Activists are sounding the alarm: SЕ "Forests of Ukraine" is destroying the reserve

Activists are sounding the alarm: SЕ "Forests of Ukraine" is destroying the reserve shutterstock
Hanna Velyka

The decree on its expansion since 2010 has not yet been fully implemented

Members of the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group (UNCG) discovered illegal logging in the Kaniv Nature Reserve, which was carried out by the Korsun-Shevchenkivsky Forestry Enterprise. According to the regime of this object, they are strictly prohibited here.

The activists published this information on the Group's Facebook page.

They said that the Korsun-Shevchenkivske Forestry branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” carried out logging in 10 areas within the reserve in 2023-2024.

“The paradox is that the foresters themselves recognized that these areas belong to the reserve both in official responses to our appeals and in new forest management materials. And yet they cut them down anyway!” the UHF says.

The activists reminded that the Kaniv Nature Reserve was expanded back in 2010 to an area of 3719.7 hectares. It included the forests of the then Zolotonosha and Kaniv forestries (its successor is the Korsun-Shevchenkivske Forestry branch).

They argue that due to the “passive position of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,” which is subordinate to the reserve's administration, the decree on expansion has not yet been fully implemented.

“But this does not at all cancel the protected status of the forests transferred by the decree!” the UPG emphasized.

The activists reported that they had sent their appeals to law enforcement agencies to investigate the situation.

Recently, EcoPolitic reported that the winner of the tender for the purchase of fuel from the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” worth more than UAH 1 billion was the little-known “Carpathian Fuel Company”, which offered the highest price among all participants – UAH 48.24 per liter of diesel fuel.

Related
Hundreds of hectares of new woodland are to be created on degraded land in the south and east of Ukraine
Hundreds of hectares of new woodland are to be created on degraded land in the south and east of Ukraine

They have promised not to touch the steppe areas so as not to harm the intact ecosystems

This week’s round-up of environmental crimes: deforestation, hunting in nature reserves and pollution
This week’s round-up of environmental crimes: deforestation, hunting in nature reserves and pollution

A scheme has been uncovered in the Volyn region through which pine trees were illegally felled, resulting in losses of over 15 million hryvnias

Forestry corruption: 11 people have been arrested as part of the State Bureau of Investigation’s ‘Green Shield’ special operation
Forestry corruption: 11 people have been arrested as part of the State Bureau of Investigation’s ‘Green Shield’ special operation

The estimated amount of damage caused stands at 65.7 million hryvnias, although the investigations are still ongoing

In Kharkiv, the authorities have backed the creation of a nature reserve near Osnovyansky Lake
In Kharkiv, the authorities have backed the creation of a nature reserve near Osnovyansky Lake

At the same time, signatures are being collected for a petition to the city council calling for the establishment of a nature reserve