The war is causing catastrophic damage to Ukraine’s environment, and forest ecosystems have been among the hardest hit. The scale of the destruction, the risk of forest fires, and the strategy for future forest restoration are topics that today require expert analysis both in Ukraine and globally. Andriy Bilous, a war veteran, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, and professor at Sumy National Agrarian University, shared his perspective on the environmental situation.
The scientist is an active participant in international and national scientific platforms. In particular, during a special webinar organized by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)—a global network uniting over 15,000 scientists from 115 countries—the professor presented a report to the global community on the devastating impact of hostilities on Ukraine’s forestry sector. At the same time, he is personally conducting in-depth research on forest ecosystems in de-occupied territories and documenting the destruction of nature, particularly during field trips to the forests of the Izium region.
The forester identifies the critical interdependence between humans and nature as the main issue facing society today. According to the professor, forests can certainly exist without us, whereas humanity cannot exist without forests. Unfortunately, the condition of Ukrainian forests in the combat zone is currently critical. To restore the natural balance and address land degradation after the war, it will be necessary to plant significantly larger areas of protective forests than before, focusing primarily on areas where trees have died, as well as degraded and eroded sites. Also of utmost importance are a balanced approach to the sustainable management of forests for various purposes, the development of the timber market, the construction of forest roads, and improved communication with the public.
Involving experts from the SNAU in the national and global information sphere allows society to receive reliable information about the actual state of our forest resources and effective strategies for the country’s future recovery.
The full version of the scholar’s presentation at the international conference can be viewed in the webinar recording on YouTube. For more details on the challenges of wartime and environmental culture, listen to the recording of the “Knowledge Module” program on Radio Culture featuring Professor Andriy Bilous.
