Awards ceremony in Ukraine!

Wiki Loves Earth Ukraine Awards Ceremony took place in Golden Gate (Kyiv) on July 12, 2014.

416 members took part in Ukrainian part of the contest in 2014 and they uploaded more than 12 thousand photographs of 1324 natural monuments.

The best photograph was a snapshot from Crimea.

At the ceremony the winners were awarded in the nominations for the greatest number of natural monuments photographed in each of the regions of Ukraine and the best photos from all regions, as well as participants who photographed the highest number of objects in general in the country, and authors of the ten best photos.

Finally, we announce TOP-10 the best photos. These ten photographs will represent Ukraine at the international stage of the competition.

1st place. Demerdji Rocks, Crimea. Ukraine, Vitaliy Bashkatov, CC BY-SA 3.0
2nd place. Carpathian National Park, Ukraine, Balkhovitin. C BY-SA 3.0
3rd place. Aktovskyi canyon, Granite-steppe lands of Buh. Sak Anastasia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Volodymyr Hirash, CC BY-SA 3.0
Aj-Petri Yayla, Crimea, Oleksandr Chernyh, CC BY-Sa 3.0
Shatsky National Natural Park, Pavlo Mokrytskiy, CC BY-SA 3.0
Carpathian National Park, Moahim, CC BY-SA 3.0
Regional Landscape Park «Zuevskiy», Vitaliy Bashkatov, CC BY-SA 3.0
Carpathian National Park, Robert-Erik, CC BY-SA 3.0
Novyi Svit Sanctuary, Vitaliy Bashkatov, CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Andorran TOP-10 best photos!

Gorgeous news from Andorra – we can enjoy beautiful pictures from this green country!

Andorran team carries on an intrigue and refuses to give any details such as places of these photos. So, we can show you only winners without prize-list!

Lake “First Circus”. Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0
Pond Meligar, Circus Pessons. Mtpla. CC BY-SA 3.0
First Pond (Ordino). Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Second Pond Juclar. Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0
Engolasters lake. Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0
Sorteny River. Víctor. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Os river passing through Bixessarri, Sant Julia de Loria, Andorra. Angela Llop. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Tristaina river. Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0
Inclés Valley, Canillo, Andorra. MARIA ROSA FERRE. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Pond on Valley Inclés (Canillo). Ferran Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0

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Winners of Wiki Loves Earth in Brazil!

Thanks to professional jury and their quick work we already know the winners of Brazilian Wiki Loves Earth photo contest 2014!

Please, look and relax, because these photos are amazing!

1 st place. National park Serra dos Órgãos. Автор: Carlos Perez Couto. CC BY-SA 3.0
2nd place. In “Praia da Feiticeira” beach, in Ilhabela-SP, a large boat seems to sail among the clouds. Roberto Pavezi Netto. CC BY-SA 3.0
3rd place. National park of Fernando de Noronha. Eduardo Muruci/ CC BY-SA 3.0
4th place. Forest in Algarobas. Diego Rego Monteiro. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

5th place. National park of Fernando de Noronha. Eduardo Muruci. CC BY-SA 3.0
6t place. Ecological park of Chico Mendes. A marijose. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

7th place. Municipal park in Rio Sucuriú. Bruno Rodrigues Rausch. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

8th place. Beach in national park of Fernando de Noronha. Eduardo Muruci. CC BY-SA 3.0

 

9th place. Rio view. Eduardo Gabão. CC BY-SA 3.0
10th place. Alto Araguaia. Diego Rego Monteiro. CC BY-SA 3.0

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Beauty of Germany

Germany is one of the participants who can receive your photos up to June 30.

You can take part in the contest with homemade photos with particular national parks, nature reserves, natural monuments, Nature Park, Biosphere Reserve and other objects from the list.

For your attention several beautiful places in Germany where you can take your photos and upload its to the Commons.

Hainich National Park (GermanNationalpark Hainich), founded on December 31, 1997, is the 13th national park inGermany and the only one in Thuringia. One of the main objectives of the park is the protection of native beech forest. In 2011, the park was added to the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany World Heritage Site.

The goal of Hainich National Park is to restore a large section of central European forest to its primordial state.

Hainich National Park, Fernando Borges Ferreira. CC BY-SA 3.0

The Bavarian Forest National Park (GermanNationalpark Bayerischer Wald) is a national park in the Eastern Bavarian Forest immediately on Germany‘s border with the Czech Republic. It was founded on 7 October 1970 as the firstnational park in Germany. Since its expansion on 1 August 1997 it has covered an area of 24,250 hectares. Together with the neighbouring Czech Bohemian Forest the Bavarian Forest forms the largest contiguous area of forest in Central Europe.

Especially protected are the spruce-dominated highland forests, mixed mountain forests of fir, beech and spruce trees and water meadow spruce woods in the valleys. Although a few remnants of ancient forest remain, the National Park area is still heavily influenced by the former forestry industry. Since nature is now left to take its course again, there is no human intervention when there are catastrophic events such as large scale bark beetle infestation. This resulted in the 1990s in the death of a portion of the high elevation forests and triggered controversial discussions amongst the residents of the National Park, which highlighted differing attitudes to the wilderness. As the result of a compromise, bark beetle is now fought in the expansion area.

The Bavarian Forest National Park, Marco Schönberger. CC BY-SA 3.0

Pfaueninsel (“Peacock Island”) is an island in the River Havel situated in Berlin-Wannsee, in southwestern Berlin, near the border with Potsdam and Brandenburg. The island is part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and BerlinUNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for day-trippers. Pfaueninsel is also a nature reserve in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive and a Special Protection Area for wild birds.

he island has largely retained its intended character as an idyll of nature: in addition to several free-ranging peacocks, other native and exotic birds can be found in captivity, complemented by a rich variety of flora. The entire island is designated as a nature reserve and since 1990 has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the several other castles and parks in the Potsdam/Berlin area. It can only be reached by a small ferry, but is a popular tourist destination. It is administered by the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (SPG).

Pfaueninsel, Till Krech from Berlin, Germany. CC BY-SA 3.0

The Harz National Park is a nature reserve in the German federal states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. It comprises large portions of the western Harz mountain range, extending from Herzberg and Bad Lauterberg at the southern edge to Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg on the northern slopes. 95% of the area is covered with forests, mainly withspruce and beech woods, including several bogsgranite rocks and creeks. The park is part of the Natura 2000network of the European Union.

Rare animals of the Harz National Park include the Dipper, the Black Stork,Peregrine Falcon, the European Wildcat and especially the Eurasian Lynx. The last lynx in the Harz Mountains had been shot in 1818, but in 1999 a project for reintroducing was established. Since 2002 several wild lynxes gave birth. An attempt to return the Capercaillie (Auerhuhn) however did not succeed.

The Harz National Park, Akelei. CC BY-SA 3.0

All information about Wiki Loves Earth in Deutschland you can find here.

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Serbia has already started the contest!

Today the participant of Wiki Loves Earth open its Wikimedia Commons page for your photos!

Remember that the rules are common for all countries! So, if you have your own beautiful Serbian pictures of natural heritage – you are welcome to share it with Wikipedia.

Find lists of Serbia on its’ pages.

Popovica seen from the northern edge of the Fruška Gora National Park in Serbia. Author: Aktron. CC BY-SA 3.0

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Ghana’s exotic beauty

Ghanaian team of  Wiki Loves Earth international photo contest has decided to continue acceptance of photos up to June 30, 2014. So, all participants who want to take part in it have a chance to upload their works during this month.

The contest started May 1, 2014. During this time we received 540 beautiful photos.

Ada river, Ghana. Author: Dieu-Donné Gameli. CC BY-SA 3.0

Terms of participation are samr for all countries. Only sites of natural heritage can be different. In Ghana there are:

  • National Parks
  • Forest Reserves
  • Protected areas
  • Beaches
  • Mountains
  • Caves
  • Waterfalls
  • Rivers, Lagoons, Ponds and lakes
There are fantastic prizes to be won by the top 10 pictures. All these 10 pictures will qualify for the next stage Wiki Loves Earth (World) prizes when they fall in the top15 photos they are once again awarded with prizes from the Wiki Loves Earth International team.
Visit one of amazing Ghanaian national parks, take photos and upload them to the Wikimedia Commons.
Boti Falls, Eastern Region, Ghana. Author: magwanwagwan. CC BY-SA 3.0

 Mole National Park is Ghana‘s largest wildlife refuge. The park is located in northwest Ghana on grassland savanna and riparianecosystems at an elevation of 150 m, with sharp escarpment forming the southern boundary of the park. The park’s entrance is reached through the nearby town of Larabanga. The Lovi and Mole Rivers are ephemeral rivers flowing through the park, leaving behind only drinking holes during the long dry season. This area of Ghana receives over 1000 mm per year of rainfall. A long-term study has been done on Mole National Park to understand the impact of human hunters on the animals in the preserve.

Mole National Park. Ghana. Author: Sean Moran. CC BY-SA 3.0

The Bui National Park is found in Ghana. It was established in 1971. This site is 1820 km². The reserve is notable for its Hippopotamuspopulation in the Black Volta. The endangered black and white colobus monkey and a variety of antelopes and birds are also present. Part of the park will be inundated by the reservoir of the Bui Dam, which has been under construction since 2009. The filling of the reservoir is expected to begin in 2011.

The Bui bayou is a wet land found in the brong ahafo region of Ghana. Author: Kelsdark. CC BY-SA 3.0

Digya National Park is the second largest national park and the oldest protected area in Ghana. It is located in the Brong-Ahafo Region. Digya National Park was created in 1900 as a protected area, the first in Ghana. The park is home to at least six primate species and elephants belonging to some of the less studied species in Africa. The elephant population in the park is the second largest in Ghana. There are also manatees and clawless otters in arms of Lake Volta that extend into Digya National Park. More than 236 species of birds live in the park. This park is the only wildlife territory in Ghana to border on Lake Volta, the largest man-made body of water in the country.

Campfire at the White Volta, Ghana. Author: Sean Moran. CC BY-SA 3.0

Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and not by the State Department of wildlife who are responsible for wildlife preservation in Ghana.The most notable endangered species of fauna in the park are Diana monkeygiant bongo antelopeyellow-backed duiker andAfrican elephant. It is also an Important Bird Area recognized by the Bird Life International with the bird area fully overlapping the park area. The bird inventory confirmed 266 species in the park, including eight species of global conservation concern. One of these species of concern is the white-breasted guineafowl. Nine species of hornbill and the African grey parrot have been recorded. It is very rich in butterflies as well, and a new species was discovered in 1993. As of 2012, the densest population of forest elephants in Ghana is located in Kakum.

Bia National Park is a national park in the Western Region of Ghana. It is also a biosphere reserve with a 563 square kilometer resource reserve. It has some of Ghana’s last remnants of relatively untouched forest complete with its full diversity of wildlife. Some of the tallest trees left in West Africa are found in this national park.

Kyabobo National Park, Ghana. Author: Sean Moran. CC BY-SA 3.0

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The Netherlands is waiting for more photos!

The contest Wiki Loves Earth will focus on the National Parks in the Netherlands. Pictures  from those areas (if submitted between May 1 and June 30, 2014) will compete for the prizes. Join! We look forward to your contribution.

Netherlands has twenty national parks. Together they tell the story of the Dutch countryside. The parks are full details of the Dutch nature to be found: dunes, woods, moors, fens, tidal water, stream valleys and lakes. And the residents vary by park: special birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, like red deer, badgers, beavers, otters and seals their place in the parks.

Lytse Mar in the Alde Feanen. Author: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma. CC BY-SA 3.0

17 specific sites in the Netherlands designated as a national park. In addition, there are also two private national parks (NP and NP De Hoge Veluwe Veluwe) and the cross-border park Zoom Kalmthoutse Heath. The nature reserves are each contiguous and cover an area of ​​at least a thousand acres. For the Dutch nature they form a whole: the system of National Parks in the Netherlands. The owners, managers and other stakeholders of the parks are jointly responsible for the protection and development of the quality of nature.

Jan Durkspolder, Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC-BY-SA 3.0

The national parks focus on:

Protection and development of nature and landscape
Outdoor recreation
Education and information
Research

Early in the morning of October, sun coming up, at the Hoge Veluwe. Author: Ruby van Assendelft, CC-BY-SA 3.0

You may read more about all natural parks here.

See also the international and Netherlandish pages on FB.

 

The contest as a new challenge for participants

The contest was a real challenge with new experience and opportunity for all international participants. We receive a letter from our Spanish colleagues in which they tell us about their work, first results and emotions during May.

«I have been involved in four editions of Wiki Loves events. After monuments and public art, Wiki Loves Earth was a new challenge with new partners, new audience and new targets to develop on Wikipedia. In summary, I love it and really worth it. I am still amazed by the results.

Bosc del Montseny. Author: Víctor. CC BY-SA 3.0

There are motivated Wikipedians who like to complete with photos almost anything you propose. There is also a large community of Flickr users that do not edit Wikipedia but they are eager to help with their expertise on photography. But it is amazing that after four years of annual photo competitions, 60% of the participants are new users. This is an important outreach goal.

Vinyes al peu del Montmell. Author: Angela Llop. CC BY-SA 3.0

A nice story of an unknown participant sums up the spirit of Wiki Loves Earth. After a month of competition, the last day a new participant registered his or her account and uploaded wonderful pictures. What surprised me most is that he only uploaded photos of sites that had no images after a month of competition. Althougt Val d’Aran, a remote valley in the Pyrenees, has got a good participation, some alpine sites are particularly difficult to get and they are pretty unknown. This last minute participant completed all the sites of Val d’Aran with valuable and well documented pictures. I do not know what was his motivation and he probably should have more photos of other sites already covered. His interest in completing all sites with photos denotes an interest beyond pure competition, more probably an interest in sharing the nice sites of Val d’Aran and showing them to the world. There is some local pride, some eager to collaborate and lots of love for nature.

Vall de Sant Miquel (Vallès Oriental). Author: Mikipons. CC BY-SA 3.0

The jury will have a lot of work to review more than 7,000 photographs submitted by nearly 100 participants. At the international level have been uploaded 59,000 photographs so that Andorra and Catalonia areas is in the third position.

Pedraforca. Author: Mikipons. CC BY-SA 3.0
Raft of the valley Inclés (Canillo) by Fernando Llorens. CC BY-SA 3.0

Thankfully the involvement of all participants, some from the special group of Flickr, other veterans of previous contests, but it is remarkable that 60% of new participants have been taken part in it during a month.

Tramuntana Mountains (Mallorca). Author: Rosa Maria Ferré. CC BY-SA 3.0

The most popular has been the Sierra del Cadi-Moixeró with 12 participants, and  the most photographed place is Collserola with 473 photos. The Montseny massif is in second place both in participation and in photographs.

Cliffs Collsacabra. Author: Rosa Maria Ferré. CC BY-SA 3.0

Now we need time to digest all this volume, the Wikipedians to develop information on natural heritage motivated by new pictures, and the jury to decide who are the winners. Good luck to all participants and thank who have contributed to the spread of natural heritage».

Text by   , Spain.

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The land of contrasts

Algeria is the only country that started the contest on June 1 (as you remember GermanyGhanaIndia and The Netherlands have just continued it from May to June).

Algeria is a land of contrasts. Look as beautiful are its mountains, lakes, desert and green oases!

Location : Djurdjura Mountain, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria Author: Zoubir Benali CC BY-SA 3.0

Algerian land is rich with national parks, nature reserves and Ramsar sites.

52 photos were already uploaded with beautiful mountains, snow peaks, sand dunes and amazing lakes.

Sand dunes at Taghit in Algeria. Author: Cdnawel CC BY-SA 3.0

Make photos there and upload them to the Wikimedia Commons.

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Fort in Santa-Cruz, Algeria. Author: Thebobbilal CC BY-SA 3.0