Modern concepts of intellectual socio-cultural space, interpersonal communication of scientists, processes of institutionalization of natural science, formation of scientific corporations of scientists, transmission of scientific knowledge in society, etc. became the theoretical and methodological basis for the preparation of the paper.

The purpose of the paper is the analysis of the activities of the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Nature and Promotion of the Development of Natural Resources during the 1940s – 1980s. The prerequisites and history of the organization's creation are highlighted, its quantitative composition, management and operating conditions are analyzed. Its environmental initiatives are reflected through the prism of the activities of the branch sections of the society (young nature defenders, greening, botanical, zoological, geological and geographical, forestry, water protection, legal, etc.). The environmental protection activities of the center consisted of popularizing the preservation of natural resources, spreading knowledge about nature and fostering patriotic feelings, scientific processing of industry issues, protection and increase of green spaces around cities, protection of water bodies, identification of valuable areas of nature, increase in the number of parks, gardens, vineyards, forests and afforestation plantations, consulting in various branches of natural science, supervision of the implementation of draft laws on the protection and development of natural resources, promoting the training of new personnel in the field of environmental protection. The main forms of the society's work were: public lectures, scientific-practical conferences and seminars, scientific expeditions, nature conservation public actions (hikes, contests, film screenings, press and radio appearances, "forest days", "bird days", etc.).

The Society initiated massive public control over compliance with environmental legislation through specially created services of public inspectors, squads for the protection of green plantations from pests and diseases, "green" and "blue" patrols, etc. Created regional educational and methodological centers "Houses of Nature" and national universities "Pryroda".

It was established that the main directions of activity of Ukrpryroda were: campaigning, propaganda, organizational, cultural, publishing, scientificexperimental.

The most important achievements of the society were the development of an important project of the Law "On Nature Protection", adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR in 1960. At that time, Ukrpryroda was the only environmental organization that demanded the introduction of a comprehensive ecological and economic approach to managing the economy and the creation of the Ministry of Ecology in the government structure. It is important to note that it was on the initiative of the association that in 1967 the government of the Ukrainian SSR created the State Committee for Nature Protection of Ukraine (Derzhkompryrody) as a central authority, which later, in 1991, acquired the status of a ministry (today it is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine).

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