We are again celebrating a successful collaboration with the Southern Office of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” (DP “Lisy Ukrayiny”) and the Ecology Department of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration (Mykolaivska OMA) to protect steppe areas from afforestation (tree planting).
The Importance of Steppe Identification
Since the amendments to the Forest Code of Ukraine in 2022, afforestation on steppe areas has been legally prohibited. However, the critical task remains the identification of these valuable sites. Historically, many lands were transferred to forest enterprises for the purpose of afforestation. Now, conservationists and foresters must jointly survey these territories to separate valuable steppe areas, which require preservation, from other lands where tree planting can occur without harm to wild nature.
Recently, at a working group meeting focused on analyzing the afforestation fund in the Mykolaiv region, materials from joint surveys with the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” were approved. These surveys, conducted with our participation throughout 2024 within the Variushynske and Vossiiatske Forestries, led to the crucial decision to protect over a hundred hectares of threatened land.
Key Steppe Areas Saved
In total, 115.51 hectares of valuable steppe areas have been saved from afforestation.
- Specifically, 28.7 hectares within the Vossiiatske Forestry were recognized as steppe and prohibited from afforestation. An important detail: a conservation zone (okhoronna zona) was established here in late 2023 to protect biodiversity. Furthermore, this area has been agreed upon by the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” for the expansion of the Yelanetskyi Steppe Nature Reserve.
- The remaining over 86 hectares are located within the Veselynivske Forestry (formerly Variushynske). These territories are being jointly surveyed and have been proposed for inclusion in the planned “Chychykliiskyi” Landscape Reserve (zakaznyk). Discussions regarding its establishment have been ongoing with foresters since mid-2024.
This 115 hectares is only a small fraction of the lands identified as steppe. The issue of preserving over 600 additional hectares identified as steppe in 2024 is scheduled for review at a working group meeting in the near future.
Legal Basis for Protection
It is important to emphasize that all these areas are located on lands previously transferred to forestry enterprises. However, their status as steppe territories prohibits their afforestation, in accordance with the Forest Code of Ukraine and the Rules for Forest Reproduction.
Moreover, the presence of Red Data Book of Ukraine species, as well as species and habitats protected by the Bern Convention, serves as a formal basis for the establishment of Protected Areas Fund (PZF) sites and their associated conservation zones.
The prohibition of afforestation and the gradual declaration of these territories as protected areas is an excellent example of joint action between conservationists and foresters to preserve vital natural territories. We hope that similar work will be initiated in other regions of Ukraine.
