Sustainable Forestry and Forest Sector Development in the EU: Ukrainian Experts Adopt German Experience

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate challenges, and the transition to close-to-nature forestry: Members of the delegation from the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, which included representatives of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine (SFRA), discussed current forest sector issues with deputies from the relevant committees of the Bundestag (German Parliament).

"Ukraine is taking steps towards cooperation with European partners in the field of close-to-nature forestry, as well as in solving common problems: overcoming the effects of climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We are grateful to Germany for the support on this path, as well as for consultations and financial assistance in implementing advanced forest management practices," said Volodymyr Buchko, First Deputy Head of the SFRA.

In particular, Ukrainian and German experts discussed plans for the restoration of forests affected by Russian military aggression, as well as the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU standards and the need for a balance between economic development and Ukraine's environmental obligations.

"We are studying Germany's experience in the areas of biodiversity conservation, the development of sustainable forest management, and forest restoration. For their part, our German colleagues are interested in Ukraine's experience regarding forest ownership rights, the use of biomass as fuel, and supplying the population with wood during the war," noted Ihor Budzinskyi, Head of the Forestry and Forest Restoration Department.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Oleh Bondarenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, thanked the Bundestag deputies for their support and proposals for future cooperation.

As a reminder, an official visit of the delegation from the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management to Germany, which included SFRA representatives, took place in September.

The main topics of the working meetings were sustainable development of the forest sector, the transition to close-to-nature forestry, preparation for the implementation of the European regulation EUDR (European Union Deforestation Regulation), as well as European experience in environmental policy, environmental protection, and biodiversity conservation.

The Ukrainian delegation consisted of Members of Parliament, representatives of the relevant Ministry, the SFRA, scientists, and employees of the Production Association "Ukrcerproekt," the Western Interregional Department of Forestry and Hunting, and the Lviv State Forest Inventory Expedition.

Ukrainian experts held meetings with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and the relevant Bundestag committees.

German colleagues discussed aspects of national forest policy: the forest strategy, protection and promotion of forests, work on climate challenges, and the German experience of sustainable forest management, as well as fire prevention systems and national forest inventory. One of the important topics was the damage inflicted on Ukrainian forests by Russian military aggression.

For his part, Eckhard Heuer, Minister of Forest and Hunting Policy, Sustainable Development at the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, assured of continued support for Ukraine's forest sector, especially during the difficult time of the full-scale war, and reminded that Germany has been supporting the development of forestry in our country for over 20 years.

"We are grateful to the Federal Republic of Germany for the opportunity to adopt experience in the field of forestry. Ukraine highly values the political and expert support of European partners, particularly Germany. Despite the challenges associated with the Russian invasion, we continue to move forward and work on developing the forest sector and expanding forest areas," emphasized Oleh Bondarenko, head of the Ukrainian delegation, Member of Parliament, and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management.