Oleshky Sands National Nature Park
Oleshky Sands National Nature Park () is a national park of Ukraine, located south of the lower Dnieper River about 25 km east of the regional city of Kherson, and 70 km northwest of the Crimean Peninsula. The park features expanses of low-fertility soil and sand, and a variety of unusual microhabitats. The area is not a true desert, but rather semi-arid. As of 2019, visits by unaccompanied members of the public were strictly prohibited, with warnings that the area was next to a military training ground. The park is located in Kakhovka Raion  of Kherson Oblast. Topography. The park is located on the north slope of the Black Sea Basin. It is divided into two main zones: Climate and ecoregion. The climate of Oleshky Sands is "Humid continental climate - Hot summer sub-type" (Köppen climate classification Dfa), with large seasonal temperature differentials and a hot summer (at least one month averaging over , and mild winters. Oleshky Sands is located in the "Pontic–Caspian steppe" ecoregion, a region that covers an expanse of grasslands stretching from the northern shores of the Black Sea to western Kazakhstan. Flora and fauna. The landscape is quite varied , with sandy-steppe, semi-arid steppe, meadows, reed beds, and forest stands. The dunes of the Radensk sector are interspersed with patches of shrubs, lakes and birch groves (12% of the area). Public use. The parks website warns the public of danger from a nearby military installation, and strictly prohibits unaccompanied visits by members of the public.