Data comprise site location, soil chemistry (pH, soil moisture), soil radionuclide activity concentrations (the isotopes measured were: Americium-241, Caesium-137, Plutonium-238, -239 and -240, Strontium-90 (K-40 and U-238 activity concentrations were estimated from stable element data) and soil biological activity (derived from application of bait lamina sticks) at 18 sites in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), Ukraine in 2016; data for four sites in 2005 are also presented. Estimate absorbed radionuclide dose rates to soil invertebrates and bacteria are also presented. The primary purpose of these data was to enable an evaluation of the potential impact of radiation on soil organisms. The work was carried out by UKCEH, Chernobyl Centre for Nuclear Safety and the University of Salford. Funding for this work was via the TREE project funded by NERC, Environment Agency and Radioactive Waste Management Ltd. under the RATE programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/19babe1c-b3a3-488c-b4fe-ebb4ab9237d8

A large area of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was affected by severe wildfires in April 2020. This dataset presents the results of a study conducted following the fire in September/October 2020 to measure the migration of 137Cs and 90Sr in soils collected from three study sites located within forested areas on the left bank of the Pripyat River within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Data comprise activity concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs measured in soil samples. Soils were sampled layer-by-layer (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, 40-50 cm, 50-60 cm, 60-70 cm, 70-80 cm, 80-90 cm, and 90-100 cm) from three locations at each of the three study sites. At each of the three study sites, circular plots were established on September 21st 2020 and soil samples collected; the circular plots were of different sizes dependent upon tree density. On October 8th 2020 a tripod was installed at the centre of each study site; the plot coordinates were noted and information on the trees present recorded (diameter, height and condition (dead or alive)). The dataset comprises two files. These files contain information on site and sampling locations, date of sampling, Cs-137 and Sr-90 activity concentration ((Bq kg-1) and analysis uncertainty (2-sigma)) in soil samples taken at 10cm intervals to a depth of 1 m, tree condition after wildfire (measured October 8th 2020); tree diameter (measured at a height of 1.3 m above ground level) and tree height (m). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/72c05810-eb66-49e1-9107-dec8cde3b07e

Data comprise a catalogue of motion activated digital trap camera images obtained from cameras located in the Red Forest, Chornobyl (Ukraine) over a period of a year (September 2016 - September 2017); images are included. In total 45,859 images were captured; of these 19,393 contained identifiable species or organism types, 565 recorded people, 349 were of species that could not be determined and 25,552 images recorded nothing. In addition there were 687 images of members of the research team setting up and servicing the cameras. All images, with the exception of those that recorded people or camera setup/service, are included as part of the dataset. Site characteristics and descriptions for each camera location are provided (e.g. site location, estimates of ambient dose rate, activity concentration of Cs-137 and Sr-90 in soil, Cs-137 and Sr-90 deposition, extent of fire damage, vegetation and forest cover and density and water proximity). The same person recorded all descriptive parameters. Information related to each cameras deployment is also provided; this includes camera deployment periods, number of days deployed and a summary of the images (e.g. number of images with mammals, birds or insects in, number of images with nothing in, number of images with people in) and the total number of triggering events recorded. Also provided are indicative weighted absorbed dose rates estimated using the ERICA Tool v2.0 https://erica-tool.com/ for a ‘large mammal’ and ‘red fox’. Species definitively captured on the motion activated digital trap cameras were:Brown hare, Eurasian elk, Eurasian lynx, European badger, Domesticated dog (feral), Grey wolf, Przewalski's horse, Raccoon dog, Red deer, Red fox, Red squirrel, Roe deer, Wild boar, Black grouse, Common blackbird, Common buzzard, Common wood pigeon, Eurasian bittern, Eurasian hoopoe, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian sparrowhawk, Eurasian woodcock, European nightjar, European robin, Fieldfare, Great egret, Great grey shrike, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Hazel grouse, Mistle thrush, Red backed shrike and Song thrush. Others identified to genus level include:Marten sp., Finch sp., Shrike sp., Thrush sp. There were also some mammal and bird species which were unidentifiable. Site descriptions, camera information, a summary of the contents of the image catalogue, summaries of mammals and birds by setup, site and camera and all the trap camera images have been provided as part of this dataset. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/bf82cec2-5f8a-407c-bf74-f8689ca35e83