Updates on Ukrainian forest status
State Enterprise “FORESTS of UKRAINE” has launched an international project titled ‘Forest Recovery’
Forest Recovery will focus on the promotion of expanding the forest area and preserving self-grown forests under the Presidential campaign “Green Country”.
The State Enterprise “FORESTS of UKRAINE” systematically cooperates with communities and local authorities to expand the forest area. In 2022-2023, communities transferred almost 500 self-forested areas and 100 degraded areas for the purpose of forest management. These transfers are carried out on a voluntary basis. Communities are mainly driven by the desire to improve the ecosystem and leave their descendants a comfortable living environment by creating and expanding areas for leisure, ecotourism, hunting, etc. As a part of the “Forest Recovery” project, all donor communities are to receive international Forest Recovery diplomas.
FOREST EUROPE and EUSTAFOR are supporting this project implementation
Mobile app “EkoZagroza” is updated
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine has updated the mobile application and web resource “EkoZagroza,” which allows quickly receiving up-to-date information about the state of the environment and reports on the facts of damage to Ukrainian nature.
There is a new interface that allows quick navigating and finding the necessary information on the resource, updated categories of impact on the environment and the map itself, and connected it to the Google Maps service.
From now on, the weather, the state of air quality, water, radiation, environmental threat notifications, and air alarms – all “at hand” in one application.
Ukraine continues to plant new trees
Despite the war, Ukrainian foresters continue where it is visible and safe to plant new trees and implement the Presidential Campaign “Green Country”. This year, 112.2 million new trees were planted. All information about the Campaign and its implementation can be found here.
IT technologies against corruption
The State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” presented the digitalization strategy aimed at transparency, consistency, and control of all production and business processes. One of the components is GPS monitoring tracks’ movement and specialized motor vehicles in forest areas. The pilot project will start already this year. Another component is monitoring harvested timber volumes in terms of their actual stacking locations.
In the process of implementation of the above-mentioned strategy, it is expected the photo-fixation of loaded wood on a timber truck (currently, the regulatory framework is being approved and technical means are being purchased.) The new functionality allows the forest guard, and law enforcement entities to stop the car and compare the appearance of the timber factual loaded with the photo at the time of uploading.
The State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” digitalization strategy also includes many other areas: forest fire prevention, electronic document management, consolidation of reporting, etc.
More information can be found here.
There is no more flooding in the forests in the southern part of Ukraine
After the ruination of the Kakhovka Dam, more than 64 thou ha of forest were under the water or treated by water at different levels. After three months, the water returned to its normal level. Foresters and nature protection entities have started to evaluate consequences in a more detailed way. It should also be kept in mind that this territory might be subject to future demining as soon as the water transferred all unexploded ordnance on big territories.
As said by Ukrainian experts, more detailed consequences could be shown in a year. More details about possible consequences can be found here
