Ukrainian foresters are активно preparing for the transition to close-to-nature forestry

Over the next four years, Ukraine plans to establish 36 new marteloscope plots to train specialists in close-to-nature forestry methods. This was announced by Head of the State Forest Resources Agency, Viktor Smal.

«A marteloscope is a specialized methodology designed to train professionals in close-to-nature forestry practices. Demonstration plots are established in stands of the main forest-forming species across different forest types. In essence, these are training sites with numbered, measured, and mapped trees, allowing foresters to predict the outcomes of management decisions when designating areas for transformation fellings», - the Head of the State Forest Resources Agency explained.

He added that a network of marteloscopes is already operating in Ukraine. The National Forestry University of Ukraine has established 7 marteloscope plots – 6 in Lviv region and 1 in Ivano-Frankivsk region. In addition, the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine has set up 12 marteloscope plots across various forest types.

«Thanks to this network, last year 256 employees of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’ gained practical skills as part of a large-scale training initiative on close-to-nature forestry launched by the State Forest Resources Agency. This year, before the start of forest inventory fieldwork in the mountainous forests of the Carpathian region, 70 employees of the Ukrainian State Forest Inventory Enterprise (‘Ukrderzhlisproekt’) will undergo collective training, as they will be responsible for designing measures to implement close-to-nature forestry principles. Part of this training will also take place on marteloscope plots», - Viktor Smal noted.

According to him, as part of an international applied research project launched last year with the support of the Swiss foundation Velux Stiftung, an additional 36 marteloscope plots are planned to be established by 2029 in Polissia and the Carpathian region. The project is coordinated by the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH-HAFL, Switzerland), with Ukrainian partners including the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, the National Forestry University of Ukraine, and Polissia National University.

«We are not just providing training – we are helping foresters change their mindset in order to move from outdated management practices to close-to-nature forestry», - Viktor Smal concluded.