In May, the Ministry of Environment approved the list of invasive species, which prohibits planting invasive species in Ukraine’s forests. But today, the forest industry is trying to cancel this ban, in particular, to remove from the list such species as common Robinia, red oak, black walnut, thorny sedge, and narrow-leaved olive.
The list of alien species of trees prohibited in reproducing forests (Order No. 695/39751) became a support for the wild nature of Ukraine because invasive species are one of the leading causes of extinction of species on the planet.
Ukraine is not a separate planet; we can use the experience of neighboring countries and not “build another Ukrainian bicycle.” We need to use the experience of neighboring EU countries with a more efficient level of economy. All European countries have similar lists of invasive plants.
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Some of them have been operating for decades. And there are thousands of scientific works in the most authoritative scientific publications about the harm of these invasive species, also for the country’s economy.
Invasive species of trees in the forests of Ukraine are enormous losses for the nature of Ukraine, but higher earnings for foresters. The foresters’ lobby is so strong because they control the resource they dispose of on behalf of the people. The forest is still considered by foresters not as a habitat for wildlife, reducing the impact of climate change, etc., but as a wood resource that should grow and be cut down as soon as possible. The consequences of such an approach for the country’s people do not concern them.
To create and restore forests and field protection strips in Ukraine (especially in the south of Ukraine) in the post-war period, it is necessary to restore destroyed fragments of natural forests and not to plant them with invasive species. After all, it is much easier to grow an invasive forest in the dry conditions of the forest-steppe or steppe (it should not be there at all) or in other areas, than to restore natural forest fragments. With this approach, it may be challenging to earn shadow money.
One hundred twenty scientists from all over Ukraine (in particular, scientists of our organization) signed a letter of appeal to the authorities in which they expressed their support for the approved list and a call not to reduce the list of species that are prohibited from being planted in the forests of Ukraine (text of the appeal at the link: bit.ly/3OnXyBH ).
We hope the Ministry of Environment will listen to scientists and not change the list of invasive trees prohibited from planting.
Invasive species of trees in the forests of Ukraine are enormous losses for the nature of Ukraine, but higher earnings for foresters. The foresters’ lobby is so strong because they control the resource they dispose of on behalf of the people. The forest is still considered by foresters not as a habitat for wildlife, reducing the impact of climate change, etc., but as a wood resource that should grow and be cut down as soon as possible. The consequences of such an approach for the country’s people do not concern them.
To create and restore forests and field protection strips in Ukraine (especially in the south of Ukraine) in the post-war period, it is necessary to restore destroyed fragments of natural forests and not to plant them with invasive species. After all, it is much easier to grow an invasive forest in the dry conditions of the forest-steppe or steppe (it should not be there at all) or in other areas, than to restore natural forest fragments. With this approach, it may be challenging to earn shadow money.
One hundred twenty scientists from all over Ukraine (in particular, scientists of our organization) signed a letter of appeal to the authorities in which they expressed their support for the approved list and a call not to reduce the list of species that are prohibited from being planted in the forests of Ukraine (text of the appeal at the link: bit.ly/3OnXyBH ).
We hope the Ministry of Environment will listen to scientists and not change the list of invasive trees prohibited from planting.
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