"Beautiful places are more likely to receive protected status, while there’s no one to stand up for "unattractive" nature," writes Ukrainian steppe researcher Liubov Ilminska, adding that scenic cliffs over water contain only a fraction of the biodiversity found in a typical meadow-steppe ravine.Читати українськоюThis "rich inner world" might seem unphotogenic: a broad plain, grass, shrubs, with no tall cliffs, ancient trees, or dramatic elevation changes. Why protect something like that? But in reality, these "unphotogenic" spots are a vital part of a fragile ecosystem, one that today suffers both from climate change and human intervention.

The Seym River, which flows through the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions and flows into the Desna River, has significantly exceeded the permissible concentration of pollutants. In particular, ammonium, as evidenced by the results of hydrochemical analysis, according to the State Fisheries Agency of Ukraine.Читати українською