The State Forest Resources Agency's Forest Management Practices Receive International Recognition

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a respected international organization, has concluded that the management of most forests under the State Forest Resources Agency's control preserves biodiversity and benefits local communities and workers, while also ensuring the economic viability of the forestry industry. This was announced by Viktor Smal, the Head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine.

"FSC is a nonprofit organization with over 1,000 offices worldwide. It develops solutions to protect forests and address issues like deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity, and it uses the most rigorous system for forest certification across a range of indicators," explained theHead of the State Forest Resources Agency.

He added that the FSC trademarks can be seen on the labels of wood products. They are the most recognizable symbol of ethical consumption worldwide and are trusted by consumers.

"No one is obligated to go through this certification; it's a voluntary process. However, having an FSC certificate is the best confirmation of a commitment to responsible forest management. As of mid-August, FSC certification has been granted to 4.541 million hectares of forests under the State Forest Resources Agency's control. This accounts for 69% of the forests managed by the state-owned enterprise, 'Forests of Ukraine,' with a total of 88 of its branches holding these certificates," Viktor Smal noted.

According to him, FSC certification means that forest management meets three main criteria:

Environmentally Sound: It ensures that harvesting wood and other forest products doesn't threaten biodiversity or reduce the productivity and ecological functions of the forests.

Socially Responsible: It helps local residents, company workers, and society as a whole gain long-term benefits and encourages the preservation and management of forest resources based on long-term plans.

Economically Viable: It provides sufficient economic benefit without irreversible loss of forest resources, ecosystem quality, or harm to local communities.

"I want to assure you that despite the immense difficulties due to the full-scale invasion, our chosen path toward responsible forestry is irreversible. Therefore, the certification process will continue, and we will let the independent experts draw their own conclusions," Viktor Smal concluded.