In the spring of 2023, foresters plan to plant more than 1.1 million invasive, i.e. alien, trees in 11 regions of Ukraine, including red oak, black walnut, and common robinia (white acacia).
The Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, and Kyiv regions traditionally hold the record for planting such trees, the "Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group" reports on Facebook.
The authors emphasized that, according to scientists, invasive tree species are one of the main threats to biodiversity. The problem of their distribution was discussed at the UN Conference on Biodiversity COP15 in Montreal in December 2022. As you know, invasive species are capable of destroying and changing entire ecosystems, because they quickly adapt to new living conditions and displace local ones.
Eco-activists emphasized that in Ukraine the Forestry Code prohibits foresters from planting alien trees, but there is no official list of such species.
They said that in 11 regions of Ukraine, foresters plan to plant:
- red oak – 600 trees;
- black walnut – 500 trees;
- white acacia – 150 hectares for its natural renewal.
Red oak
"Unfortunately, we still do not have statistics for other regions, such as Odesa or Dnipropetrovsk, although invasive trees are also "loved" there, the report says.
Eco-activists emphasized that the thesis that planting invasive trees is the only option, because other species do not grow, does not correspond to reality. Thus, local species of trees are successfully planted in the Kirovohrad region, in the Teteriv forest farm in the Kyiv region, etc.
They emphasized that red oak, black walnut and common robinia should be included in the list of invasive tree species of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
As EcoPolitic reported before, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources created a working group that has compile a list of invasive (alien) tree species. These trees will be banned for reforestation.
