and Alchornea cordifolia Schumach. & Thonn had the least (1). Perceived conservation status of medicinal plants by respondents revealed scarce (9%), threatened (31%) and abundance (60%). Conclusion: Finima Nature Park (FNP) is a repository of medicinal genetic resource and as such, its conservation should be upheld.