Some forestry experts say the war’s destruction could lead to a major overhaul of how Ukraine manages its forests.
In addition to its horrific human toll, the war in Ukraine has inflicted widespread damage on the nation’s forests. Bombs and missiles have sparked thousands of fires, and “artillery breaks trees in half—it basically mows the forest,” says Brian Milakovsky, a U.S.-born forest ecologist who lived in eastern Ukraine before fleeing the country.
Even before the current war, Ukraine’s forests were considered some of the world’s most damaged. The expansion of agriculture in this major food exporter had vastly reduced forest cover;. In many of the forests that remained, open stands of fire-adapted Scots pine had been replaced by crowded, more fire-prone plantations. The dense stands were encouraged by Soviet-era policies that aimed to “pack as much wood as you can on every hectare,” Milakovsky says. But if “fire gets in, it just is death.
Researchers say the war damage presents an opportunity for a long overdue policy shift. The blazes and military activities are breaking up some plantations, for example, opening the door to creating more diverse mosaics of forest types, managed for a mix of restoration and logging, Milakovsky said. That will require political will but could result in more resilient woodlands.
Zibtsev is planning to soon convene Ukrainian forest scientists—many of whom have relocated to other nations—to discuss how to advance these and other reforms and improve collaboration. Once the conflict ends, he and Milakovsky also hope to resume work the two began before the war with local foresters around the city of Kreminna—now one of the hottest combat zones. The local partners agreed to test alternative management methods, such as allowing low-value areas to naturally regenerate.
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