The storm, accompanied by strong gusts of wind, which recently swept across northern Ukraine, has damaged forest areas covering more than 400 hectares. Forestry officials are carrying out surveys and planning restoration measures. The storm is being described as comparable to a forest fire, which likewise destroys the results of decades of work in a matter of hours.
This information was revealed in a post on the Facebook page of the state-owned enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’.
The largest areas of damage
In the Volyn region, the storm caused the most damage to the Manevychi Forest District. There, stands covering an area of around 150 hectares have been destroyed. A further 36 hectares of forest were affected in the Kivertsi Forest District. Other forest managers are continuing to assess the extent of the windthrow damage.
Source: SE "Forests of Ukraine"
Sosnivske Forestry District in Rivne region holds the unfortunate lead in damage from the storm. The area of affected forests there is preliminarily estimated at 170 ha. Klesivske Forestry District has 70 ha damaged, Vysotske – 22 ha, and Rafalivske has reported localized forest losses.
Pines proved to be the least resistant to the elements. Foresters emphasize that this tree species is also extremely sensitive to high temperatures and prolonged drought.
Source: SE "Forests of Ukraine"
Destructive force
"Windthrow is a natural disaster capable of causing large-scale losses in a short period, similar to forest fires. In an hour of severe weather, decades of work can be lost," noted in "Forests of Ukraine".
Last year, hurricane winds also caused significant damage to Ukrainian forests. More than 3,000 ha of forested areas were affected by adverse weather. Foresters added that the damaged plots were cleared and restored, but such work was carried out only where permitted by law. EcoPolitic previously reported that due to hostilities, compounded by drought, forests in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone are actively burning. As of June 29, the radiation background remained within normal limits.
