The Carpathian region is a shared and dynamic space of natural, cultural and socio-economic importance, essential for understanding national cultural and natural heritage. Despite its significant ecological and economic potential, the region is undergoing rapid negative environmental, social and political changes, particularly in the Ukrainian part of the Carpathians. Ukraine’s protected natural areas account for about 7% of its total territory, well below the targets set in its European integration commitments. But even this area faces many challenges, including the impact of Russian military aggression, conflicting land-use interests and underdeveloped tourism. Limited funding hampers improvements in protected area management, while balancing conservation goals with economic development requires careful planning.
In the wake of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, international tourism is expected to increase as one of the most lucrative sectors of the economy. Therefore, the development of adaptive strategies at the local level is crucial to ensure effective protection of the natural heritage and diverse landscapes of the Ukrainian Carpathians. To address potential conflicts between different social groups, it is essential to change perceptions of cooperation and implement training programs for new experts in protected area management. These programs should emphasise heritage interpretation and conservation to attract visitors, while providing non-formal education on nature conservation.
The National Ecological Centre of Ukraine (NECU) is actively working to address negative local trends and ensure sustainable development in Ukrainian Carpathians. In 2023-2024, NECU successfully implemented the project “Education for Sustainable Development: Sharing V4 Countries’ Experience for Ukraine’s Recovery“, supported by the Visegrad Fund. One of the main outcomes of the project was the creation of the online educational hub – a platform for informal education bringing together a wide range of stakeholders.
As part of the project “Shifting towards Ecotourism in Protected Areas through Heritage Interpretation“, also supported by the Visegrad Fund, NECU and its partners continue to introduce local communities to the best practices of the Visegrad Four countries. This project will be implemented from February 2025 to February 2026. The project aims to enhance the management of protected areas, visitor education and the development of environmentally sustainable international tourism. This will be achieved by interpreting the cultural and natural heritage of the Carpathian region. This tool is widely used in both EU countries and North America, providing opportunities for sustainable tourism while enhancing the role of nature parks in educating communities about biodiversity conservation.
The project’s objective is to disseminate international experience in the development of protected areas through the promotion of ecotourism and advocacy for cultural and natural heritage in Ukrainian national nature parks (NNPs) of Carpathians. The initiative is designed to ensure a comprehensive approach to the interpretation of the Carpathian’s heritage, aiming at achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The project involves experts and students from Ukraine and all the Visegrad Four countries, combining online learning with practical experience at real sites. Students will receive training and coaching to prepare them for the practical application of their skills in designing their own projects in international teams.
The project consists of four work phases:
- Phase One: Theoretical Training. An international team of senior students will be formed to study the current challenges faced by the Hutsulshchyna, Vyzhnytsky, Carpathian and Verkhovynsky NNPs in the Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions. The theoretical module will start in March 2025 at the premises of these Ukrainian NNPs. Students will attend a live lecture series by Michal Medek, a senior lecturer at the Czech Institute of National Heritage and a professor at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. Participants from the Visegrad countries will be able to attend the lectures online or watch recorded sessions. The training will continue during the spring session of the International Carpathian School, which will present best practices for addressing biodiversity conservation challenges to attract long-term tourism investment in the Carpathian region. The session will emphasize the importance of ecosystems and techniques for protecting natural reserves to safeguard mountain ecosystems. After completing the theoretical cycle, students will form international teams and receive assignments for the second and third phases of the project.
- Phase Two: Practical Orientation. This phase includes an educational tour to NNPs in the Visegrad Four countries. The tasks for students from Ukraine and the Visegrad countries will include studying best practices in heritage interpretation in reserves and parks in Slovakia (Sosna, Muránska Planina, Lomnica and Banská Štiavnica), Poland (Závažná Poruba and Zakopane), and Hungary (Duna-Ipoly park). Participants will gain insights into the practical management of cultural heritage in the Visegrad countries, selecting best practices based on theoretical concepts and expert guidance at the sites. Students will then develop solutions and submit their projects to a competition for implementation in Ukrainian national parks.
- Phase Three: Student project competition. The final task for the students will be to develop their own projects for implementation in the NNPs of the Carpathian region in Ukraine. The results of the competition will be announced during the autumn session of the International Carpathian School, scheduled for 25 September 2025, coinciding with Carpathian Day.
DOCX | Положення про конкурс малих грантів у рамках проєкту «Перехід до екотуризму на природоохоронних територіях через тлумачення спадщини»
DOCX | Regulations on the Small Grants Competition within the project “Shifting towards Ecotourism in Protected Areas through Heritage Interpretation” EN - Phase Four: Implementation of Student Projects. The final phase of the project will involve the implementation of four winning projects. Each of four Ukrainian NNPs in the Carpathian region will receive financial support for the implementation of the best project. The results and effectiveness of these projects will be monitored by representatives of the national parks and highlighted in project updates and the International Carpathian School’s online educational hub.
Key Activities of the Project:
- March 20–26, 2025. Organization of a series of lectures on heritage interpretation for Ukrainian students and visits to four Ukrainian national parks: Hutsulshchyna, Vyzhnytskyi, Carpathian, and Verkhovynskyi.
- March–April 2025. Formation of an international student group for further participation in the project (up to 30 participants from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine)
- May 1–4, 2025. Spring Session of the International Carpathian School in Ukraine. Announcement of the terms and preparation of the student project competition to enhance heritage interpretation efforts in the Ukrainian Carpathian region’s NNPs.
- June 21–27, 2025. Week-long educational tour through nature reserves and parks in Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary..
- July–August 2025. The development of individual projects for implementation in four NNPs of the Ukrainian Carpathians is underway.
- 26 September 2025. Online Autumn Session of the International Carpathian School dedicated to Carpathian Day. The event will focus on the establishment of internal communication and the creation of an action plan for the sharing of best practices in heritage interpretation at pilot NNPs, with a view to strengthening international cooperation.
- September–November 2025. Implementation of winning projects from the competition in the Ukrainian national nature parks of the Carpathian region.
- December 2025. The program will conclude with a final online conference to summarize project outcomes.
Expected Outcomes for Ukraine:
- Analysis of Best Practices. The impact of best practices in heritage interpretation from the national parks of the Visegrad Four countries will be studied.
- Dissemination of Positive Experiences. The successful implementation of EU best practices in heritage interpretation will be promoted through educational events in four Ukrainian NNPs and local communities.
- Development of Recommendations. Guidelines will be developed for implementing small grants to support the activities of NNPs in Ukrainian Carpathians.
- Formation of a National Network. A national network will be established to disseminate the project’s outcomes at the level of local communities and municipal authorities.
- Strengthening International Collaboration. International contacts and cooperation with stakeholders from the Visegrad Four countries will be strengthened.
Information Partners of the Project:
- Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, Vienna, Austria;
- Center for Public Initiatives of Kosivshchyna;
- Local and regional media outlets.
CZECH INSTITUTE FOR HERITAGE INTERPRETATION, CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech Institute for Heritage Interpretation (along with its mother organization, the Czech Association for Heritage Interpretation) serve as a not-for-profit heritage interpretation expert organization. The expertise includes consultations with top Czech heritage institutions on interpretation techniques, organizing training, research and publishing in the field. The institute cooperates with the European umbrella organization Interpret Europe in the development and delivery of training in the field of heritage interpretation, and the informal education of visitors during leisure time.
Website: https://dobrainterpretace.cz
UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMISSION, POLAND
The University of the National Commission for Education (Krakow) has been a leading higher education institution in Poland. It cooperates with partners of the Science for Carpathians (S4C) under the auspices of the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (UNEP). UKEN has considerable experience in the field of education, as well as in the organization of international schools (such as the S4C Winter School) and the joint organization of the Forum Carpaticum conference and partner seminars, which are aimed at establishing network interaction with representatives of educational institutions and other organizations working on problems of human interaction and the environment. It is planned to establish multilateral cooperation and partnership with the Carpathian School with the aim of demonstrating the best practices of the project in the field of sustainable tourism and cultural heritage, as well as providing examples of conflict resolution through environmentally friendly tourism in nature conservation areas.
Website: https://www.uken.krakow.pl/
MAGOSFA ALAPÍTVÁNY (FOUNDATION)
Magosfa Foundation (Hungary) – has good working relations with the Duna-Ipoly National Park and will facilitate the organization of visits by a team of students as part of the study tour. The Magosfa Foundation was founded in 2003. Its mission is to promote the preservation of local values, the restoration of local social institutions and settlements through ecotourism, and to demonstrate the possibilities of a more sustainable lifestyle for both visitors and residents of the region through environmental education tools. Their main activity in the project is to share the experience of the Kismagos Centre for Education and Ecotourism in the field of environmental education and local history programs. The Centre’s greatest strength lies in the development of methodology and equipment for new programs, as well as in the training of adult environmental educators
Website: https://www.magosfa.hu/
WATER FOR CLIMATE, SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Water for Climate operates in the following areas of their interest is climate change, water balance in the natural ecosystems, environmentally sound technologies, environmental chemistry and analysis. They also provide Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and are experienced in project management. This partner will cooperate in organizing part of the field trip and taking part in the Carpathian School.
Website: www.vodapreklimu.sk
THE REGIONAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION “CENTER FOR PUBLIC INITIATIVES”
The Regional Charitable Organization “Center for Public Initiatives” (Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk region) collaborates closely with NECU to implement projects that aim to enhance interaction between authorities and the public in addressing local environmental concerns. With positive experience in jointly organizing the traditional thematic Carpathian School, it guides participants towards achieving Ukraine’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, understanding that natural ecosystems, especially protected areas in mountainous regions, are crucial for adapting the population to contemporary realities. The Carpathian School’s program underscores the collaborative efforts of local communities, scientists, and eco-activists in the face of climate change, emphasizing strategies for biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage preservation.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/regcentr
Mykola Blyzniuk
A participant and one of the founders of the Kosiv branch of NECU (Ivano-Frankivsk region), the public environmental organization “Edelweiss,” and its successor, the regional charitable organization “Center for Public Initiatives.” He is the initiator and organizer of the International Carpathian School.
Professional interests:
- Exploring the role and significance of modern information and communication technologies in developing Ukraine’s public NGO sector.
- Integration into European and global communities.
- Environmental education and informal learning for the development of local territorial communities.
- Ecological design.
- Education for sustainable development.
- Social entrepreneurship.
- Project and investment activities.
Contact: blyzniyk@gmail.com
Valeriy Mykhaylenko
PhD Associate Professor at Kyiv Medical University, Kyiv
Co-founder of the International Carpathian School.
Professional interests:
- Sustainable land use and rehabilitation
- Cross-border environmental cooperation
- Chemicals in the environment.
- Municipal waste management.
- Environmental and social impact assessment.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and informal education.
Contact: v.mykhaylenko@knu.ua
Yuliia Khrystynchenko
Communications Technology Manager, SMM
Professional activities: environmentalist, journalist, content manager, translator.
Professional expertise: communication technologies, PR, SMM, translation, digital marketing, advertising, collaboration with media, and environmental educational activities.
Contact: yuliia.khrystynchenko@gw.necu.org.ua
Vitalii Hulevets
Project Manager
Professional activities: expert in geographic information systems (GIS) and technology, programming.
Professional expertise: project management, research on the environmental impacts of military aggression using GIS tools, and the study of methods for collecting and analyzing environmental data.
Contact: v.gulevets@gw.necu.org.ua
Project experts
Michal Medek
Director of the Czech Institute of Heritage Interpretation,
a lecturer at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.
Michal is the key expert of the project educational team. He will be engaged as a prominent lecturer in the Carpathian School and take a role of a student’s mentor during the field study trip. Michal also is a member of the evaluation committee of the student’s projects. He also works as a training coordinator for the professional organization Interpret Europe and is the author of several books and articles on heritage interpretation.
Ivan Matušek
President of “Water for Climate” professional association, Slovakia.
Ivan is a key lecturer on wetlands and environmentally sound technologies, climate change, water balance in natural ecosystems and education for sustainable development. He will be involved as a trainer in the V4 study tour to the reserves of the V4 countries, will teach at the Carpathian School and will be and will be a member of the student project evaluation committee. His organisation has been cooperating with NECU for many years and is considered as a key logistics provider for the study tour.
Joanna Zawiejska
Faculty Member,University of the National Education Commission in Krakow, Institute of Geography.
Joanna is a researcher, academic teacher and an active Expert of the Science for Carpathian (S4C) network under the UNEP Secretariat of Carpathian Convention. She will take role of a tutor, trainer and logistics provider for the Polish part of the Study field trip. Joanna shall be delivering a presentation seminar at the Carpathian School and shall also take part in the assessment of student projects.
Éva Neumayer
Environmental educator at the Magosfa Foundation.
Eva graduated from the University of Horticulture and Food Industry in Budapest. She is an expert of environmental education and education for sustainability. Coordinator of the Hungarian part of the study trip, developer of educational materials and transfer of know-how within the framework of the Carpathian School.
Seminar presentations:
Videos of seminars:
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund.
The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
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