Illegal felling of trees: Director of the National Park in Volyn is served with a notice of suspicion

Illegal felling of trees: Director of the National Park in Volyn is served with a notice of suspicion shutterstock

Elizaveta Volkotrub

Damages to the state exceed UAH 16.5 million

In Volyn region, the director of the Kivertsi National Nature Park "Tsumanska Pushcha" was served a notice of suspicion of illegal felling of trees worth over UAH 16.5 million.

According to the investigation, in July 2023, the official, together with the owner of one of the Volyn woodworking enterprises, illegally cut down trees on the territory of the Tsumanska Pushcha reserve, which led to losses to the state budget, the press service of the Volyn Regional Prosecutor's Office reports on Facebook.

It is known that they involved hired workers who were unaware of the illegality of such actions.

Also, the official's accomplice, the owner of a woodworking company, was notified of suspicion of illegal felling of trees in the territory of the nature reserve fund, which entailed serious consequences (Part 4 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The issue of removing the park director from office and choosing a preventive measure is currently being decided.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, in Odesa region, employees of the State Bureau of Investigation brought to court the case of the head of one of the branches of the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine", who organized the illegal felling of more than 1500 trees in the territory of the national natural park. The damage caused by the destruction of the trees amounted to UAH 145 million.

Related
Quarries instead of gardens, buildings instead of forests, stumps instead of trees: a roundup of environmental crimes
Quarries instead of gardens, buildings instead of forests, stumps instead of trees: a roundup of environmental crimes

In the most high-profile case, the prosecutor’s office succeeded in proving that the development of the Svyatoshyn Ponds in Kyiv was illegal; however, the ponds had already been filled in

A petition to protect the high-altitude Carpathians gathered the required number of signatures in five days
A petition to protect the high-altitude Carpathians gathered the required number of signatures in five days

The president is being urged to convene a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, to advocate for the enactment of a protective law, and to establish protected areas

Pseudo-sanitary logging under the guise of shelling: The State Bureau of Investigation has exposed a scheme by foresters in the Kherson region
Pseudo-sanitary logging under the guise of shelling: The State Bureau of Investigation has exposed a scheme by foresters in the Kherson region

Due to widespread tree felling, the state suffered losses of nearly 8 million hryvnias

Public funds were likely embezzled during the renovation of a landfill in Lutsk
Public funds were likely embezzled during the renovation of a landfill in Lutsk

Law enforcement officers searched the contractor's offices, and the court ordered the seizure of documents and office equipment