Viktor Smal: We Are Confidently Moving Toward the Implementation of Close-to-Nature Forestry

Forestry workers from the Carpathian branch of the state-owned enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" are undergoing training in a program on close-to-nature forestry, according to Viktor Smal, the head of the State Forest Resources Agency.

"In 2027, all forestry enterprises will completely abandon clear-cutting for final harvesting in the Carpathian region. Today, we are one step closer to implementing close-to-nature forestry: most foresters from the Carpathian branch of the state-owned enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" have mastered a specially developed training program and successfully passed the exams," said the head of the State Forest Resources Agency.

The state-owned enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" noted that the training is being conducted by Ukrainian scientist Professor Hryhorii Krynytskyi, who has studied transformation cuts for many years, as well as by Vasyl Lavnyi, Vice-Rector for Scientific Work at the National Forestry University, and his colleagues.

"During the training, the foresters learned how to correctly designate transformation cuts of stands, select trees for felling, and transform even-aged stands into mixed stands," explained Viktor Smal.

He added that the training is only part of a larger effort to transition to close-to-nature forestry.

"In parallel with staff training, we have established marteloscope plots for various main forest-forming species to train forest inventory specialists and other experts on the correct designation and selection of trees for transformation cuts," the head of the State Forest Resources Agency noted.

According to him, an important direction is the development of amendments to regulatory acts in the field of forest inventory. In the near future, it is necessary to approve an order on forest types in the Carpathian region, as well as on the target stands for each of the forest types found in the Carpathians.

The final stage will be the introduction of changes to forest inventory materials for the transition to selective and gradual final harvesting, as well as transformation cuts.

"This is the path that will lead us to a complete abandonment of clear-cutting and a transition to selective harvesting technologies. We are confidently moving along it," Viktor Smal concluded.