At a working meeting chaired by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Taras Vysotskyi, a preliminary cooperation plan for 2026 was discussed with representatives of the German SFI project. This was announced by the head of the State Forest Resources Agency, Viktor Smal.
“We are jointly developing proposals on where and to what extent we need support of our international partners. Currently, we will work with SFI to improve forestry legislation to harmonize it with EU standards, as well as to further development of the national forest inventory. In addition, we are studying international experience in the field of forest management planning and state forestry, focused on close-to- nature forestry,” said Viktor Smal.
He added that one of the main challenges for Ukraine’s forestry sector is preparing to abandon clear-cutting in the mountain forests of the Carpathian region in 2027 and transitioning to close-to-nature forestry principles.
“The Production Association ‘Ukrderzhlisproekt’ plays a major role in this preparation, as a huge amount of work needs to be done to amend forest management materials. Therefore, we discussed with the German side the possibility of strengthening this organization. First of all, we are interested in practical assistance – the supply of necessary equipment, as well as support for the development of software for the further digitalization of the industry,” said the head of the State Forest Resources Agency.
The parties agreed to develop a working version of proposals on the most effective areas for donor funding and to adjust plans for the second half of 2026 and 2027. “We hope for fruitful cooperation that will strengthen Ukraine’s forestry sector and contribute to its sustainability and further development,” concluded Viktor Smal.
