At the premises of Kolomyike Forestry Management Union of Branch “Karpatskyi Forest Office”, a scientific‐practical seminar titled “Dissemination of Best Practices for Responsible Forest Management According to the FSC Standard for Ukraine” was held.
The event was organized by FSC Ukraine with the support of SFE “Forests of Ukraine,” NUBiP of Ukraine, and URIFFM (UkrNDILGA). Seminar participants—forest management staff, representatives of non-governmental organizations, certification bodies, and research institutions—discussed best practices for meeting FSC standard requirements related to environmental values such as Representative Sample Areas of Native Ecosystems (RSANEs) and High Conservation Value areas (HCVs).
Particular attention was paid to the results of a three-year project aimed at deep transformations in foresters’ approaches to ensure the long-term conservation of representative sample areas while also meeting society’s economic needs. Such areas are “living laboratories” where unique natural phenomena and ecosystem self‐regulation mechanisms can be observed, informing the development of effective management procedures for RSANEs and HCVs. At our forestry management unit, the successful integration of these procedures into the management system was demonstrated.
“It is gratifying to note the success of our joint efforts, for at the project’s outset our experts spoke of the various aspects of identifying, assessing, and conserving RSANEs and HCVs, and today we hear from responsible staff how these requirements have been implemented in practice as part of their daily work and established procedures,” said Pavlo Kravets, Director of FSC Ukraine.
Participants visited unique natural sites, including the genetic reserve of European beech, stands of beech forest dominated by common ivy (listed in the Green Book of Ukraine), and unique quasi-primeval silver fir forests over 150 years old.
“The best-practices project has once again demonstrated that a close connection between our foresters’ practical experience and experts’ scientific approach is key to responsible forest management. Combining the knowledge and experience of forest management specialists with expert insights allows us to develop effective procedures that transform valuable forest areas into resilient ecosystems capable of meeting today’s challenges, including climate change,” emphasized Halyna Domashovets, Head of the Forest Certification Sector, Department of Forest Management, SFE “Forests of Ukraine.”
The seminar once again confirmed the importance of combining a scientific approach with foresters’ practical experience for responsible forest management and the preservation of forest ecosystems for future generations.