Few people know about a small desert located in the Kherson region in Ukraine. After all, the first names that come to mind when asked about the deserts of the world are Sahara, Gobi or Kara-Kum. Almost everyone knows large deserts, but only guesses about small ones. Aleshkovsky sands are such a little-known piece of land.
Location
The arid region is located just 30 km east of the city of Kherson. However, it does not have a continuous sandy massif, but consists of seven separate desert areas. They are named after nearby settlements and adjoin the western part of the city of Novaya Kakhovka, the southern part of the village of Cossack Camps and the city of Tsyurupinsk, the northern part of the village of Vinogradovo, Chulakovka, Ivanovka and completely occupy the Kinburn Peninsula.
The total length of the desert territory from north to south is about 40 km, from east to west - about 150 km. In order to stop the spread of the desert, artificial coniferous plantations were created. Therefore, now a small space about 15 km in diameter has remained deserted, it is located in the area of the Kazache camp site. The Aleshkovsky Sands desert attracts many tourists, because not everyone can afford to go on a tour to the Sahara. That is why many seek to be in this part of Ukraine. The spectacle is amazing and incredible.
Desert Park
On the territory of two eastern sandy areas is the Aleshkovsky Sands National Park, which was created in 2010. The arid desert is the largest in Ukraine. The height of the dunes and hills reaches five meters. At the former training ground, located in the sands near the village of Cossack Camps, military pilots conducted bomb-throwing exercises. Even now, live shells or metal parts can be found in the sands, so scientific research on flora and fauna has been interrupted.
But this does not diminish the interest of vacationers, every tourist wants to see the Aleshkovsky sands with his own eyes. The landfill here has ceased to exist, so extreme guides with small groups of people often make their way here.
Origin of the desert
There have always been sands in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, they were held back by poor vegetation. In the 18th century, they began to breed sheep here and began to import large herds. Uncontrolled grazing caused the sheep to destroy the grass cover that held back the sands, thereby allowing the desert to expand.
The opinion that the sandy area appeared as a result of climate change is wrong. Back in 1880this area has been described as being completely vegetated, even with small forests in places. But uncontrolled sheep grazing and deforestation led to a disastrous result. The sandy area under the influence of the wind began to expand. This is how the Aleshkovsky sands were formed.
Saving Nature
Then, at the end of the 18th century, measures were taken to strengthen the borders of the desert. They began to plant special varieties of coniferous trees that can grow on scarce sandy soil. Forestry was formed. But during the period when the peasants were endowed with land, all the labors went to dust, and the territory of the desert increased. And only since 1920, active measures were taken to restore forestry and plant coniferous trees. Now the spread of sands has been stopped, forests have been planted along the perimeter of the desert.
Some residents of Novaya Kakhovka can show old photographs and sketches proving that this area was once green meadows and forests. The entire photo archive can be found in the museums of Ukraine.
Climate
Today this area is called a small desert. Actually this is wrong. Such territories are more related to semi-deserts, since the amount of precipitation and temperature fluctuations, according to the description, are suitable for them. However, the climate here is very harsh. In summer, the sands warm up to temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius, so the air is very dry and hot.
The rains here are not so intense, and the drops evaporate veryfast. Therefore, air humidity is significantly reduced compared to the area surrounding the sands. In some places in the desert you can find small oases, consisting of stunted birches and pines. But it will not be possible to rest in the shade, it is impossible to breathe in such heat without the slightest breath of wind.
Aleshkov sands (Kherson region) are held back by forest plantations, but the wind sometimes brings dust to nearby towns and villages. The destruction of forests, fires and death of trees, the impossibility of self-reproduction are the main reasons for the expansion of the sandy zone. The use of sand for construction and other domestic purposes leads to the fact that the level of groundwater drops, they become polluted.
In the Aleshkovsky sands you can also find small lakes, mineral or fresh full-flowing ones. However, most often come across dried-up reservoirs. An underground lake with clean and delicious water was found at a depth of about 400 m.
Tourism
To get to know the desert, guided tours are conducted through the territory of the national park. The journey is very similar to a safari in Africa, since the appearance of the Aleshkovsky sands is no different from the large African deserts. The excursion route is safe and reliable, as the group is accompanied by an experienced guide. However, traveling alone is very dangerous. You can get lost among the sands or get caught in a sandstorm.
If you want to arbitrarily look at the Aleshkovsky Sands, then you should remember that there was a training ground here and there are still combatprojectiles that could explode at any moment. Dismantling all the bombs is unrealistic, since the sand is in constant motion. This complicates the work of sappers.
