Petrifying Springs of Eastern Vicinity of Lviv City as Valued Objects of Living and Inanimate Nature

Abstract

An assessment of the condition of the petrifying springs in the eastern vicinity of Lviv City as objects of living and non-living nature and their nature conservation value was carried out. The investigated travertine springs are confined to the sources of small rivers associated with water-erosive landscape complexes. Travertine deposits in the studied areas are mostly related to groundwater outputs in the sides of deep, branched V- or U-shaped, usually wooded ravines, which have the local name "debra". Springs are wedging out in sites of contact between Neogene limestones and waterproof Сretaceous marls and often produce powerful deposits of travertines (calcareous tufa). These sources are forming the headwaters of small rivers in the region. Considering the long period of management of the region and the high rate of urbanization, at the modern stage, the complex of natural factors is often joined by anthropogenic influence, which in one way or another affects the natural processes of tufa accumulation. As our research has shown, all the surveyed streams have been anthropogenically altered in one way or another. Obviously, the main reason for this is the location of the streams in the forest park zone of Lviv with intensive visits by vacationers and the close proximity to human habitation. Only 15 springs (27.8%) retain their natural character and the rest are significantly transformed. Among the last 20 sources (37.0%) suffer minor changes due to the expansion of sources and straightening or deepening of their channels; such ones can be defined as semi-natural. Today, more than a third of springs (19 / 35.2%) are intensively managed and have completely lost their natural features, mainly due to capping and the construction of reservoirs. Despite the significant transformation, many of such sources can have health (bathing), economic (alternative sources of water supply), sacred ("holy water"), historical (named after famous personalities), aesthetic (originally designed) and scientific and educational (limestone exposure and travertine) values. The most interesting and outstanding of them need to be given the conservation status of the Nature Reserve Fund. Key words: petrifying springs; travertine (calcareous tufa); rare habitats; natural monuments.