Known for their scenic beauty and huge primary forests, the protected areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians have now become a shelter for displaced people. Visitor centres, administrative buildings and settlements in national parks are filling up with people who have fled their homes further east, searching for a safer place. 

We care about people’s lives as much as we care about nature and its life. Over the past few days, we have come together, working with the Frankfurt Zoological Society and other partners, to provide support to the Ukrainian protected areas to tackle the new reality they face. 

Nature cannot be separated from people. If you love nature, you will also want to protect it, and automatically, if you love people, you will want to offer them the same protection. In these times, we also want to help the people who have found shelter in protected areas in Ukraine. Depending on the needs we receive from park administrations, we organize convoys of vehicles to carry food, tents, mattresses, hygiene products, heating systems, etc., and offer them to our colleagues in Ukraine.  

We don’t know how long it will take, but we know that we have mobilized, and in the last 72h we have organized two convoys that went to Vyzhnitskiy National Park and Synevyr National Park. We will work hard to meet the requests that are still coming from Ukraine because there is still so much need for help. 

If you want to join us, please mention ”Ukraine” when you Donate.

The need for help will remain for weeks or even months to come. We will adapt and try to support the network of national parks in Ukraine through the partnership we have. Still, we also remain consistent in our nature protection and conservation activities in the Fagaras Mountains. 

Photo credit: Daniel Rosengren (article cover image, Carpathian Natural Nature Park, Ukraine), FCC.