The implementation of sustainable forestry in Ukraine is one of the priorities in our work. “Sustainable” stands for support of ecosystem services of forests rather than timber harvesting. Clean air and water, habitats for thousands of species of living organisms, places for recreation – these must be the main purpose of forestry.
Obviously, humans cannot completely avoid logging. However, it is entirely realistic to harvest timber in the minimum volumes necessary to meet economic needs as well as demands of local communities. We believe, it is the only way to protect the most valuable forests of Ukraine for the coming generations. Forestries must receive comprehensive budget funding, and forester should become the caretaker of forests, instead of thinking about revenues from logging.
Control over logging in valuable natural forests
To preserve a valuable forest in Ukraine, it is not enough just to establish official status of protection. Another important thing to assure effecient protection is to constantly monitor logging and other activities taking place there. For this purpose, we use available information to identify violations prior to logging, and oblige the authorities to recognize violators and prosecute them. The forests of Volyn, Rivne, Kyiv and Odesa regions are the primary focus of our work. Our vision for the further development is efficient public control over forest management in all forests of Ukraine.
Conservation of valuable natural forests
Conventional conservation status is not the only mechanism that ensures the protection of valuable forests. Particularly if the implementation of this procedure is not always possible. Restricting logging can also be possible in other ways, including the procedure of environmental impact assessment, establishment of protected zones, FSC-certification mechanisms, and so on. Practical use of such tools and educational work are the focus of our work, that encourages concerned citizens to participate in preserving the valuable natural forests of Ukraine.
Legislation in the field of forestry
Implementation of sustainable forestry practices rarely happens unless there is a proper legal and regulatory framework available. Since 2019, we are working towards improving the documents governing forest management and certain types of logging. Also, we are promoting the implementation of documents required for a robust environmental impact assessment procedure.
>> Campaign for the Protection and Conservation of Ukraine’s Forests