A nature conservation event aimed to conserve the Belarusian population of St. John’s wort (Hypericum Tetrapterum) was held today in the Telechany village (the Ivacevicy district of the Brest Oblast). The event is dedicated to the World Environment Day.

Hypericum Tetrapterum is inscribed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus (Category I) as an endangered species. Previously it was in the list of plants which had seemingly disappeared in Belarus. During the 20th century Hypericum Tetrapterum  was not registered in the country and only in the recent years four minor habitats (5-50 specimen) have been detected. The largest habitat is located near the Telechany village in the Ivacevicy district.

The today’s event was organized by UNDP/GEF Project “Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation into Territorial Planning Policies and Practices in Belarus” (further referred to as “Biodiversity” Project). The Project Implementing Agency is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus.

A habitat of Hypericum Tetrapterum in the Ivacevicy district was found by children attending an ecological hobby group of the Center of Children’s Creative Activities of the Telechany village. 1000 seedlings of Hypericum Tetrapterum were grown in the Center in spring this year; 200 of them will be planted during the event and the remaining seedlings are expected to be planted in natural environment in autumn.

Vladimir Koltunov, UNDP/GEF “Biodiversity” project manager, said that “high level of ecological literacy is needed to distinguish Hypericum Tetrapterum from related species and it is especially valuable that the rare plant was found by our schoolchildren. We want the today’s event to become an example demonstrating to them how knowledge can translate into concrete deeds and results”.

The nature conservation event began with a tour around the experimental grounds of the Center of Children’s Creative Activities of the Telechany village and an examination of collections of rare and endangered plants. Then the participants mowed down the area of the Hypericum Tetrapterum habitat, planted the seedlings and mounted an information stand. A mower and gardening equipment were provided to the Center of Children’s Creative Activities to ensure further care about the habitat.

Arkady Skuratovich, Senior Researcher of the Institute of Experimental Botany named after V.F.Kuprevich of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus, stressed that “the Belarusian population of Hypericum Tetrapterum is outside the boundaries of the natural habitat and is a kind of its eastern “outpost”. The main threats include shrub invasion and overgrowing of tall grass. Therefore, planting of youth seedlings and care about the habitat on a regular basis is a prerequisite for conservation of Belarus’ largest population of Hypericum Tetrapterum.

For further information, please contact Irina Novak, Public Relations specialist of UNDP/GEF Project, mobile: +37529 618-99-59, email: . Project details are available at: www.biodiversity.by.

Print version