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Traditionally, on the eve of the holiday, the best representatives of the industry — those who restore, care for, and protect Ukrainian forests — were honored.
This year, the award ceremony took place at the picturesque site of the Training Center of SFE Forests of Ukraine in Boyarka. With welcoming speeches, the leadership of the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine and SFE Forests of Ukraine, the head of the Ukrainian Foresters’ Society, and representatives of specialized research institutions addressed the guests.
Employees of the company’s structural units from all over Ukraine received letters of gratitude, badges of honor, and certificates from the State Agency of Forest Resources and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The enterprise truly has much to be proud of!
Last year, devastating fires swept through forestry enterprises in Kharkiv region — now brought under control after being integrated into SFE Forests of Ukraine, with the burned area reduced by 5–7 times.
The Presidential program “Green Country” has been fulfilled. Record-breaking economic achievements have been reached: in just eight months, the enterprise transferred nearly 10 billion UAH in taxes to the state budget.
SFE Forests of Ukraine continues to grow, investing in the renewal of forestry equipment and infrastructure, road construction, development of recreation networks, modern seed centers, and mechanization of harvesting. Administrative staff and costs have been reduced, while salaries for field workers in the forests have been significantly increased.
The celebration was also joined by our true friends and partners — the military: commanders of our patronage brigades and forester-soldiers.
Colonel Yaroslav Lysenko, commander of the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade, expressed gratitude and congratulations. Recently, the brigade received five cargo semi-trailers from our enterprise for transporting armored vehicles.
And once again, the holiday did not pass without providing assistance to the military.
Together with the Union of Forester-Warriors of Ukraine, SFE Forests of Ukraine handed over a large mobile bath-and-laundry complex to the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade under our patronage.
A certificate for a workshop (professional equipment and tools) for producing ground drones was presented to Junior Sergeant Yurii Kravchenko, commander of the unmanned ground systems unit of the 49th Separate Rifle Battalion “Carpathian Sich”.
Mobilized forester Volodymyr Holovaniuk, company commander of the 35th Separate Marine Brigade, received several dozen FPV drones and generators.
The head of the Union of Forester-Warriors of Ukraine, Volodymyr Kovalchuk, emphasized that in two years of the organization’s activity, equipment and machinery worth almost 90 million UAH has been transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This became possible thanks to the support of the leadership and staff of SFE Forests of Ukraine.
The event also welcomed the youth movement of school forestry units, who recently launched the TikTok channel Forest Kids. Social networks have become not only entertainment but also a powerful educational tool. Teenagers are showing genuine interest in school forestry activities, joining initiatives, actively discussing videos, and even proposing their own ideas. They represent the future generation of Ukrainian foresters.
This is the result of systematic prevention measures and the prompt work of SFE Forests of Ukraine employees.
As of September 15, 2025, a total of 66 fires covering 36.7 hectares were recorded in the forest fund of Volyn and Rivne regions. Thanks to the efficiency of foresters, the fires did not turn into large-scale disasters, preventing losses hundreds of times greater.
The most frequent outbreaks this year occurred in Klesivske (18 fires) and Kivertsivske(16 fires) Management Units, Rafalivske, Kovel, Sarny, and Vysotsk Management units also faced challenges. However, in most cases, the fires were contained at the very start, preventing their spread.
A serious threat comes from fires caused by falling drone debris after enemy attacks. During the latest strikes alone, 8 such cases were recorded.
Even under these difficult conditions, SFE Forests of Ukraine staff acted swiftly and professionally. Since the beginning of the year, foresters of Volyn and Rivne regions have carried out 175 fire response operations in ecosystems. This is daily work that requires readiness both day and night. And the results are clear — the forests remain protected.
The numbers speak for themselves: thanks to monitoring, prevention, and rapid response, SFE Forests of Ukraine manages to save hundreds of hectares of forest.
Yurii Ivanovych immediately adds: “My friends, acquaintances, and relatives often tell me: you are lucky — your enterprise really takes care of people. If only it were like that everywhere.”
Yurii Ivanovych began his career back in 1966 in the construction brigade of the then Kivertsi forestry. Later, he became head of the production unit of the lower yard and chaired the trade union. He recalls that forestry enterprises were always close to the people — looking for ways to help when salaries were delayed for months.
“Food, clothes, household goods — we tried to find and provide everything through the trade union so that workers wouldn’t leave their jobs,” he remembers.
Yurii Ivanovych also has a strong family. His son Andrii, a lecturer at Lviv Polytechnic, is now serving in the military. His daughter Nataliia lives in Kyiv and is raising two sons.
Today, being retired, Yurii Ivanovych still feels the same support from the enterprise. In his Kivertsi district forestry alone, 180 retirees and another 20 current and former mobilized workers have already received assistance for purchasing firewood, totaling 1.5 million UAH — the highest figure in Volyn. At least 70 more applications are expected by the end of the year. All this is provided for in the Collective Agreement, along with other types of individual assistance.
“Even now, when I meet friends or neighbors, they all say: you are lucky, because your enterprise continues to help. When trouble comes, there’s someone to turn to. If it were like this everywhere, such a small pension wouldn’t feel so unbearable,” he shares.
Background: In Volyn and Rivne regions, families of employees and former employees of SFE Forests of Ukraine have already received a total of 13.53 million UAH in compensation for firewood. This support has been granted to 1,804 families, with each receiving 7,500 UAH once a year.
This week, the Pivnichnyi Forest Office branch set a record among the divisions of SFE Forests of Ukraine — 1,105 cubic meters of timber were delivered to meet the needs of the Ministry of Defense and other military units.
That’s approximately 18 railway cars.
In total, 2,215 cubic meters of timber have already been supplied in September, and by the end of the year, we plan to deliver at least 27.6 thousand cubic meters more. And this number will continue to grow, as the military regularly request assistance.
Most of the deliveries consist of Scots pine — about 95% of the total volume. This timber is dense, strong, and at the same time lightweight. In addition, oak, maple, ash, and linden are also supplied.
The timber is provided free of charge. The military unit determines the required volume, coordinates it with the Regional Military Administration, after which the enterprise promptly ships the material.
Next week, the main timber auctions with delivery in the fourth quarter will conclude. The volume of resources put up for auction by SFE “Forests of Ukraine,” compared to last year, has practically not changed (taking into account the products sold earlier in summer at six-month forward auctions). Starting prices at the auctions were lower than actual sales prices; nevertheless, demand once again pushed prices upward. A detailed analysis will be published later, but preliminary data shows that prices have risen on average by more than 50%.
This situation, of course, raises concerns among businesses.
SFE “Forests of Ukraine” is equally interested in maintaining the stable operation of the woodworking industry and ensuring a balance between supply and demand. Therefore, we are always open to dialogue with businesses.
Following the latest sectoral meeting organized by the Federation of Trade Unions together with a group of MPs, a number of proposals were voiced on social media. And although most of these issues are not directly within the competence of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” but rather of commodity exchanges or government authorities, we join in their public discussion.
1.Cancellation of the single clearing account for guarantee deposits
Traditionally, auction participants would select the lots they intended to bid on before the start of trading and, accordingly, made guarantee deposits. In 2025, following business proposals, commodity exchanges introduced a single clearing account. This allowed participants not to tie up large amounts of working capital (limited only to the lots for which bids were submitted), enabled competition for a greater number of lots, and strengthened competition overall. On the other hand, risks of unscrupulous actions appeared. The issue of introducing or canceling the single account is not within SFE “Forests of Ukraine’s” competence; however, our position is that timber auctions should not become a platform for speculation and unfair competition.
2.Introduction of a tiered system for guarantee deposits
Our position is that the market must operate under uniform rules for all—small, medium, and large businesses. These rules should not limit competition in some segments while intensifying it in others.
3.Introduction of an effective mechanism for bank guarantees
Auction participants pay guarantee deposits not to the account of SFE “Forests of Ukraine”; until contracts are signed, the funds remain in the account of the Unified Clearing Depository (UCD). But we support innovations that reduce the burden on businesses while preserving control tools and ensuring responsibility.
4.Strengthening the penalty system for unscrupulous participants
This issue has been discussed for a long time. We believe that businesses and auction organizers must find a balanced solution that does not harm companies affected by war-related challenges (such as mobilization of workers) but at the same time increases accountability for dishonest participants.
5.Transparency and publicity of auction participants
SFE “Forests of Ukraine” procures goods and services via the Prozorro platform, so our contracts and contractors are public. We also support transparency in timber sales, but this requires an appropriate regulatory framework.
6.A more tailored and responsible approach to lot formation
SFE “Forests of Ukraine” forms lots according to recommendations from the State Forest Agency, which are the result of consultations with businesses. Lot formation reflects the business landscape of the region—for example, in Zakarpattia, where small businesses dominate, 90% of lots are formed with a volume not exceeding 100 m³. On a monthly delivery basis, this volume averages about 30 m³. SFE “Forests of Ukraine” is open to dialogue with businesses regarding changes in lot formation if there are objective reasons for it.
7.Publication of the starting price formation methodology
We will not comment for other forest users, but the methodology of SFE “Forests of Ukraine,” developed in consultation with businesses, has been repeatedly made public. Prices for quarterly auction trades and semiannual forward contracts are based on the actual selling prices of the previous two quarters (for which deliveries took place) and the starting prices of the current quarter’s auctions. At the fourth-quarter auctions, starting prices were significantly lower than current selling prices. SFE “Forests of Ukraine” is open to receiving and considering proposals regarding the formation of starting prices.
8.Accountability of regional managers of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” for ensuring declared timber volumes on the market
The effectiveness of a regional manager’s work is primarily reflected in the percentage of contract fulfillment. Currently, for forward contracts, this exceeds 100% (ahead of schedule), and for third-quarter contracts, by the end of the month, it will exceed 90% (not 100% because some buyers refuse or fail to pay on time, losing their right to the goods). Thus, regional branches faithfully harvest and deliver the contracted volumes. As for harvesting in general, permits are required to conduct it. This procedure, as is well known, depends on many factors, and the efficiency of a regional manager is only one of them—and often not the decisive one.
Debris from drones caused ignition points, which were quickly extinguished by the foresters of SFE “Forests of Ukraine.”
1.Radynske forestry, Ivankivske Forestry Management Unit (Kyiv Region)
The fire spread over 1.4 hectares of forest. Extinguishing efforts were complicated by the risk of secondary detonation at the drone crash site. Two fire trucks, two firefighting modules, a tractor with a plow, and 12 forest protection workers were involved. The new equipment purchased by the enterprise over the past two years proved very helpful. This was the second time in September that the Ivankivske Forest District suffered from the consequences of enemy attacks.
2.Davydkivske forestry, Ovrutske Forestry Management Unit(Zhytomyr Region)
The fire covered an area of over 0.5 hectares. Two fire trucks, two tractors with plows, and 10 foresters were involved in extinguishing it. The blaze broke out a few hours after the drone crash. In September, this district had already recorded several fires caused by hostilities.
Foresters emphasize: do not touch weapon debris and do not attempt to extinguish fires on your own. It is vital to immediately notify the relevant services.
New equipment and the high level of preparedness of foresters make it possible to swiftly contain fires, helping to save forests and minimize the damage from attacks.
The identification, assessment, and conservation of representative areas of indigenous ecosystems (RAIE) are an integral part of the FSC standard for Ukraine.
As of August 1, 2025, under voluntary commitments, forestry enterprises or their structural divisions (management units) ensure compliance with FSC forest certification requirements across 4.726 million hectares, 96% of which are managed by subdivisions of SFE “Forests of Ukraine,” according to UkrNDILGA.
Ukrainian forestry legislation lacks provisions for the identification, assessment, and development of measures to conserve RAIE and/or restore them to a more natural state. Management units face a shortage of regulatory, methodological, and scientific tools to meet these requirements. An analysis of public certification reports from 2020–2024 audits revealed that the largest number of non-conformities related to Criterion 6.5, which is associated with RAIE (151 cases, or 10.1%).
This persistent trend points to systemic challenges in management and production activities when implementing FSC standards in Ukraine. To address these issues, SFE “Forests of Ukraine” initiated the study “Development of a Methodology for the Identification, Assessment, and Conservation of Representative Areas of Indigenous Ecosystems in Accordance with International Forest Management Standards for Ukraine,” involving scientists from UkrNDILGA.
To ensure the practicality of the RAIE methodology and incorporate existing experience, a project presentation was held from August 27 to September 4 with the support of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” for responsible staff at the branches of the Stolychnyi, Poliskyi, Tsentralnyi, and Podilskyi Forest Offices. For the Karpatskyi and Slobozhanskyi Forest Offices, the presentation was held online on August 29.
During the presentation, participants learned about approaches to defining the classification unit of “indigenous ecosystem”; practical aspects of using the best available information; and methods for identifying, assessing, and prescribing conservation measures for RAIE. A step-by-step action plan, field survey forms, documentation descriptions, and logical-structural schemes were developed.
The event format encouraged practical feedback and comments on ensuring proportional representation of indigenous ecosystems during RAIE identification. Special attention was given to updating forest inventory materials, permissible cases for revising RAIE lists, and refining measures for restoring sites to a more natural state.
Opening the hearings on the RAIE methodology project, Halyna Domashovets, Head of the Forest Certification Sector at SFE “Forests of Ukraine,” emphasized that forest certification remains the “philosophy” of forest management within the enterprise. It fosters awareness of the uniqueness of RAIE, which serve as natural laboratories for observing ecological processes, mechanisms of self-regulation, conservation of rare species, and maintenance of biodiversity.
In her view, the presentation and discussion of the methodology allow the incorporation of practical aspects of working with RAIE and make it an effective tool of forestry aligned with FSC standards in Ukraine.
Pavlo Kravets, Leading Researcher at the Department of Forest Inventory, Monitoring, Certification, and Forest Management of UkrNDILGA, stressed that the developed methodology is based on extensive practical experience of certificate holders and incorporates earlier work on manuals, FSC certification guidelines, and related webinars, seminars, and trainings.
Despite the legal definition of a forest as an ecosystem, its structural-spatial characteristics in legislation and methodology focus primarily on a single element — the stand — and on evaluating parameters relevant to forest management goals. The functional relationships between forest elements that form ecosystems remain a problematic issue. To identify RAIE, the biotope was proposed as a universal classification unit.
Establishing correspondence between forest biotopes and forest types facilitates the identification of forest ecosystem biotopes. Ultimately, integrating biotope classification into forestry will help meet the requirements of numerous international agreements and conventions, particularly those concerning the conservation of flora, fauna, and natural habitats in Europe. The appendix presented in the draft methodology, which aligns forest types across Ukraine’s natural zones with biotopes, received positive feedback from forestry professionals. They highly appreciated the potential of using forest typology and inventory materials for RAIE identification.
The document sets out a detailed sequence for identifying, assessing, and prescribing conservation measures for RAIE: a preliminary office-based stage, a field stage, and a final stage. Each stage delivers specific outcomes, culminating in the formation of the final RAIE list. The preliminary stage involves analyzing readily available information such as forest inventory materials, taxonomic descriptions, the National Biotope Catalog, and scientific publications. The field stage requires examining pre-selected sites, with the aid of proposed survey forms and photo documentation guidelines, which were well received by certification staff. The final stage serves as a conclusive verification of the RAIE list’s compliance with FSC standards for Ukraine.
The assessment section of the methodology focuses on gathering information about RAIE conditions and determining the nature of conservation measures to support or enhance their functions toward a more natural state. It includes an analysis of potential threats and negative impacts at all stages of RAIE designation. Based on this, conservation measures are proposed: passive protection for well-preserved RAIE, and active protection for sites requiring restoration. The list of acceptable and unacceptable measures under active protection sparked lively discussion due to the lack of legal support for the concept of “ecosystem indigeneity” and challenges in practical implementation.
The presentation and discussion of the methodology project demonstrated high engagement from specialists, their willingness to share experience, and their readiness to provide suggestions for improvement. Certification staff committed to submitting written feedback and proposals to be considered in preparing the final version of the methodology.
These meetings confirmed the potential for effective collaboration between science and practice in addressing complex forestry issues, moving Ukrainian forestry closer to international FSC certification requirements.
Over the past 15 years, timber harvesting volumes in Transcarpathia have almost halved — from 1.4 million m³ to 750,000 m³.
This trend began long before the establishment of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” — over the past three years, timber harvesting has remained almost at the same level. The sharp decline occurred in 2017–2020!
Against the backdrop of rising demand for timber, wood processors are asking: why is this happening, who is to blame, and is it possible to increase harvesting?
Let us analyze the situation and outline only some of the factors that have influenced forestry in Transcarpathia.
1.Since 2010, the area of the natural reserve fund in the Transcarpathian region within the Carpathian branch of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” has increased from 48.1 thousand ha to 74.6 thousand ha. Only 46% of Transcarpathian forests are designated for commercial use. 13% are part of the natural reserve fund, 14.5% are for recreational purposes, and the rest are subject to restricted forest use.
2.In 2019–2020, 16.5 thousand ha of forest plots were designated as primeval, quasi-primeval, or natural forests. All types of logging are prohibited in these areas, and protective zones at least twice the height of the primeval forest stand were established.
3.In 2019, a law was adopted banning clear-cutting in mountain fir-beech forests of the Carpathian region located above 1,100 meters above sea level.
4.According to the Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment” (EIA), adopted in 2017, to conduct clear sanitary or gradual logging on areas larger than 1 ha, it is necessary to obtain an environmental impact assessment conclusion. This process takes 3–6 months and costs on average UAH 350,000–450,000.
5.In 2020, Resolution No. 1224 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine amended the rules of final felling in the mountain forests of the Carpathians: narrow-strip felling may only be conducted in pure spruce stands.
As a result, today foresters operate in a completely different legal framework, and logging is significantly restricted.
Unfortunately, given current trends, the timber harvesting situation risks further deterioration!
The issue is that in most forestry enterprises of Transcarpathia, the validity of baseline forest inventory materials will expire in 2026–2027. Despite ongoing efforts by foresters, the approval of new materials constantly faces obstacles — each new change in legislation requires additional revisions and repeated approval procedures. The creation or modification of protected areas also forces Ukrderzhlisproekt to revise forest inventory materials again!
It is worth noting that starting in 2027, a ban on clear-cutting for final felling in the mountain forests of the Carpathian region will come into force, which will undoubtedly impact harvesting volumes.
The resource is objectively limited, but access to it for businesses today is maximally transparent and open. On average, over 10,000 lots are put up for the main quarterly timber auctions in Transcarpathia by SFE “Forests of Ukraine”. More than 90% of them are up to 20 m³, meaning that regardless of the size of the company, everyone has equal opportunities to compete for resources.
Buyers are guaranteed to receive the contracted volumes. In some Transcarpathian forestry enterprises, the rate of contract fulfillment for timber supply reaches 98–100%. Issues are being addressed in those forestries where contractors (due to mobilization of workers and other factors) cause a certain percentage of under-deliveries.
Is there potential to increase timber supply?
Yes, but the issue cannot be solved with populist statements. A stable regulatory framework is needed — clear rules for decades to come. Enormous investments are required for the development of forest road networks and modern environmentally friendly timber harvesting equipment. In other words, a large-scale systemic effort is necessary, based on constructive dialogue between the state, environmentalists, businesses, and foresters. SFE “Forests of Ukraine” is ready for such work.
The event was arranged to showcase how the company’s operations have changed over three years of reform.
Journalists witnessed the introduction of transparent control mechanisms at every stage of work, including:
The process of timber loading and its photo documentation carried out by employees of the Smila Timber Industrial Complex of the Chyhyrynske Forestry Management Unit, Branch «Tsentralnyi Forest Office».
The work of independent forest inventory teams and the use of modern electronic tools at a site of the Volodymyrivske Forestry Subunit, designated for selective sanitary felling.
Media representatives highlighted the openness and transparency of the processes and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to see the real results. The first publications have already appeared, confirming that the reform is working and delivering tangible outcomes.
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Such initiatives are an important step toward establishing continuous dialogue between the forestry sector and society. Openness and transparent communication are the foundation of trust in our common cause.
At the branch “Forest Training Center,” the forum “Occupational Safety in the Forestry Sector” took place. The event brought together occupational safety engineers from the regional branches of SFE “Forests of Ukraine”, business trainers, psychologists, scientists, and military representatives.
Over the course of five days, 60 occupational safety engineers from the enterprise attended trainings, performed practical tasks, and exchanged experiences on the key challenges they face in their work.
✔️ Leadership
One of the most important skills for an occupational safety engineer is leadership. They must train staff in safe practices during logging operations, conduct briefings, and develop instructions. It is crucial not only to respond to risks but also to prevent them. Business trainers taught participants modern approaches to leadership, teamwork, and fostering initiative in the field of workplace safety. When an engineer does not simply “control” but actively engages employees in safety initiatives, a culture of safety is formed within the team, which reduces the number of injuries.
✔️ Risk Assessment in Production
Recently, alongside the traditional briefing procedure in forestry enterprises, risk assessment in the workplace has been introduced, as required by the international occupational health and safety standard ISO 45001. Such assessments are conducted by occupational safety engineers, who receive feedback from employees while modeling potential situations. Representatives of the Academy of Risk Management Systems helped the engineers enhance their skills in developing occupational risk maps by demonstrating best practices in their preparation.
✔️ Social Adaptation of Veterans
Currently, more than 530 demobilized soldiers are employed at SFE “Forests of Ukraine.” It is important to reintegrate them into peaceful life, adapt them to work processes, and establish effective communication. Leading psychologists provided practical training on communication with veterans and methods of effective interaction.
Upon completion of the forum, occupational safety engineers received certificates confirming their professional knowledge in occupational health and safety management systems in accordance with the international ISO 45001 standard.