SFE “Forests of Ukraine” has almost fully renewed its FSC® forest Stewardship Council Certificates

Most formerly certified branches, now restructured as forestry management units, have successfully renewed their FSC certificates. In both the Poliskyi and Podilskyi Forest Offices, 100% of the certificates have been updated.

In some regions, there is not only renewal, but also an expansion of certified forest management areas.

In forestry management units that now include previously non-certified forest plots, the certification audit process is ongoing. Successful completion of these audits will, in the near future, enable an increase in the total area of FSC-certified forests in Ukraine.

As a result of active hostilities, large areas of forest in Ukraine have been contaminated with explosive ordnance (EO), creating a serious obstacle to forest management activities and the FSC certification process. This issue is especially relevant for the Branch “Pivnichnyi Forest Office”, where work is underway in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions to identify the boundaries of forest areas contaminated with EO. The presence of such areas is one of the key factors considered when making certification decisions for forestry enterprises.

Despite these challenges, SFE “Forests of Ukraine” continues to ensure the uninterrupted supply of certified timber products. Wood-processing enterprises, particularly those focused on export, have the opportunity to purchase certified timber in most resource-rich regions of the country. This supports the export potential of the wood-processing industry and reaffirms SFE “Forests of Ukraine” commitment to the principles of sustainable forest management, even under wartime conditions.