22 April 2009, 13:47
Mykola Tomenko: Let us support "Askania-Nova" in the Worldwide Contest "7 New Wonders of the Nature"
Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Wednesday, the 22nd of April presented the Action "Let´s how the World Wonders of Ukraine. Let´s support "Askania-Nova" in Worldwide Contest "7 New Wonders of Nature".
Askania-Nova is a biosphere reserve located next to the urban-settlement of Askania-Nova in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine, located within the dry Tavriya steppe. The reserve consists of the acclimatization zoo, botanical garden (2.1 km²), and virgin steppe preserve (110 km²), the last such area in Europe) and has total area of 825 km². In addition to local species it hosts ostriches, bisons, antelopes, wild horses, llamas, zebras and many bird species. More than 200 species of foliaceous and coniferous plants were brought from different parts of the world and planted in the dendrologic garden during 1885 - 1902. About 600 higher plants (both perennial and annual), 16 species of which were entered to the Red Data Book of Ukraine, have been preserved in their primary natural form.
According to M. Tomenko, the aim of the action is the attraction of the Ukrainian society into the support of the Biosphere nature reserve "Askania-Nova" on the worldwide contest "7 New Wonders of Nature" and popularize Ukraine though the world.
The project is open to nominations until 31st December 2008.Voting for nominees will continue through July 7, 2009. Then the New7Wonders of Nature Panel of Experts, under the leadership of Prof. Federico Mayor, the longest-standing former Director-General of UNESCO, will review the top 77 nominees and choose the 21 finalists, to be announced on 21 July 2009. The 21 finalists will then be put to popular vote. The final declaration of the New7Wonders of Nature will be in 2011.
The Vice-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine asked the society and political bodies to take active part in the action.
Website for voting: http://www.7chudes.in.ua/ or http://www.new7wonders.com/