Hunting for Christmas trees is a seasonal crime against the environment. Therefore, at the end of the year, the responsible services—both the State Environmental Inspection and the police—traditionally announce tougher measures against "New Year's" loggers and sellers of trees stolen from the forest fund.
The State Environmental Inspection of Chernihiv Oblast has announced the penalties that await violators.
Illegal logging
Ukrainian law provides for penalties not only for illegal tree felling. Damage to plants, destruction of seedlings and young trees, even self-sown ones, is also illegal.
If these actions were committed on the territory of nurseries and areas designated for forest restoration, Article 65 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (KUAP) provides for the following administrative liability:
- fine for citizens – between 510 and 1,020 UAH;
- fine for officials – between 2,550 and 5,100 UAH.
Damage to nature and forest resources
Unauthorized tree felling also causes damage to the environment. Environmental inspectors calculate this damage separately. For example, the damage for a felled fir tree with a stump diameter of up to 10 cm is approximately 800 UAH. If the tree grew within a nature reserve, the damage is over 7,000 UAH.
Trade in stolen nature
The sale and purchase of illegally felled coniferous trees also entails administrative liability. This is determined by Article 88-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The offender will be required to pay a fine of 510-1700 UAH, and illegally purchased trees are subject to confiscation.
Earlier, EcoPolitics reported that Ukraine will launch an electronic exporter's office to confirm the legality of timber harvesting.
Due to the criminal felling of trees in national parks, which was allowed by the former Ministry of Environment, eco-activists appealed to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
