Great Meadow National Nature Park (Velykyi Luh)
Zaporizhzhia region
About park
The territory of the Great Meadow, which was flooded by the waters of Kakhovka Reservoir in the 1950s, was in the possession of the Zaporozhian Sich for a long time. It was here that, for the first time in Europe, artificial forests were created, which the Cossacks planted for military and defensive purposes.
You will be amazed by the landscapes of Kakhovka Reservoir with sandy beaches and unusual Dnipro steep slopes. Here virgin forests have been preserved – floodplain forests, the remains of the Kinska-Dnipro floodplains Great Meadow. They are home to the largest colonies of Ciconiiformes and Pelecaniformes for the entire floodplain of the lower Dnipro. Here you will see both the common crane (Grus grus) and the squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides). In total, the park is home to 119 species of rare animals.
In the floodplains, on the sandy islands of the Velyki and Mali Kuchuhury, areas of virgin floodplain forests have been preserved – outliers from the Betula borysthenica Klokov. There are 20 species of rare plants growing in the park. There is the unique Centaurea konkae among them, which can only be found here.
Enjoy
What to do
Fauna
Flora
Area - 167.56 sq.km.
(16756 ha)
travel routes
educational trails
length of routes
sources
ponds
species of rare animals
species of rare plants
archaeological sites
historical sites
Увага!
Velyki and Mali Kuchuhury Archipelagos, Maiachanska Balka Natural Landmark, and Bilozirske Natural Landmark are reserve areas of the park, which is a unique natural system. Access to the reserve area is restricted and is only possible for scientists and the state protection service of the park.
How to get here
The nearest railway station is Tavriysk in Vasylivka
From Zaporizhia to the village of Skelky – 70 km (1 hour 20 minutes)
From the cities of Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Vasylivka by bus to the city of Dniprorudne and the village of Skelki.
Nearest airports: Zaporizhia International Airport.