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, the press service of the state enterprise reports.
“Forests of Ukraine reminded that in the 2000s, 6,000 hectares of forest were transferred to the state, which allowed it to preserve part of the plantations. However, about 10 thousand hectares remained in a “suspended state” for a long time, subjected to illegal logging and fires. In 2024, the Rivne EIA transferred the remnants of these forests to the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”. During the inventory, representatives of the state enterprise recorded 500 thousand stumps. The amount of damage caused in the “peasant forest” was estimated at UAH 3.41 billion, which is an anti-record in terms of illegal logging and the amount of damage caused.
“Investments in the restoration, protection, defense and care of the forest over 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. Not only the subsidized South and East, but also such resource regions as Rivne region receive financial support from the company,” Yuriy Bolokhovets, CEO of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’, wrote on Facebook.
According to him, there are currently more than 700 thousand hectares of such “no man’s land” in Ukraine without a forest user. The State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” is ready to restore and protect them, which requires approval from local authorities and communities.
The head of the Rivne Regional Administration, Oleksandr Koval, expressed confidence on Facebook that “the transfer of these territories to the use of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’ should radically change the situation,” as the problem arose precisely because of the lack of a permanent forest user.
Seedlings of a closed root system have already been planted on the first plot using modern technology: instead of pure coniferous plantations vulnerable to fire, pests and climate change, mixed, more sustainable forests will appear in Rivne Oblast, including both coniferous and deciduous tree species.
The Rivne region is also continuing a program to restore forests after the “amber fever” of 2015-2017. Illegal mining affected 4.2 thousand hectares of forest. Currently, a part of these territories has been transferred to legal mining. These are the lands of local communities – the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” is involved as a contractor to plant forests on the reclaimed areas.
The state enterprise has expressed interest in ensuring that the planted forest is properly maintained and protected.
“We appeal to communities to voluntarily transfer such forests to the state forest fund, which guarantees its preservation,” called on the director general of the Forests of Ukraine.
