Postage Issue: Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park

Writing about this stamp issue was no easy task — it made us want to drop everything and head for Podilski Tovtry to experience these extraordinary landscapes in person.

The Tovtry Ridge stretches for more than 200 kilometres from the Lviv region through Ternopil region, where it is known as the Medobory Hills, across Khmelnytskyi region and down to the Dniester Valley. Here, visitors can discover caves where bats hibernate, limestone outcrops, ancient forests, and, at their feet, humid ravines, the sparkling Dniester River, and picturesque towns and villages.

Millions of years ago, these hills formed a barrier reef in the Sarmatian Sea, which once covered much of present-day Ukraine. Where forests and steppe grasses grow today, fish, molluscs and other inhabitants of a warm, shallow sea once thrived. Over time, the sea receded, leaving behind a unique landscape rich in wildlife.

Today, Podilski Tovtry is one of Ukraine’s most remarkable biodiversity hotspots. More than 1,500 plant species grow within the National Nature Park, including endemic species and relics of the glacial and post-glacial periods. The park is also home to more than 300 species of vertebrates and around 1,000 species of invertebrates.

Dozens of plant and animal species found in Podilski Tovtry are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Among them are the greater pasque flower (Pulsatilla grandis), the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis), and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris), all of which are featured on the stamps in this issue.

The “Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park” stamp sheet is both an invitation to explore and a reminder of the richness and diversity of Ukraine’s natural heritage.

On June 27, 2026, a new Ukrainian postage block titled "Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park" will be officially issued and valid for postal use nationwide.

The special First Day cancellation ceremony will take place in Kyiv, 01001 and Kamianets-Podilskyi, 32302, Khmelnytskyi Region .

• Stamp block No. 227 “Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park”;
• Stamp No. 2238 “Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo)”;
• Stamp No. 2239 “Podilski Tovtry”;
• Stamp No. 2240 “Greater Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla grandis)”;
• Stamp No. 2241 “European Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis)”;
• Stamp formats: 33.06 × 55.68 mm; 67.86 × 24.36 mm; 33.06 × 40.02 mm; 34.8 × 40.02 mm;
• Block format: 120 × 85 mm;
• Denomination: U, corresponding to the postage rate for a domestic non-priority letter weighing up to 50 g or a postcard;
• Print run: 40,000 blocks; 15,000 FDCs; 15,000 cards; 350 presentation folders;
• Printing method: offset printing with foil stamping;
• Printed by: Ukraina Printing Plant;
• Artist: Kochubey M.