Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії
Introduction Forests are globally recognized as vital components of sustainable development and modern climate policy, as reflected in numerous international agreements that Ukraine actively supports. Notably, participants of the most recent Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Eur...
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| Date: | 2025 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Ukrainian |
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Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky (URIFFM)
2025
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| Online Access: | https://forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/442 |
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| Journal Title: | Forestry and Forest Melioration |
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Forestry and Forest Melioration| _version_ | 1856543500473991168 |
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| author | Tkach, Viktor Kobets, Oleksii |
| author_facet | Tkach, Viktor Kobets, Oleksii |
| author_sort | Tkach, Viktor |
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| collection | OJS |
| datestamp_date | 2025-07-28T10:16:49Z |
| description | Introduction
Forests are globally recognized as vital components of sustainable development and modern climate policy, as reflected in numerous international agreements that Ukraine actively supports. Notably, participants of the most recent Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (2024) endorsed a dedicated paragraph in the Bonn Declaration on Ukraine, calling for enhanced multilateral cooperation and technical support for restoring Ukraine’s forest sector during and after the war. These efforts are supported in part by the scientific contributions of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration (URIFFM) across a broad range of topics.
This study aims to assess the current state of Ukrainian forests in the context of climate change and military aggression, and to identify steps for their effective restoration and sustainable management.
Materials and Methods
To evaluate forest resources, we applied generally accepted theoretical and methodological approaches to the economic valuation of natural assets. The analysis was guided by the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), which distinguishes three primary categories of ecosystem services: provisioning services, regulation and maintenance services, and cultural services. The valuation of material forest resources and estimation of war-related damage were based on data from the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, and relevant scientific publications.
Results
Ukraine’s current forest cover has been significantly altered by human activity – both quantitatively and qualitatively. The forestry sector contributes over 3% to the national gross domestic product, underlining the considerable ecological and economic importance of forests.
Nonetheless, the current level of forest cover remains suboptimal. Achieving the target of 20% forest cover will require the afforestation of at least 2–2.5 million hectares using site- and purpose-optimized approaches. This expansion must incorporate intensive technologies, particularly the use of container-grown seedlings and genetically improved planting stock. Realization of this goal necessitates a dedicated Forest Seed Development Program and sustained financial support.
Russian military aggression has caused substantial damage to Ukrainian forests, affecting nearly one-third of the total forest area. Approximately 450,000 hectares are contaminated with explosive remnants and require demining. Demining and recultivation of contaminated forest areas will take decades, restricting access to natural resources and recreational areas. There is also an urgent need for standardized methodologies to objectively assess forestry-related war damage. URIFFM has developed scientific recommendations that can aid in addressing these issues.
Post-war forest restoration will be a matter of national priority. A comprehensive program must be developed to rebuild the productive capacity of Ukrainian forestswhich would include, in particular, the creation of favorable conditions for meeting the needs of the industry in valuable wood. In the context of climate change, increasing the resilience of forest stands to adverse environmental factors is essential. This can be achieved through the implementation of scientifically grounded forest management strategies, many of which have been developed by URIFFM.
Conclusions
A strategic vision for the development of forestry in Ukraine must be formulated, accounting for evolving environmental conditions and socio-economic dynamics. This includes the broader application of ecologically oriented, close-to-nature forestry practices that support sustainable land use.
There is an urgent need for a new edition of the Forest Code of Ukraine and a comprehensive revision of the legislative framework governing forest use. This overhaul should integrate climate considerations, elevate the ecological role of forests, and align national forestry legislation with that of European countries. Future forestry research must also be oriented toward fulfilling Ukraine's international obligations and recognizing the increasing importance of forests in contemporary environmental and socio-economic contexts.
3 Tables, 28 Refs. |
| first_indexed | 2026-02-08T08:04:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:ojs2.forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua:article-442 |
| institution | Forestry and Forest Melioration |
| language | Ukrainian |
| last_indexed | 2026-02-08T08:04:13Z |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky (URIFFM) |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | oai:ojs2.forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua:article-4422025-07-28T10:16:49Z Current state of forests in Ukraine under the influence of climate change and military aggression Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії Tkach, Viktor Kobets, Oleksii forest fund forest cover ecological services global warming military operations forest management лісовий фонд лісистість екологічні послуги глобальне потепління бойові дії господарювання в лісах Introduction Forests are globally recognized as vital components of sustainable development and modern climate policy, as reflected in numerous international agreements that Ukraine actively supports. Notably, participants of the most recent Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (2024) endorsed a dedicated paragraph in the Bonn Declaration on Ukraine, calling for enhanced multilateral cooperation and technical support for restoring Ukraine’s forest sector during and after the war. These efforts are supported in part by the scientific contributions of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration (URIFFM) across a broad range of topics. This study aims to assess the current state of Ukrainian forests in the context of climate change and military aggression, and to identify steps for their effective restoration and sustainable management. Materials and Methods To evaluate forest resources, we applied generally accepted theoretical and methodological approaches to the economic valuation of natural assets. The analysis was guided by the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), which distinguishes three primary categories of ecosystem services: provisioning services, regulation and maintenance services, and cultural services. The valuation of material forest resources and estimation of war-related damage were based on data from the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, and relevant scientific publications. Results Ukraine’s current forest cover has been significantly altered by human activity – both quantitatively and qualitatively. The forestry sector contributes over 3% to the national gross domestic product, underlining the considerable ecological and economic importance of forests. Nonetheless, the current level of forest cover remains suboptimal. Achieving the target of 20% forest cover will require the afforestation of at least 2–2.5 million hectares using site- and purpose-optimized approaches. This expansion must incorporate intensive technologies, particularly the use of container-grown seedlings and genetically improved planting stock. Realization of this goal necessitates a dedicated Forest Seed Development Program and sustained financial support. Russian military aggression has caused substantial damage to Ukrainian forests, affecting nearly one-third of the total forest area. Approximately 450,000 hectares are contaminated with explosive remnants and require demining. Demining and recultivation of contaminated forest areas will take decades, restricting access to natural resources and recreational areas. There is also an urgent need for standardized methodologies to objectively assess forestry-related war damage. URIFFM has developed scientific recommendations that can aid in addressing these issues. Post-war forest restoration will be a matter of national priority. A comprehensive program must be developed to rebuild the productive capacity of Ukrainian forestswhich would include, in particular, the creation of favorable conditions for meeting the needs of the industry in valuable wood. In the context of climate change, increasing the resilience of forest stands to adverse environmental factors is essential. This can be achieved through the implementation of scientifically grounded forest management strategies, many of which have been developed by URIFFM. Conclusions A strategic vision for the development of forestry in Ukraine must be formulated, accounting for evolving environmental conditions and socio-economic dynamics. This includes the broader application of ecologically oriented, close-to-nature forestry practices that support sustainable land use. There is an urgent need for a new edition of the Forest Code of Ukraine and a comprehensive revision of the legislative framework governing forest use. This overhaul should integrate climate considerations, elevate the ecological role of forests, and align national forestry legislation with that of European countries. Future forestry research must also be oriented toward fulfilling Ukraine's international obligations and recognizing the increasing importance of forests in contemporary environmental and socio-economic contexts. 3 Tables, 28 Refs. Кількісно підтверджено роль лісів у формуванні ландшафтів, збереженні природного середовища та підтриманні біорізноманіття, тому в сучасних умовах під час господарювання важливо враховувати природоохоронну й біосферну роль лісів, а також їхнє економічне й загальнодержавне значення. Вартість корисних послуг лісів оцінюють станом на 2022 р. у 4,7 млрд доларів США на рік, а внесок лісової галузі у валовий внутрішній продукт сягає понад 3 %. Водночас за даними Державного агентства лісових ресурсів України внаслідок впливу російської агресії близько 3 млн га лісів країни зазнали ушкодження, з них близько 450 тис. га забруднено вибухонебезпечними предметами та потребують розмінування. Після закінчення війни вирішення проблеми відновлення лісів, пошкоджених воєнними діями, набуде загальнодержавного значення, тому необхідно розробити відповідну програму збільшення ресурсного потенціалу лісів. У результаті зміни клімату прогнозують зсув сприятливих умов для росту лісів на північний захід країни. Адаптованість лісів до зміни клімату може бути суттєво підвищена шляхом впровадження науково обґрунтованих стратегій господарювання. Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky (URIFFM) 2025-06-30 Article Article application/pdf https://forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/442 10.33220/1026-3365.146.2025.3 Forestry and Forest Melioration; No. 146 (2025): Forestry and Forest Melioration; 3-13 Лісівництво і Агролісомеліорація; № 146 (2025): Лісівництво і Агролісомеліорація; 3-13 2663-4147 1026-3365 10.33220/1026-3365.146.2025 uk https://forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/442/394 Copyright (c) 2025 Forestry and Forest Melioration http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | лісовий фонд лісистість екологічні послуги глобальне потепління бойові дії господарювання в лісах Tkach, Viktor Kobets, Oleksii Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title | Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title_alt | Current state of forests in Ukraine under the influence of climate change and military aggression |
| title_full | Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title_fullStr | Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title_full_unstemmed | Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title_short | Сучасний стан лісів в Україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| title_sort | сучасний стан лісів в україні в умовах впливу зміни клімату та воєнної агресії |
| topic | лісовий фонд лісистість екологічні послуги глобальне потепління бойові дії господарювання в лісах |
| topic_facet | forest fund forest cover ecological services global warming military operations forest management лісовий фонд лісистість екологічні послуги глобальне потепління бойові дії господарювання в лісах |
| url | https://forestry-forestmelioration.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/442 |
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