Forests of Ukraine to invest UAH 20 mln in restoration of 10,000 ha of 'collective farm' forests in Rivne region in 2025
The state enterprise Forests of Ukraine will invest UAH 20 million in the restoration of former collective farm forest lands - the so-called "peasant forest" in Rivne region in 2025, the press service of the state enterprise reported.
Forests of Ukraine recalled that in the 2000s, some 6,000 hectares of forest were transferred to the state, which allowed to preserve part of the plantations. However, about 10,000 hectares remained in a "suspended state" for a long time, were subjected to illegal logging and fires. In 2024, Rivne regional military administration transferred the remains of these forests to the state enterprise Forests of Ukraine. During the inventory, representatives of the state enterprise recorded 500,000 trees. The amount of damage caused in the "farmers' forest" was estimated at UAH 3.41 billion, which is an anti-record in terms of the volume of illegal logging and the amount of damage caused.
"Investments in the restoration, protection and care of the forest in the next 5 years will amount to almost UAH 20 million. These are the own funds of the state enterprise Forests of Ukraine. Thanks to the centralization of forestry management, we now have the opportunity for such investments. Financial support from the company is received not only by the subsidized south and east, but also by such resource regions as Rivne region," Yuriy Bolokhovets, General Director of Forests of Ukraine, reported on Facebook.
According to him, there are currently over 700,000 ha of such "nobody's" forests without a forest user. Forests of Ukraine is ready to take up their restoration and protection, which requires approval from local authorities and communities.
Head of Rivne Regional Administration Oleksandr Koval expressed confidence on Facebook that "transferring these territories to the use of Forests of Ukraine should radically change the situation", because the problem arose precisely because of the lack of a permanent forest user.
In the first area, seedlings with a closed root system have already been planted using modern technology: instead of pure coniferous plantations vulnerable to fires, pests and climate change, mixed, more stable forests will appear in Rivne region, which will include both coniferous and deciduous tree species.
In Rivne region, a program of forest restoration after the "amber fever" of 2015–2017 is also underway. Some 4,200 ha of forest were affected by illegal logging. Currently, part of these territories has been transferred for legal extraction. These are the lands of local communities - Forests of Ukraine is involved as a contractor, which carries out work on planting a forest on reclaimed areas.
The state enterprise expressed interest in ensuring that the planted forest is properly cared for and protected.
"We appeal to communities to voluntarily transfer such forests to the state forest fund, which guarantees its preservation," the director general of Forests of Ukraine urged.