Since 2002, Ecosphere has been researching the state of forest ecosystems in the Carpathians and is active in the field of Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Certification under the FSC scheme.
Transcarpathian region is the most wooded region in Ukraine. All the forests of the region are state-owned and distributed among the permanent users of the land plots of the forest fund, where: 81.9% are in permanent use of the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine; 1.4% – Uzhhorod Military Forestry (Ministry of Defense of Ukraine); 0.5% – Transcarpathian Forest Technical College (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine); 12.1% – sites and territories of the PFP (Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine); 4.1% – the land of the stock of local governments. Forests of state forestry, which are subordinated to Transcarpathian Regional Directorate of Forestry and Hunting (State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine), grow on the territory of 695.7 thousand hectares and have 207.5 million m3 of wood reserves. Most of the forests – up to 80%, grows in the mountain and foothills of the region, 61% of the area of this forest fund has a restricted mode of management: only care and sanitary felling are allowed here.
The main wooded tree species in the Carpathians are beech – 59%, fir (spruce) and abies – 32%, oak – 7.5%, other – ash, sycamore maple, elm, other species. The share of natural regeneration in forests during the period 2006-2018 increased from 30.5% to 62%, which is a positive trend, both in environmental and economic terms.
In the territory of Transcarpathia there are preserved virgin forests, which are today a natural heritage of world importance. Beech forests today are included in the World Heritage List. The main place of localization of Transcarpathian forests is the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve – 14.6 thousand hectares, and the National Park “Uzhansky” – 3 thousand hectares. During 2017-2019, another 16,000 hectares of forest monuments of nature – primeval forests were included in the PFP of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the Protection of Forests in accordance with the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians” and the ancient forests of Transcarpathia.
As of early 2020, 15 state forestry companies out of 19 are FSC certified. This allows the Ecosphere NGO’s experts, in addition to the legal mechanisms, to apply the FSC forest certification mechanism to address issues related to FSC compliance in forest management in certified forestry.
Projects implemented by Ecosphere NGO in the fields of sustainable forest management and forest certification under the FSC scheme:
| Financial support | REC-Kyiv (EU) |
| Project name | Conservation of the Carpathian forests – the lungs of Europe! |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, advocacy |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Total budget | 7 000 € |
| Funds raised from the donor | 5 000 € |
| Duration of the project | 12 months (2002) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| This project created a regional information network for local activists who reported on offenses and illegal logging in the Carpathian forests. Deforestation of the forest over the village of Lipovets of Khust district was stopped as a result of landslides and soil erosion resulting from this felling. Within the framework of the project a quarterly information magazine “Whisper of the Forest” was published. | |
| Financial support | UCAN / ISC (USA) |
| Project name | Save the Carpathians with community efforts! |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, advocacy |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Total budget | $ 60 000 |
| Funds raised from the donor | $ 52 000 |
| Duration of the project | 24 months (2003-2004) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| Campaigns were undertaken to represent the interests of local communities during conflicts between these communities and forestry enterprises, because the forestry activities carried out by these enterprises caused damage to the communities. Due to our activities, the forestry paid fines to the local budget, repaired rural roads, restored destroyed farmland with pastures, stopped deforestation in the wet season. Within the framework of the project, a public information quarter was published «Community». A reference book was also issued «Ukrainian Carpathian forests» and a number of videos. | |
| Financial support | DEZA – Swiss Bureau for International Cooperation in Ukraine |
| Project name | Establishment of cooperation between foresters, local people and non-governmental environmental organizations in the process of FSC certification of forests |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, FSC forest certification |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Total budget | $ 13 000 |
| Funds raised from the donor | $ 10 000 |
| Duration of the project | 12 months (2005-2006) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| Specialized joint training cycles were held for local communities, local NGOs and local forestry workers. During the training, participants are introduced to the principles and criteria of the forest management standard under the FSC scheme. Particular attention was paid to highlighting the role of local communities and NGOs in the process of forest certification under the FSC scheme. A directory was issued «FSC Forest Certification». | |
| Financial support | Tetra Pack Ukraine / WWF-DCP |
| Project name | Promotion of sustainable forest management principles in Ukraine |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, FSC forest certification |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Total budget | 20 000 € |
| Funds raised from the donor | 18 000 € |
| Duration of the project | 36 months (2008-2010) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| The activities were aimed at promoting sustainable forestry in general and promoting forest certification in particular in Ukraine by building the capacity of NGOs, foresters, foresters and communities. We did this through special training, publications and media work. As part of this activity, we have prepared and published special information illustrated brochures «FSC Certified Supply Chain Certification», «Certification of Forest Products: Why Are Markets Eco-Sensitive?», a guide for local activists and journalists «Sustainable forestry» and a popular science publication «Dead wood is a living forest». | |
| Financial support | NED (USA) |
| Project name | Public Participation and Good Governance in the Forestry of the Transcarpathian Region of Ukraine |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, public control |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Total budget | $ 45 000 |
| Funds raised from the donor | $ 38 000 |
| Duration of the project | 12 months (2019-2020) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| As a result of the project, the local public information network was restored. Public activists have the opportunity to publish documented facts of the forest disturbances in the Carpathian Forest Facebook group. Specialized seminars were held for community experts and activists on monitoring, documenting and combating corruption in the field of forest management. The mechanism of forest certification was used in the settlement of specific facts of inconsistency of forestry practices of FSC standard in certified forestry. Cooperation with the State Forest Agency of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense and the State Ecological Inspectorate of Ukraine in solving the problems of illegal logging and other forest disturbances in the forests that are in the field of the State Forest Agency and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has been established.
Within the framework of the project an analytical document on the general state of forestry in Transcarpathia was published and an illustrated guide «Forest advisor for those who walk the Carpathians» and a practical guide «How to Combat Forestry Offenses». Videos from the Ecosphere NGO have been posted on forestry practices in the Carpathians. |
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| Financial support | ENI cross-border cooperation program Romania – Ukraine |
| Project name | Promotion of deadwood for sustainable forests in the Romanian-Ukrainian cross-border region! (RESFOR) |
| Sphere | Environment, sustainable forest management, sustainability of forest ecosystems |
| Sphere of influence of the project | Transcarpathian region of Ukraine |
| Leader of the project | Dunai-Carpathian Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Romania), affiliate Maramuresh (Baia-Mare) |
| Partner organizations of the project | Ecosphere NGO, University of Suceava Stefan cel Mare (Suceava) and Scientific Research Institute «Ukrhirlis» (Ivano-Frankivsk) |
| Duration of the project | 18 months (2020-2021) |
| Short information about the project: | |
| The aim of the project is to provide the conditions for collaboration, innovation and research on the harmonized practice of responsible forestry in the management of dead trees. Achieve the importance of managing dead trees and demonstrate an innovative approach to improving forest resilience by implementing best practices for managing dead trees in productive forests at the project site. Ensure the advancement of research results on long-term productivity and sustainability of forest ecosystems to climate change regulations, lobby and create the preconditions for continued specific research. | |
