Deepening and Rebuilding of Lake Lyadskoye, 2006 - 2007
Events, facts, documents and evidence: Large-scale water hydraulic engineering and land amelioration operations began in Belovezhskaya Pushcha in 2002. Around that time, the Khmelevskoye artificial lake located in the center of the national park was expanded through digging up of the surrounding forests and marshes. This was done without a due scientific foundation, an environmental assessment, or the necessary permissions from environmental protection agencies. In addition, a new reservoir was excavated in place of an entrance canal.
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| (The unlawful enlargement and rebuilding of the Khmelyovskoye artificial lake in 2004) |
Another lake, named Lyadskoye, was cleaned up and rebuilt in the large scale in 2006-2007. This was preceded by a large area around the lake being downgraded in 2004 from the Regulated Nature Zone to the Regulated Recreational Use Zone. The purpose of this was to bring the construction of Father Frost’s Estate, a popular tourist attraction, built unlawfully on a wisent breeding ground near the lake in 2003, into line with law. The downgrade afforded big opportunity for converting the wilderness in and around the lake for recreational purposes and developing mass tourism. The change would no doubt have a serious negative effect on the reserve’s natural ecosystems within the boundaries of that area. However, there was no research into possible effects, or at least, none that was publicly known.
The shots below show a view of the new reservoir from Lake Lyadskoye (1-4) and the bar across the road to Lake Khmelevskoye (5).
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(A view from Lake Lyadskoye;
1 and 5 – April 22, 2009, 2 – July 10, 2004; 3 and 4 – July 23, 2005) |
The shots below show the beauty of Lake Lyadskoye.
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| (The south (1), middle (2) and north (3) of Lake Lyadskoye; July 23, 2007) |
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| (The five pictures above originally appear on kamenets.by) |
Tourists on the bank of Lake Lyadskoye.
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| (Tourists on the bank of Lake Lyadskoye; July 10, 2004) |
In 2006 and 2007, Lake Lyadskoye was deepened, fishing pits were made, artificial islands were sluiced, the floodgate was replaced, banks were reinforced, and beaches and recreational and fishing facilities were built.
The shots below show earth moving operations near Lake Lyadskoye.
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| (The earth moving operations, April 22, 2007) |
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| (Reinforcing of the bank, August 12, 2006) |
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| (Creation of the islands; 1 and 2 - August 12, 2006, 3 - April 22, 2007) |
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| (A motorboat used for the construction operations, August 12, 2006) |
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| (Creation of a beach line around the lake, August 12, 2006 |
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| (Creation of a beach line around the lake, April 22, 2007) |
A patch of alders that grew along the road on the northwest side of the lake was cut down during the construction operations.
The shot below shows young tree shoots growing on the alder stumps.
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| (Young alder shoots, August 12, 2006) |
This is how the west side of the lake looked after the rebuilding.
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(The lake after the rebuilding;
1 – April 22, 2007, 2 – November 10, 2008) |
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| (The lake after the rebuilding, November 10, 2008) |
The pictures below show an untouched swampland that adjoins the northern side of the lake.
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| (The wild swampland; November 10, 2008) |
