Khoyetskyy P. Forest and hunting management in Western Ukraine: the history of development, current state, potentials of hunting resources

The object of study: main species of game animals of forest ecosystems in western Ukraine. The objectives of study: investigation of the current state and utilization of game resources, the effects of environmental and management factors on the game numbers; development of conceptual principles of game management in western regions of Ukraine. The methods of investigation: general scientific, inventory zoological, ecological, mathematical statistical. Scientific novelty: it is for the first time that peculiarities, trends and lines of the game management activities in western Ukraine were systematically analysed. Three periods in the game management activities were identified over the time interval from the 10th century until the mid-20th century, these are distinguished by different species diversity and numbers of game fauna, the intensity of game resources use, and other factors. An assessment was made of the consequences of ungulates introduction and re-acclimatization in western Ukraine. The study has revealed the main factors responsible for the death of such adventitious species of ungulates as: sika deer (poaching, predators), fallow deer (weather conditions), moufflon (weather conditions, diseases). The expediency of acclimatization and optimal density of roe deer in the highlands of the Eastern Carpathians were justified, the allowable number of this species being about 1700 individuals; the conception of bison conservation as well as methods of its realization were developed. The advisability of establishing bison breeding centres and assignment of binary status to bison were substantiated; a well-founded list of 52 game species was made up, these amounting to about 42% of the total number of mammals of Ukraine's fauna. Over 26% of them belong to the main species. 43 game species are to be found in the lands of western Ukraine; SWOT-analysis was applied in the investigation of the present state of game management in western Ukraine; also analysed were economic, environmental, and social aspects of improving game management activities; conceptual basis for the game management development in the region was elaborated. Practical significance. The results of the studies have been introduced into production activities of the Lviv state forest regulation expedition of Ukrainian state design forest regulation production association, into the Lviv regional administration of forest and game management, and also into the state Enterprise "Volodymyr-Volynske LMG". The fields of application: forest and game management.