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Melitopol State Pedagogical University - Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station

Melitopol State Pedagogical University was founded in 1923. The University has 7 Faculties, 19 specialties. There are more as 5.000 students. Scientific Department of University represent from 300 scientists, specialists, engineers and administration.

The department involved within the framework of the project is Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station (AZBOS). AZBOS was born on the 12th December 1985. It is an interdepartmental subunit of two institutions: 1- Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) and 2- Melitopol Pedagogical University (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine).

Principal direction of the Station’s scientific investigations: Control of ornithofauna, estimation of ornithological situation in the south of Ukraine and current changes in bird distribution and number; Investigation of wetlands in the region, having international importance and development of recommendation on their conservation; Study of bird migratory routes, their structure and stability to conserve bird species, migrating in Eurasia; Biological monitoring of rare and threatened bird species of Ukrainian steppe zone, finding of their nesting grounds; Inventory of natural reserve areas.

In 2000 due to the initiative and financial support of WWF Odessa Project Office there was created Wetland Management Unit (WMU) as department of Azov-Black Ornithological Station. WMU has wide network of experts in ornithology, herpetology, terriology, geobotany, floristics, ichthyology, hydrobiology and landscape diversity. The Unit is a centre of technical expertise and international cooperation to conserve and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources. Its activity is directed at: Preparing management-plan and propositions to support biodiversity in coastal and aquatorial ecosystems; Carrying out monitoring; Gathering and analysis of data on use of wetlands and their resources; Implementing of trainings, technical consultations and expert estimation on problems of wetland management and support of their biological diversity.

Main international research activities:

  • the section within the World Bank supported project "Conservation of biological diversity of the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta" (1996)
  • projects of Wetlands International - AEME "Support for the conservation of wetlands and wetland species in the Azov-Black Sea region of Ukraine" (1998)
  • projects of Wetlands International - AEME “Strategy for Waterbird Monitoring in the Black Sea Region” (2000)
  • GEF project “Second phase of support of biodiversity enabling activity” (2003)
  • GEF project “Estimation of biodiversity of migratory waterfowls in wetlands along the Corridor and identification of important area of seasonal feeding distribution and routes of bird movements” – the part of GEF project “The support of biodiversity of Azov-Black sea Ecological Corridor (the project covered wetlands of the south part of Ukraine) (2004-2005)
  • TACIS project “Emergency Planning and Flood Protection in the Lower Danube EuroRegion” (2005 - 2006) (some experts).
  • TACIS project “Technical Assistance for the Lower Dniester River Basin Management Planning” (2006-2007) (some experts)
  • 14 projects on management and restoration recommendation for Danube delta region of DCPO WWF (2000-2007)

The project will essentially be implemented by:

  • Josef ChernichkoPresent position: Head of the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station. Director of Wetlands and Protected Areas Management Unit. Scientific interests are evolutionary and population avian ecology, migrations. Over 40 years of scientific studies in the field of ornithology and ecology. Participant and organizer of several international expeditions. Coordinator of waterbird monitoring in 7 Black Sea countries within the programme of Wetlands-International-AEME. Author and programme leader of the Regional Ornithological Monitoring. Project leader of more than 20 scientific and scientific-practical projects including those in the framework of the activity of such organizations as Wetlands International, WWF, GEF; worked as an expert in TACIS projects. Dr. Chernichko leads the Wetlands and Protected Areas Management Unit (WMU), which activity is focused at development recommendations for wetlands management. Under his guidance WMU executed over 10 elaborations for management of Danube delta areas. The most large-scale of them is ‘a Vision for the Danube Delta, Ukraine’ (in collaboration with WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme and Stroming Bureau, the Netherlands). Dr. Chernichko is a co-author of this voluminous document, as well as co-author of 5 other monographs and about 150 scientific papers. Since 1993 he is a member of National Committee on rare bird species at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Corresponding member of Ukrainian Ecological Academy of Science and also of such organizations as: Menzbir Ornithological Society (Russia); Ornithological Committee of North Eurasia; International Wader Study Group (WSG).
    Current activity in EnviroGRIDS project is focused at the assessment of influence of climate and landscape changes, and demographic scenarios on biodiversity and ecosystems.
    , Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, ecologist – team leader.
  • Yury Andryushchenko, Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, geographer, ecologist
  • Vladimir Popenko, Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, ecologist
  • Vladimir Siokhin, Candidate of Biological Sciences, ecologist, ornithologist
  • Alexandr Koshelev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, ecologist
  • Sergey Podorozhny, Candidate of Biological Sciences, botanist, ecologist
  • Raisa Chernichko, Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, ecologist, specialist in ecological education
  • Mikhail Zhmud, Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, ecologist
  • Viktor Demchenko, ichthyologist, ecologist
  • Semen Volovnik, Candidate of Biological Sciences, entomologist, specialist in ecological education
  • Yury Karmyshev, Candidate of Biological Sciences, herpetologist, ecologist
  • Oleg Dyakov, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, hydrologist, ecologist
  • Svetlana Vinokurova, programmer, ecologist, GIS specialist
  • Sergey Suchkov, entomologist, ecologist

Role in the project:

AZBOS is taking part in two tasks and several deliverables on “Biodiversity” and “Ecosystems” so called societal benefit areas within WP5.