Stationary weather stations, portable radios, rubber boats, and inverter generators are part of the first batch of aid provided to Ukrainian environmentalists by international partners.

The handover of the new equipment took place at the Ministry of Ecology with the participation of the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Oleksandr Krasnolutsky, and the Permanent Representative of UNDP in Ukraine, Yako Sille.

The new equipment will assist park employees in conducting meteorological observations, documenting rare species, and performing overall biodiversity monitoring. Experts will also be provided with uninterrupted power supply during possible emergency shutdowns.

"In times of war, the assistance of international partners becomes even more significant for the protection of the Ukrainian environment. The Polissia parks are located in the border zone with Belarus. Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion by Russia, there have been attempts to occupy them. Therefore, we face many challenges, including demining territories and restoring ecosystems and peatlands within the framework of the climate agenda. Park employees continue to protect our nature. The new equipment from the Global Environmental Fund and UNDP will be a significant support in fulfilling their tasks," noted Oleksandr Krasnolutsky.

As part of the first batch of aid, Nobel and Shatsky National Parks, Prypiat-Stokhid National Nature Park, Polissia, and Rivne Nature Reserves received 27 radios, 15 generators, 9 stationary weather stations, and rubber boats.

The procurement, delivery, and transfer of equipment, with a total value of almost UAH 1.5 million, were carried out by UNDP in Ukraine within the framework of the UNDP-GEF project "Promoting Sustainable Livestock and Ecosystem Conservation in Northern Ukraine." The project team is currently working on forming the next batch of aid to meet the needs of the nature reserve fund in Polissia.