Kyiv's Urban Ecologies
In the third seminar, it was learned about the city of Kyiv as an ecological constellation, exploring its green spaces with scholars and activists. Focusing on the ecology of Kyiv, it aimed to explore the complex interrelationships between the urban environment, culture, politics, and its inhabitants. The participants presented successful cases of preserving natural areas such as Zhykiv Island, Protasiv Yar, and other green zones as stories of joint efforts by Kyiv ecologists and the local community. The seminar was joined by Oleksii Vasyliuk, Yaroslava Kovalchuk, and Nastya Kuzmenko from Addenda Press.
Zhykiv Island
Oleksii Vasyliuk examined the historical, ecological, and cultural dimensions of the first natural reserve in the Kyiv area — Zhykiv Island. He also discussed the long story of protection and advocacy for reserved areas on Zhykiv Island, which have now been returned to the Kyiv community due to a court decision. Additionally, he explored the challenges and opportunities that arise from the ongoing transformation of urban spaces around the city and its suburbs.
Oleksii Vasyliuk is a Ukrainian environmentalist who specialises in protected areas and biodiversity conservation. He has been a part of the Animal Monitoring and Conservation program at the Institute of Zoology (Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences) since 2004. Oleksii actively participates in the work of several professional community organizations, including his past cooperation with the Students’ Nature Conservation Group, the National Ecological Center of Ukraine, and Environment-People-Law. He has been leading the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group, a group of biologist experts, since 2014. Oleksii has authored over 700 publications related to environmental conservation, mostly in popular science, and has co-authored 20 articles and four books on the environmental impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He has initiated the creation of over 60 new protected areas in Ukraine. Oleksii is also an assistant to deputies of the Supreme Council of Ukraine, defending the interests of nature protection. His interests include biodiversity monitoring, protected areas, and the history of environmental conservation.
Green Kyiv
Anastasia Kuzmenko and Yaroslava Kovalchuk of Addenda Press were presenting their forthcoming publication "Green Kyiv," a long-term project that explores the intersection of art and activism. This project, a collaboration between designer Yaroslava Kovalchuk and editor Anastasia Kuzmenko, is a significant cultural and environmental initiative that has the potential to impact Kyiv's policy and inspire similar heritage and environmental initiatives in the area. The book aims to promote sustainable urban development by highlighting the city's green heritage and its potential for ecological restoration. Through interviews with local authorities, activists, and artists, "Green Kyiv" provides a comprehensive overview of the rich experience of Kyiv citizens. The illustrated maps also add to the book's visual appeal, providing readers with an engaging and immersive experience.
Anastasia Kuzmenko is a cultural manager and activist, as well as a co-founder of Prostir Tsegla. She is an editor of Addenda Press, a publishing project that focuses on urban culture through books and posters. Currently, she is working with Yaroslava Kovalchuk on the upcoming publication "Kyiv Green: A Guide to Vulnerable Green Areas," which is set to be released in 2023. This innovative guidebook offers practical insights on how to protect and preserve the city's natural environment as provided by environmental activists and city communities.
Yaroslava Kovalchuk is a designer and co-founder of the publishing project Addenda Press. Her work was mentioned in the "Ukrainian Best Book Design 2021" award at "Book Arsenal". She is also a co-author of the study "Kyiv Green: A Guide to Vulnerable Green Zones." Yaroslava lives and works in Kyiv and Prague.
The Ukrainian Environmental Humanities Network was launched in 2022 by Dmytro Chepurnyi, Karolina Uskakovych, Jonathon Turnbull, Oleksandra Pogrebnyak, and Ewa Sułek. The network brings together scholars, researchers, artists, curators, designers, scientists, and more who are interested in Ukraine's more-than-human landscapes and ecologies.
The project is implemented with support from the New Democracy Fund implemented by the Danish Cultural Institute.