Author: News
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.
Yesterday, a meeting was held at the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) with representatives of the Committee and SE “Forests of Ukraine.” The key focus was ensuring compliance with competition law in the procurement process.
In particular, the discussion addressed the issue of anti-competitive concerted practices — more simply, collusion between bidders.
This problem is common across the entire public procurement system. However, the risks of collusion that distort competition and lead to inflated prices can be minimized through timely response.
“We informed our colleagues about the changes in the company’s procurement system aimed at increasing its transparency and efficiency. The AMCU provided recommendations on identifying signs of competition law violations and the procedure for submitting appeals to the Committee. We will carefully review and implement our colleagues’ proposals. An agreement was reached with AMCU representatives on coordination and cooperation,” said Taras Kuzmych, Director for Production Efficiency Improvement at SE “Forests of Ukraine.”
SE “Forests of Ukraine” and the AMCU plan to continue communication.
For the second time this year, we are raising salaries for production personnel — drivers, loggers, fellers, tractor operators, mechanics, gamekeepers, foresters, forest masters, and assistant foresters.
The first salary increase took place at the beginning of the year as a result of reorganization and reduction of the administrative staff, and it applied to all employees.
The second increase became possible thanks to the growth of SE “Forests of Ukraine” financial and economic indicators in the first half of the year.
The management of SE “Forests of Ukraine” had promised to allocate an additional half a billion hryvnias to raise wages for production staff, making employee remuneration more balanced.
As a result, compared to the same period last year, the monthly payroll fund increased by UAH 90 million!
The increase in salaries for production personnel was implemented with a differentiated approach. The percentage of growth depended on the actual workload of each employee. In particular, the largest increases went to forest masters responsible for areas of over 1,200 hectares and those with the highest fire hazard class.
For June, employees engaged in forestry work have already received their increased salaries.
The total volume of timber offered for sale amounts to 1.4 million m³:
835,000 m³ – round timber;
513,000 m³ – fuelwood.
Part of the Q4 resources has already been sold under forward contracts for the second half of 2025. In Q4, forward contracts will account for 703,000 m³, including:
300,000 m³ – round timber;
403,000 m³ – fuelwood.
Thus, the total timber volume planned for delivery to buyers in Q4 will reach 2.1 million m³ (note: this refers only to timber sold through auctions; in addition, the enterprise supplies fuelwood to the population, provides timber to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, etc.).
The starting prices for quarterly auctions are calculated based on actual selling prices from the previous two quarters (Q1 and Q2) and the starting prices of the current (Q3) auction.
This approach eliminates the influence of “speculative” purchases where no deliveries were made, and smooths out temporary price spikes by expanding the reference pricing period used in calculations.
Quarterly auctions began with the branches Southern Forestry Office and Eastern Forestry Office and will continue until September 13, 2025.
The auction schedule, approved by the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, is published on the official website of SE “LIAC”:
? https://www.ukrforest.com/auction_next
Information on lot specifications and auction dates is available on the websites of licensed commodity exchanges in the “Raw Timber and Lumber” section:
✔️ Ukrainian Universal Exchange LLC — https://www.uub.com.ua/…/neobroblena-derevna-ta…/
✔️ Ukrainian Energy Exchange LLC — https://www.ueex.com.ua/…/neobroblena-derevina-ta…/
✔️ Ukrainian Trading Platform LLC — https://utplatforma.com/lisomateriali-i-pilomateriali
✔️ Ukrainian Resource Exchange LLC — https://urb.ua/kalendar-torgiv/
Based on the results of the first seven months of this year, the best performance indicators belong to the Slobozhanskyi, Central, Poliskyi, and Capital Forest Offices. The Northern Forest Office has already fulfilled 109% of its Q3 plan. In total, maintenance has been carried out on an area of more than 75,000 hectares.
Maintenance operations create conditions for the development of forest crops and ensure the timely conversion of plots into forest-covered areas.
The scope, duration, and timing of maintenance depend on the type of forest site conditions, the methods used to establish forest crops, and weather and climate factors.
This summer, in the northern and central regions, heavy rainfall has been observed — work is being carried out to remove grass and shrub vegetation that hinders the growth and development of forest crops.
In the south and east, where rainfall has been less, soil loosening around forest crops is being performed to retain moisture for the root systems.
Maintenance is carried out both manually and mechanically. This year, 90% of the work is being performed by mechanized methods.
Advantages of mechanized maintenance:
✔️ Soil cultivation equipment does not damage young trees, which increases productivity and efficiency. Timely maintenance of forest crops also contributes to better survival rates.
✔️ The speed of land treatment increases fivefold.
✔️ Mechanized maintenance requires fewer resources.
The share of mechanized maintenance has grown thanks to the continuous renewal of machinery. Cultivators and disc harrows are actively used for soil cultivation. Corridor clearers, mulchers, brush cutters, and tractors are used to remove unwanted vegetation from interrows.
This year, the company’s investment plan includes the purchase of 156 units of soil cultivation machinery for forest crop maintenance.
The Sloviansk, Lyman, and Velykoanadol forestry and hunting enterprises are completing the process of officially transitioning to SE “Forests of Ukraine.” They will be merged into the Donetsk Forestry District under the “Eastern Forestry Office” branch.
What circumstances led to this?
Russian aggression in Donbas has lasted for over 11 years. With the full-scale invasion, the situation has worsened dramatically. On newly occupied territories, the invaders have been conducting mass logging and exporting timber abroad by rail and sea.
In total, 133,000 hectares of forest in Donetsk region have been affected by the war, of which 87,400 hectares are under temporary occupation.
The greatest problem for local foresters is landmines. Around 50,800 hectares are potentially contaminated with explosive devices — practically the entire territory of the Lyman and Sloviansk forestries. Most of the Velykoanadol forestry (20,500 hectares) is occupied. Thanks to the efforts of State Emergency Service (SES) demining units and local authorities, 1,700 hectares have already been cleared. As a result, last year the Sloviansk forestry carried out forest maintenance cuts, selling over 18,000 m³ of firewood and a small share of sawlogs for the social sector and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
However, large mined areas and constant shelling make it impossible for foresters to effectively fight forest fires. Last year alone, more than 4,500 hectares of forest burned in the Lyman forestry. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the total area of forest fires across these forestries has exceeded 10,000 hectares. The exact number is currently impossible to calculate.
Firefighting is further complicated by the lack of equipment and infrastructure. During the 2022 occupation, the Lyman forestry completely lost its firefighting equipment — stolen by Russian forces. The occupiers also destroyed video surveillance towers, monitoring posts, and the early forest fire detection system.
The timber processing workshop, forest nursery, and seed selection center were partially destroyed. All facilities belonging to the seed selection center were completely ruined. Nearly all forestry buildings were demolished.
Proximity to the frontline has also caused a staff shortage. Currently, all three forestries together employ about 70 workers (mostly from Sloviansk). Those who live nearby store the remaining machinery in their own yards: 10 tractors, 3 forest fire modules, and 4 fire trucks. Dozens of other foresters and their families have evacuated to safer regions.
What will the newly integrated forestries receive?
Enhanced demining efforts in cooperation with local authorities, SES, and potential investors.
Delivery of necessary firefighting equipment.
Preparation for the autumn reforestation campaign — assistance with seedlings, restoration of forests in demined areas, and care for preserved plantations.
Stronger control measures to reduce risks of illegal logging and abuses.
Why does SE “Forests of Ukraine” take this step?
We are taking responsibility for a troubled asset that requires significant investment. But we are doing this deliberately — to preserve and restore forests in the eastern territories and to provide decent working conditions for local foresters.
Earlier this year, three frontline forestry enterprises in Kharkiv region were merged into the “Slobozhansky Forestry Office” branch, forming the Izium Forestry District. As a result, thanks to the company’s firefighting equipment and timely response, the area of forest fires decreased sixfold.
The Security Department staff patrol checkpoints, inspecting all timber trucks leaving the Izium Forestry District. This has effectively stopped the flow of illegal timber from frontline areas of Kharkiv region along major roads.
Meanwhile, the procedure of merging two Kherson forestries into the “Southern Forestry Office” branch is also nearing completion.