Polesia is one of Europe’s largest remaining wetland landscapes, where vast peatlands, floodplain forests and river systems support rich biodiversity and essential ecosystem services. Since 2019, the project led by the Frankfurt Zoological Society has been working to protect and restore this landscape, strengthening conservation efforts across the region.
In this update, hear from the Polesia project team as they share key developments from 2025, including progress on wetland restoration, protected area expansion and biodiversity monitoring.
Wetland restoration in Ukraine moves into the field stage
Another year of hard work to preserve the nature of Polesia is behind us. Unfortunately, the circumstances of this work have not changed recently. Ukraine is still at war, which makes conservation activities more difficult. Nevertheless, we have a number of achievements to highlight that are important not only here and now, but also for the long-term future of wildlife conservation in Polesia.
Last year, our focus remained on wetland restoration in Ukrainian Polesia, specifically in the Chornobyl Biosphere Reserve (Chornobyl BR) and the Rivnenskyi Strict Nature Reserve (Rivnenskyi SNR). An important milestone was reached at the beginning of the year when we started the baseline assessment of hydrological conditions at the restoration sites. Alongside the existing monitoring network, we set up several automatic measuring points equipped with state-of-the-art technology for the first time in Polesia. This monitoring will continue for at least ten years, providing data that will enable us to assess the effectiveness of restoration measures and make well-informed decisions in the future.
Meanwhile, engineering planning and environmental impact assessment procedures were underway in preparation for restoration work on priority sites covering over 13,000 hectares. Engineering plans for peatland and floodplain restoration in the Chornobyl BR and Rivnenskyi SNR have been finalised and are currently being approved. Based on current progress, we anticipate that construction work will begin in Q3 2026.
In parallel with this work, we identified two additional restoration sites in the Rivnenskyi SNR and Drevlianskyi Strict Nature Reserve (Drevlianskyi SNR). The scientific justifications for these sites have been finalised and approved, and we expect engineering planning to start in 2026. The restoration site in the Drevlianskyi SNR promises to be challenging: the reserve is partly located within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, which is heavily contaminated by long-lived radionuclides. Earthworks are not possible there, as they pose a high risk both to the environment and to workers’ health. Therefore, a site-specific solution has been proposed: wooden dams will be used to block the reclamation systems through which water flows out of the territory. This will be implemented manually in 2026 upon receiving the necessary permissions.
Expanding protection for key habitats
The efforts of our experts in lobbying on environmental issues continue to bear fruit in Belarus. In 2021, for example, our project developed a management plan for Pripyatsky National Park, which is one of the largest protected areas in Belarusian Polesia. The plan included expanding the national park and increasing its strictly protected zone, among other measures. According to the plan, the area of Pripyatsky National Park increased by 539.59 hectares, bringing its total size to 89,092.59 hectares. The park’s strictly protected zone increased by 2,522.3 hectares and now covers 37% of its total area.
Before 2022, the scientific justification for expanding the Turaw Meadow Nature Reserve from 145 to 253 hectares was prepared. The proposal successfully passed state procedures and public hearings in 2025, with approval expected in 2026. Although the reserve is relatively small, it is of exceptional importance for wetland birds, especially during the spring migration, when over 200,000 birds gather there simultaneously. Large flocks of these migrants remain there for several days to a week or more. Turaw Meadow is located in close proximity to the town and is affected by its surroundings. Therefore, it is crucial to extend the area under protection and ensure that adequate protection measures are in place.
The new edition of the Red Book of Belarus was published in March 2025. The list of protected species is updated every ten years. This time, the giant noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) was added to the list thanks to the project’s research up to 2022 and advocacy efforts. Field research conducted as part of our project confirmed that the rare bat is present in Belarusian Polesia, despite it having been considered lost for several decades.
This finding provided the scientific basis for the giant noctule to be listed in the Red Data Book, subsequently leading to state-level protection measures.
For instance, the special protection regime for the species’ habitat includes a ban on logging and the removal or damage of trees containing maternity colonies. The use of chemical plant protection products and economic activities are forbidden during the wintering period (15 November to 15 March).
In 2025, approvals continued to be given to place the habitats of rare species of flora and fauna in Belarus under legal protection, based on proposals made before 2022. A total of 278 sites covering more than 40 species of flora and fauna and totalling 11,003.7 hectares were taken under legal protection in 2025. In addition, typical and rare biotope sites are now legally protected across a total area of 558.7 hectares. A further 211 protection passports covering more than 4,500 hectares are expected to come into force within the next two months.
Research guiding future protection
Expanding protected areas is one of the most effective ways to protect natural resources. However, this process must be consistent and well justified. In 2025, we received new scientific data that enabled us to identify and map priority areas for protection and restoration.
This time, the data comes from a large-scale passive acoustic monitoring survey conducted as part of our project between 2019 and 2022. It was the first time that the occurrence and distribution of elusive species such as bats, nocturnal birds, small mammals and bush crickets had been analysed in Polesia. The dataset obtained during the survey formed the basis of the study. Statistical modelling was then used to create detailed maps predicting the distribution and activity levels of the studied species across the 151,000 km² study area. The analysis revealed the extent to which these animals depend on the existing network of protected areas and identified territories of potential importance for conservation.
Meanwhile, more advanced research tools are also being widely used to survey Polesia’s biodiversity. For example, camera trap monitoring is ongoing in all eight key project areas, and protected area staff have been trained to independently collect and manage the data. In summer 2025, a series of capacity-building training sessions were held for staff working in the project’s key protected areas. Seventy-six rangers and scientists learned how to deploy and retrieve camera traps, and how to collect, manage and analyse the resulting data.
They were also trained in SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools). This tool offers many advantages for biodiversity monitoring and data organisation. Previously, rangers had to walk long distances through Polesia, making notes of their observations in notebooks. Now, with a mobile device and the SMART application, they can photograph and document rare plants, animals, illegal activities and unusual natural phenomena. The system automatically saves the coordinates and enters the information into a central database that is accessible to other specialists. Staff in nearly all key project areas were provided with new camera traps and mobile phones with the SMART application installed to enhance the effectiveness of their work researching the biodiversity of Polesia. Our project team continues to work closely with protected area staff on data collection, management and analysis.
Communicating the value of Polesia
The value and significance of Polesia’s nature is a topic that never gets old. In recent years, the importance of the region’s wetlands has taken on new meaning in the context of the ongoing war. The bogs are now considered not only for their natural value and environmental services, but also as a factor in national security, providing an additional natural barrier against military invasion. The full-length documentary “Natural Border”, produced by Suspilne, one of the largest TV channels in Ukraine, presents different views on the phenomenon of the Polesian bogs. The film highlights the ongoing restoration efforts implemented by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and the lives of people in Ukrainian Polesia.
Another step in raising awareness of the natural values of Polesia is the development of official websites for three protected areas involved in the project. Many existing websites of protected areas in Ukraine are either outdated or inactive due to unpaid hosting fees. We hired experts to develop the design and structure of the sites according to the recent brand guidelines for Ukrainian protected areas, and prepaid the hosting fees for several years. In future, protected area staff will maintain and update their web resources themselves. This will help to disseminate reliable information directly from those on the ground and raise the profile of protected areas in Polesia.
Dissemination of knowledge about natural values and nature conservation through educational courses was also part of the project’s work in 2025. Throughout the year, our experts prepared and conducted five online courses focusing on ecological trail development, tracking and monitoring techniques for mammals, supporting biodiversity conservation near protected areas, insect biology, behaviour and ecology, and the rescue and handling of wild animals. Protected area staff, regional ecological office staff, teachers and other interested participants attended the courses, 260 people in total, giving very positive feedback.
2025 has seen the continuation of systematic work that has been ongoing for several years. Many of this year’s achievements have made significant contributions to the long-term vision of sustainable, consistent, science-based conservation activities in Polesia.
This article was originally published on the Wild Polesia website. For more information on Polesia, visit their project page.
