The climate is changing and these changes are already visible in Ukraine as well. For Zakarpattia, these changes are manifested not so much by an increase in average annual temperatures, but by extreme weather events: heavy downpours and sudden floods, as well as long droughts. Forests play not the least role in this, because half of the area of the region is covered by forests, which, among other things, also perform a water regulation role.
During 2019-2021, the NGO “Ekosphera” actively worked on the topics of studying forest ecosystems and forest conservation. This allowed us to single out the main problems in forestry in the region, related to systemic offenses in the forest sector, in particular, the violation of logging technologies and the practice of creating a network of trawls in the mountains, which have a very negative climatic impact and increase the dehydration of the Carpathians, prolonged droughts and small water content in rivers is one of the causes of sudden and catastrophic floods in the region.
In neighboring Slovakia and the Czech Republic, there is practical experience of water retention in forests through the reclamation of trawling, which we aim to implement in the Ukrainian part of the Carpathians. For this purpose, we are planning to create a joint film of 10-15 minutes about this problem and ways to solve it with the Slovak NGO “Voda pre klímu”.
We want to show that the offenses in the forests are not insignificant, because nothing materially was stolen from the forest (as it is interpreted today by the Law and, accordingly, by law enforcement agencies https://goloskarpat.info/society/61043c3aa3532/?fbclid=IwAR1u8aCOEJsyG_yRIcoaInqRerFw6DV-cgYzLM1c3rNGYqVWi4TVAfORg5k, https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-presshall/3276771-nezakonni-rubki-pravovij-vimir-problemi-ta-stan-pravozastosuvanna.html ), and that these offenses lead to deep and irreversible consequences for the entire ecosystem of the Carpathians, which affect forests (dehydration weakens the stability of forest ecosystems and reduces their productivity), and rivers, and the climate.
The importance of adaptation to climate change in Ukraine takes on special significance in the context of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, as Article 365 states that cooperation between the parties covers the development and implementation of climate change policies. Forests are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change, yet they are good allies in climate stabilization due to their ability to fix carbon dioxide and hold water. Thus, climate change negatively affects forests, and forests can prevent or slow down the process of climate change. Today, the process of developing Ukraine’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the period up to 2030 began in the country. I would like to see the measures for adaptation of forestry to climate change presented fully and professionally. In the future, sectoral plans for adaptation to climate change will be developed, particularly in forestry. Therefore, the discussion that will be initiated by our proposed film will be appropriate for the development of such important strategic documents.
Territory of activity: Zakarpattia region of Ukraine.
Objective: attract the international attention of specialists and politicians and start a constructive discussion about the consequences of violation of logging technologies in the Carpathians and their connection with climate changes – unusual droughts and floods in the region, through the creation and distribution of a short film (10-15 min.) together with specialists of the Slovak environmental protection organization “Voda pre klímu”.
Target audience of the project: a wide range of viewers, with an emphasis on the expert environment, government officials, politicians, scientists, foresters, watermen, climatologists, representatives of public nature protection and climate organizations.
Short-term results:
- A joint Ukrainian-Slovak bilingual film (also a Ukrainian-English version) was created about the problem of violation of logging technology in the Carpathians and trawling in the forests on the region’s water level and climate changes – droughts and sudden floods.
- The film will be watched by 10,000 to 30,000 people through social networks and YouTube in Ukraine. The viewing will be twice as large if the film is broadcast on television.
Long-term results:
- A professional discussion was started on the impact of modern logging practices in the Carpathians on the climate of the Carpathian region, on the flood situation and water level in the Carpathians, as well as the impact of the drought period on the quality of forests and their resistance to external influences – diseases, pests, natural disasters, climate changes. As well as a discussion about changing management approaches in mountain forests as a component of adaptation to climate change in forestry. The discussion can take place both in academic circles and in administrative circles (ministries and their territorial bodies in the Carpathian regions of Ukraine).
- In the development of the started discussion, we expect the adoption of changes to the by-laws that regulate the rules of logging in mountain forests. As well as the inclusion of relevant items in the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of Ukraine for the period up to 2030 and the Forestry Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
Partners: NGO «Voda pre klímu»
