A Memorial Forest has been planted in the Poltava region in honour of fallen forester-soldier Ruslan Balia

SFE “Forests of Ukraine” continues its Memorial Forests initiative — a living tribute to our colleagues who gave their lives for Ukraine.

Before being mobilized, Ruslan Balia worked as a forest ranger in the Chalivske forestry in the Poltava region. He dedicated nearly 20 years to forestry. A true professional, he deeply loved his work and knew every part of the forest under his care. The forest was his calling.

In 2024, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a grenadier in an assault unit and held the rank of junior sergeant. On January 8, 2025, he was killed in action.

Memorial Forests are places of silence and gratitude — living symbols of remembrance for those who fought and died for Ukraine’s independence. Every tree planted carries the memory of a person who lived for the forest and gave their life for their country.

To honour Ruslan Balia, his wife and sons, Head of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” Yurii Bolokhovets, students of Tereshky Lyceum, colleagues, demobilized employees, and representatives of the Ukrainian Foresters’ Union gathered to plant this symbolic forest.

In the Chalivske forestry, where Ruslan worked, foresters planted pine, birch, and viburnum seedlings across 1.2 hectares.

This spring, Memorial Forests are being created across all regions of Ukraine:

In the Rivne region — in Kostopil forestry — a Memorial Forest was planted in honour of fallen colleague Vadym Pliushch, who worked as a forestry engineer and was deeply dedicated to his profession.

In the Zhytomyr region, a Memorial Forest honours forester Valerii Zander. It was planted in the Zvyahel forestry — the area that suffered the greatest losses among forestry workers.

In the Chernivtsi region, a Memorial Forest was created in memory of Oleksandr Storonskyi, who defended Ukraine for two years in the most intense combat zones.

In southern Ukraine, in the Zahradiivske forestry (Kherson region), a Memorial Forest honours forester-hero Vladyslav Vasylychenko. This site has become a symbol of renewal — where there was once war, new life is now growing.

In the Chernihiv region, a Memorial Forest was dedicated to our colleague Andrii Trykhlib, who was killed in December 2023 defending Ukraine.

The planting of Memorial Forests continues, and soon the updated map of these forests will be available. More information about the project can be found on our website.

We create these forests so that memory lives not only in words, but in the land, in the trees, and in the silence of the forest. So that every seedling reminds us: the price of our freedom is the lives of people who were part of one great forestry family.