Month: August 2025
The design capacity is up to 10 million seedlings per year.
The plant will provide the best planting material for the north and south of the country.
The center will also include Ukraine’s largest seed bank, with a reserve for growing over 100 million seedlings.
In the Chernihiv region, near the M-01 “Kyiv-Chernihiv” highway in the Horbachivskyi forestry, the most powerful and modern center in Ukraine for growing planting material with a closed root system (CRS) will soon begin operations.
Traditionally, tree seedlings were grown in nurseries. During the forest-culture campaign, they are moved to a plot in the forest and planted.
However, due to climate change, Europeans have already switched to more modern technology—CRS seedlings, which are grown in seed centers. They are more resilient, establish themselves better, and grow faster.
SE “Forests of Ukraine” is also currently investing in developing a network of such seed centers. The new plant in the Chernihiv region is practically on par with the best European ones.
CRS seedlings are sown on a special line. The seeds are placed in cassettes with nutrient-rich soil.
Almost all processes are automated—only 10 people are needed for the work.
But before reaching the sowing line, the seeds undergo a thorough selection process. The center includes a special workshop equipped with a cone dryer and other modern equipment from leading manufacturers.
In the future, there will be 5 drying cabinets here, which will process 400 kg of cones per day!
Seeds must meet strict requirements, so a significant portion of the collected material may be rejected.
The center also has its own seed bank. Some tree species produce quality seeds only once every 5-7 years. Therefore, in Europe, seed banks have a reserve for 10-15 years. Now, Ukraine will also have a strategic seed reserve. The center will store seeds of pine, oak, spruce, larch, and other tree species.
The sowing line starts operating in the spring to allow the seedlings to grow and strengthen during the warm season. In the autumn, the plants can already be planted in open ground. However, some seedlings will overwinter in cassettes and will be planted only in the spring.
To prevent the seedlings from dying in winter due to temperature fluctuations, the center is equipped with huge refrigerators. Here, the plants will wait for spring planting at an optimal temperature. The refrigerators will store 2 million seedlings simultaneously.
Next to the main workshop are huge grow-out fields and greenhouses. An automated irrigation system ensures ideal conditions for the plants’ development during their first year of life.
This year, SE “Forests of Ukraine” is completing the President’s program. We will plant the promised billion trees. CRS seedlings are also actively used in implementing the program.
Their advantage is a much better survival rate, the ability to extend the duration of the forest-culture campaign, and lower labor costs during planting.
When a regular seedling is dug up from a nursery, its roots are exposed. Such a plant dries out and gets damaged during transportation.
CRS seedlings are moved in their cassettes. They take root faster and have significantly greater growth energy. Planting them is simpler.
CRS seedlings will much more quickly transform into a forested area, allowing foresters to save on tending the plantations. Considering the better survival rate and all other factors, the new technology is more economically viable than the traditional one.
In total, 10 such centers will be operating in Ukraine in the near future. The plan is to reach a total production capacity of up to 70 million seedlings per year.
Some of the products may be exported, as the cost of producing Ukrainian seedlings is competitive on the European market.
However, the main goal is the restoration of Ukrainian forests, primarily in frontline and de-occupied territories.
Foresters of the “Carpathian Forestry Office” branch are participating in the development of a section of the cycling route Yasinya – Brustury, which will run along part of the Transcarpathian tourist trail.
The aim of the project is to expand and improve the well-known hiking trail through the Carpathian paths and to launch a cycling route – accessible and inclusive, with appropriate infrastructure for adults and children, cyclists with strong physical training and amateurs, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Currently, work is underway in the territory of the Brusturyansky and Rakhiv forestry districts – a 33-kilometer stretch within the forest fund of SE “Forests of Ukraine.”
Advantages of the route:
1.It runs through picturesque forest roads, accessible and interesting for almost all categories of cyclists. For the convenience of tourists, different sections of the trail will have various levels of difficulty;
2.It follows the largest polonyna (pasture) ridge in Transcarpathia – the Svydovets, whose trails are also most suitable for mountain biking;
3.It includes the area with the sources of the Black Tysa River, which is of interest to both Ukrainian and foreign tourists.
Along the route, many facilities for tourism and recreation have already been established. Tourist estates, agro-estates are operating, as well as producers of souvenir products and local gastronomic attractions.
Therefore, the foresters are arranging rest areas within the forest fund: springs, small bridges with railings, improving the road infrastructure, constructing an observation tower and viewpoints, gazebos, installing bike parking, benches, tables, and many other useful amenities for tourists with bicycles. The tourist navigation system is also being updated along the route: marking trails, installing information stands, posts with signs and maps, as well as signs for rest areas, overnight stays, campsites, water sources, etc.
Very soon, on August 31, the opening of a 55-kilometer section of the cycling route will take place along the route Ust-Chorna – Kedryne Forestry – Turbat Forestry – sources of the Black Tysa River – Chornotysianske Forestry (village of Chorna Tysa) – Yasinya settlement.
Everyone interested is invited to join the opening. More details will follow.
The project is being implemented jointly with “Forests of Ukraine” by the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, the public, tourism industry specialists, and the local business community.
These are all-terrain vehicles equipped with modular firefighting systems and water tanks, which are indispensable for extinguishing forest fires.
For the Izium Forestry District, located near the frontline with 90% of its territory mined, such equipment is extremely important. It ensures mobility, safety of employees – which is crucial in frontline areas – and effective response to surface fires. Due to the proximity to the combat zone, forest fires break out very often, and foresters have to go out to extinguish them almost daily.
In March 2025, three former state forestry enterprises of the Kharkiv region, which merged into the Izium Forestry District, became part of the “Slobozhansky Forestry Office” branch of SE “Forests of Ukraine.” These forestry enterprises had been under occupation in 2022. Most of their property, machinery, and equipment were destroyed, burned, or looted by Russian occupiers.
After joining “Forests of Ukraine,” the company immediately delivered the first batch of vehicles to the forestry district – six pickups equipped with modular units for firefighting and patrolling forest areas.
All new pickups have already been distributed among the forestries and are in active use.
Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev held a working meeting with members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, chaired by Oleh Bondarenko.
As Oleksii Sobolev emphasized, the ministry’s top priority is maintaining a balance between the economy and the environment.
“Greening the economy will remain one of the key priorities of our ministry’s work. Moreover, environmental and natural resource management policies are directly linked to our European integration. Therefore, we hope for constructive synergy in cooperation with MPs and a shared focus on achieving the maximum result”, the minister noted.
In the field of forestry, the ministry’s priorities include reforming forest management (transforming SE “Forests of Ukraine” into a state joint-stock company), regulating the timber market, strengthening control over its transportation, and introducing a ban on clear-cutting in the Carpathian mountain forests starting in 2027.
While the area of fires last year was almost 6,000 hectares, this year that figure (excluding newly integrated forestry enterprises) is six times smaller—just over 1,000 hectares. This represents only about 0.15% of the total area managed by the enterprise.
On average, about 1,500 fires occur annually in Ukraine over the last ten years, but this year there have been half as many—a total of nearly 700 fires extinguished.
Last year, the average fire size was 4.4 hectares, whereas this year it is 3.7 hectares, and this number is gradually decreasing (last week it was 3 hectares).
The forestry districts of the Podillia, Polissia, and Northern Forest Offices have been almost fire-free this year.
Thanks to the delivery of new equipment, the situation has been stabilized in the state forestry enterprises in the Kharkiv region that were integrated into the company at the beginning of the year. Due to vast minefields and proximity to the front lines, the Izium forestry district saw 8,000 hectares burned last year. This year, the fire area was reduced sixfold to 1,500 hectares.
Where were the most fires?
60% of all forest fires this year occurred in the Kharkiv region, with the vast majority in the Izium forestry district, which was formed just six months ago from the Izium, Kupiansk, and Vovchansk forestry enterprises. 90% of the territory is mined, which makes firefighting extremely difficult. Enemy KABs, missiles, and drones constantly hit the forests. The fires are often accompanied by the detonation of mines and ammunition.
Throughout the summer, fires caused by enemy drones and missiles occurred in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, and Zhytomyr regions. All of these fires were quickly put out by foresters.
In recent weeks, the Mykolaiv region has added to the negative statistics. Due to military factors, 48 hectares of forest caught fire, 19 of which were a crown fire that spread rapidly across the treetops. The hot and prolonged dry weather also contributed to the fast spread of the flames. The forest protection service, together with the State Emergency Service, quickly localized and extinguished the fire.
As a result of a winter with little snow and an unusually warm start to spring, forest fires broke out in the mountainous regions of Zakarpattia in March and April.
How is SE “Forests of Ukraine” working to reduce the area of fires?
New fire-fighting equipment is being purchased and deployed.
Tractors and equipment for creating mineralized strips are being acquired.
The motivation of forest protection and fire station employees is being increased.
The network of recreational areas is being expanded.
Joint training exercises with the State Emergency Service are held systematically.
Throughout the season, raids are conducted in forest areas, and protocols are drawn up for violators.
Over 2,200 mobilized employees of SE “Forests of Ukraine” are serving in various units of nearly 100 combat brigades. Recently, the Union of Forester-Soldiers decided to appoint its representatives within these brigades. This was done to improve coordination in providing targeted aid and maintaining communication with the mobilized foresters. Within a few weeks, the Union held a series of meetings in front-line regions and selected 20 representatives.
Here are the first results of their work:
In the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, newly arrived soldiers, including foresters, received charging stations and a Starlink terminal from the Union. They reached out to our representative Volodymyr Shnaider, a mobilized forestry master from the Zviahel forestry district of the “Capital Forest Office” branch, who now serves as a UAV operator in the brigade. He immediately forwarded all requests to the Union. Within a few days, the aid was delivered.
Thanks to a recently received Mavic quadcopter, soldiers from the 68th Separate Jager Brigade, which is under the Union’s patronage, are now able to detect and destroy enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups in Pokrovsk. Cooperation with the brigade has recently become closer due to the new representative, Vasyl Nadraga. Before his mobilization, the soldier worked as a forester for the Osmoloda forestry district of the “Carpathian Forest Office” branch, and now he is the deputy commander of a repair and recovery battalion. He is the one who conveys the most urgent needs from the dozens of foresters in his brigade.
Soldiers of the 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, who are on the border of the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, can now search for wounded, missing, and fallen soldiers at any time. This is all thanks to our new representative in the brigade, Roman Hubaryk, who requested a drone with an enhanced video camera specifically for these search operations.
In total, our representatives are in the 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade, the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 71st Separate Jager Brigade, the 153rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign, the 22nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 101st Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, the 3rd Separate Iron Tank Brigade, the 106th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, and the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade. All of them are mobilized employees of SE “Forests of Ukraine” who collect requests for needs from their comrades, many of whom are also foresters.
In the first half of this year, the Union has provided 25 million UAH in aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was made possible, in part, thanks to the continuous support of SE “Forests of Ukraine.” The Union is now processing dozens of new requests from its representatives in the brigades, as the war is not yet over.
Today, the Cabinet of Ministers presented the draft Government Action Plan. The document outlines the main priorities and objectives of each ministry.
In particular, the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture declared a number of operational goals related to the activities of SE “Forests of Ukraine.”
The most important one — by the end of 2025, the corporatization of our enterprise must begin. Our plan is to launch this process already in the fall.
For foresters, this is not only about harmonization with EU practices but also an opportunity to attract international investments, introduce modern technologies, update the material and technical base, and thereby increase production efficiency.
We also support the Government’s declared goal of changing the approach to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The need to simplify EIA in the forestry sector is currently driven by the fact that existing legislative restrictions in the environmental field significantly affect the volume of timber harvesting and the ability to respond quickly to the consequences of forest fires, windthrows, windbreaks, and other natural disasters. Every year Ukraine loses more than one million cubic meters of timber due to overregulation of the EIA procedure.
Foresters consistently emphasize the need to align the provisions of the relevant law with EU legislation and implement Directive 2011/92/EU.
In addition, by the end of the year, the Government plans to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on the emissions trading system for greenhouse gases in Ukraine as a mechanism to reduce their volume.
For SE “Forests of Ukraine,” this is an opportunity to enter international markets with carbon certificates and attract investors in the field of reforestation.
We thank the Government for its attention to the development of the forestry sector.
The implementation of Yuliia Svyrydenko’s Cabinet program will ensure transparent management of state property with care for the environment and sustainable use of natural resources.
Starting in September, the Government will launch one-time financial assistance payments for the purchase of solid fuel.
Residents of settlements located within 10 km of the border with russia or the frontline will be eligible to receive funds. Support will also be provided to vulnerable categories of citizens in nine frontline regions — including large families, people with disabilities, pensioners, and internally displaced persons.
The payment per household amounts to UAH 19,500.
The Eastern Forestry Office of SE “Forests of Ukraine” (covering Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions) is fully prepared for the increased demand for firewood.
In the first seven and a half months of 2025, the branch’s forestry units sold more than 5,400 m³ of non-industrial firewood.
On average, foresters supply 40–50 cubic meters of firewood daily for the social sector. No need to wait — the products are available.
Currently, warehouses hold more than 3,000 m³ of non-industrial firewood across three categories: hardwood, coniferous, and softwood. In addition to fully providing for the population, the branch has also supplied 2,400 m³ of industrial firewood to local businesses.
Prices remain stable — from UAH 819 per m³ of softwood species to UAH 1,725 per m³ of hardwood (non-industrial).
The branch is prepared to harvest and supply an additional 18,700 m³ of firewood this year. This volume is more than sufficient, provided demand continues.
Harvesting is increasing due to the gradual resumption of forestry operations in Nikopol, Marhanets, and Apostolove, which had been suspended since the beginning of the year because of frontline escalations. Specialists from Kherson Forest Protection Enterprise have already conducted inspections for sanitary felling. The first logging permits will soon be issued.
For those not waiting for state assistance, the branch recommends purchasing firewood as early as possible. Prices will remain stable, but wood needs time to be chopped and dried. Dry firewood provides significantly more heat. By buying early, you save considerably.
“Forests of Ukraine” continues to expand the network of “Lisovychok” recreational sites as part of the enterprise’s investment program. These facilities are being developed in areas with the highest visitor numbers and increased fire risks. To reduce the danger of wildfires, we are creating safe and comfortable forest recreation zones with all the necessary amenities for people.
Each “Lisovychok” site is equipped with designated fire areas for safe cooking, comfortable gazebos, children’s playgrounds, parking lots, and more. This allows people to enjoy nature in a civilized way, without starting fires in random places and risking forest fires.
Every year, our recreational sites are visited by over 3 million people, and statistics show a decrease in human-caused forest fires. You can view the locations of all “Lisovychok” sites at this link:
🔗 https://e-forest.gov.ua/our-locations/
To make your weekends in the forest even more exciting, we also recommend the travel show “Exploring the Forests of Ukraine”. All episodes of the project are available on our website in the “Video” section.
The vehicles will be delivered in two stages – 49 pickups this year and 37 next year. Purchasing a larger batch from a single manufacturer allows for a lower price.
Pickups are being procured for almost all branches, with the largest allocations going to the Northern, Capital, and Eastern Forestry Offices (more than 10 vehicles each).
Most of the new four-wheel-drive pickups will significantly strengthen the work of the forest protection service in combating wildfires. They will be equipped with forest fire modules or other firefighting equipment, as pickups are highly maneuverable and can reach areas inaccessible to larger vehicles.
We have repeatedly emphasized that vehicles are critically important for our forestry units. They are used both for patrolling (detecting illegal logging, detaining poachers, responding to fires) and for production needs (monitoring logging operations, receiving and dispatching products at warehouses).
One of the chronic problems in the forestry sector has been the shortage of vehicles. At the start of SE “Forests of Ukraine,” the enterprise had fewer than one vehicle per forestry unit. Some units did not have a single functioning car. What caused this issue?
✔️ Aging fleet
Half of the vehicles have been in use for more than 10 years, requiring frequent repairs and significant maintenance costs. Some are out of service altogether.
✔️ Support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, foresters have transferred more than 1,000 vehicles to the front, including over 100 passenger cars, with several dozen handed over this year alone.
✔️ Integration of frontline forestries
Earlier this year, we integrated the Izium, Vovchansk, and Kupiansk forestries, to which we delivered six pickups. Additional vehicles will be provided to the newly joined Donetsk and Kharkiv forestries, where little to no transport remained after hostilities and occupation.
For the past two years, our enterprise has been implementing a program to renew the vehicle fleet, focusing primarily on pickups and budget SUVs.
In 2024, we purchased 250 vehicles. Since the beginning of this year, 130 high-mobility vehicles have been procured. Thanks to this, the number of forestries without vehicles has been reduced by more than half. Currently, one vehicle services about 2,500 hectares of forest, compared to 4,000–5,000 hectares per vehicle previously.