Prerequisites for the formation and development of summer and winter recreation in the Skole Region (Ukrainian Carpathians)

The relevance of the chosen topic stems from the significant human impact on the natural environment, particularly recreational pressure. The Ukrainian Carpathians, which possess considerable tourism and recreational potential, require protection. To achieve the set goal, general scientific methods were used, including the comparative method, the method of analysis and generalization, observation, historical, and cartographic methods. Based on the results obtained, we have determined that the presence of therapeutic natural springs and climatic conditions are prerequisites for the establishment and development of recreation within the Skole region. In particular, the use of natural ferrous-iodine and bromine-salt mineral springs in the treatment of patients with rheumatism, osteoarthritis, gastric diseases, etc., has become one of the reasons for the development of tourism infrastructure in the region under study. Another important factor underlying the emergence and development of recreation in the Skole region is the combination of steep-sloped mid-mountains and steep- and gently-sloped lowlands, which facilitated the formation of, respectively, summer (concentrated in the resort town of Skole) and winter (centered in the resort village of Slavske) recreation. The fact that the study region was under the rule of various imperial powers during different historical periods shaped the nature of recreational development and land use, which in turn influenced both the man-made and natural landscapes. The pre-war tourism infrastructure (early 20th century through World War II), built in the Boiko style, blended harmoniously into the natural landscape. In contrast, the rapid construction of recreational facilities typical of the Soviet Union not only failed to succeed but also led to the loss of authenticity in the region under study. Furthermore, the Soviet occupation regime in the 1940s, following the suppression of the UPA resistance, actively launched a campaign of total collectivization. This led to land degradation, including soil erosion and deforestation, which lasted about 20 years, resulting in the loss of valuable native forests and the disruption of the ecological balance. Addressing these environmental issues became a prerequisite for the creation of national nature parks, which occurred during the period of independent Ukraine. In the Skole region, one of the largest nature conservation institutions is the “Skole Beskids” National Nature Park, which has a positive impact on the development of summer recreation. Outside the park, winter recreation is actively developing, concentrated around the resort town of Slavske. Keywords: recreation; mineral waters; “Zelemin” boarding house; mountain shelter; the “Skiing-Dancing-Bridge” train; Slavska-Mlaka; “Skolivski Beskydy” national nature park; сlimate change.