Today, the Government has approved a change in the designated purpose of state-owned land plots located in the Haisyn district of Vinnytsia region.

They will be transferred from the category of forestry land to the lands of nature reserve and other environmental protection purposes to be used by the Karmelyukove Podillya National Park.

"This decision will help preserve the natural forest tracts of Vinnytsia region in a relatively undisturbed state. It is here that the northeastern border of the rock oak distribution is located and its plantations are of high scientific and practical value. There are also large numbers of plant species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine," said Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

One third of the Park's territory was reserved back in the 80s of the last century and acquired the status of botanical reserves of state and local importance. Plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as those included in Appendix I of the Bern Convention and CITES species were found here.

The main objective of the national park is to preserve valuable natural complexes of Southern Podillya, which have important environmental, scientific, historical, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and health benefits.

The decision approved by the Government will allow Vinnytsia Regional State Administration to transfer land to the Karmelyukove Podillya National Park for the conservation and use of valuable natural areas, while obtaining the status of a legal land user will allow the park to more effectively fulfil the environmental protection tasks set by the state.