The Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources (Min dovkillia) has begun refusing permits for the extraction of peat, amber, and sand from drained wetlands. The ministry’s arguments are twofold: first, it could destroy the existing network of land reclamation channels, and second, it could lead to the pollution of the rivers into which these systems drain.
This is a significant step and excellent news for nature conservation. If this becomes a consistent practice, we can prevent the destruction of many important natural areas.
Already, parts of these land reclamation networks are in disrepair, and natural rewetting processes are beginning to restore the bogs. The recently adopted EU Nature Restoration Law requires member states to restore half of their degraded peatlands by 2050. Preserving these bogs from mining will make them easier to restore in the future.
However, there is a catch. If a site has already undergone geological exploration, mining may be permitted without the ministry’s approval. This loophole means that some of these territories remain vulnerable.
We sincerely hope that legislative changes will be adopted soon to close this gap.
