In light of preparation of the 2026 SFI work plan – which is required as an input for decision making by the upcoming meeting of the Project Steering Group – the project manager from IAK AGRAR CONSULTING, Syman Jurk together with the SFI-Project leader, Volker Sasse, and the SFI National Project Coordinator (NPC), Vitaliy Storozhuk, (further named as SFI Team) met during 19-31.01.2026 with SFI-Project partners in Kyiv with the objective to explore actual needs in capacity building and to elaborate the 2026 SFI Work Plan. The following meetings took place (in in chronological order):
The first meeting took place at SFMPA in Irpen, where the General Director, Viktor Melnichenko, and the Head of the Centre of National Forest Inventory (CNFI), Andrii Shamrai, shared their strategic views with regard to FMP and NFI developments in Ukraine. The main challenge remains the financing of FMP, whereas now the forest users have to pay for it. Melnichenko supported the planned SFI activity on normative regulations for remote sensing based (RS) forest monitoring, the planned 2025 update of a RS-Inventory for all Ukraine as well as capacity building on RS Technologies at the CNFI. Further Shamrai proposed to regulate the reporting of Ukraine to international organisations respectively processes, e.g. to FAO on forest resource assessment.
During a meeting with the Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management of Verkhovna Rada, Oleg Bondarenko, current needs in forest policy consultancy support by the SFI-Project have been discussed. Special attention was drawn to deregulation measures linked to a more efficient state control of forest management. The planned “Study on the long-term development of forest resources and timber supply” have been supported as a desired SFI activity in 2026.
Oleksandr Haidu met the SFI-Team and expressed his views with regard to the current challenges in agriculture policy, mainly caused by the Russian war. Major issue which have been discussed: (i) field protecting tree stripes and also (ii) significant natural succession of forests on agriculture land, which requires an update for normative regulations. In this context Haidu welcomed the planned activity of the SFI-Project, particularly addressing this issue.
At the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBIP) the SFI-team was welcomed by the Rector Vadym Tkachuk and the Director of the Educational and Research Institute of Forestry and Landscape Gardening, Roman Vasylyshyn. Together with the experts Yuriy Marchuk and Victor Myroniuk the SFT-Team discussed upcoming consultancy needs particularly in the area of forest policy and RS-Inventory respectively the outlook on long-term potential timber supply. SFI-Project plans to support the events on forest legislation improvement and CNF challenges, to be organised by NUBiP. With regard to update of RS-Inventory for 2025 it was discussed the relevant capacity building in CNFI and collaboration of SFI, SFMPA and NUBIP with this regard.
One expert meeting was directed on the regulation of forest monitoring, where Vitaliy Storzhuk, NPC, presented a comprehensive approach, including the various objectives of forest monitoring, such as changes in the qualitative state of forests, impact of air pollution on forests, fire hazard in forests, forest pathological monitoring, monitoring the condition of forest soils etc. Storozhuk referred to the advantages of remote sensing based technologies, as they are used for the RS-Inventory implemented by SFI-Project, considering cost efficiency. The regulation on forest monitoring will remain a subject of consultancy by SFI-Project, focussing on a comprehensive approach.
Another expert meeting, organised by SFI-Project, was addressing the comprehensive overview on all Ukrainian forests land by owners respectively users and the legal treatment as well as the administration of forestry. Volker Sasse, SFI-Project Leader pointed to the results of the recent RS-Inventory and shortages in a complete overview about level of sustainable forestry, particularly in community forests, state forest – beside SE FoU forests and forests on private agriculture land. SFI-Project will further support the elaboration of a complete overview on all Ukrainian forests, followed by recommendations for normative and administrative regulations, particularly with regard to natural succession forests on private agriculture land.
At the German Embassy in Kyiv the SFI-Team briefed Maximilian Tonner, Officer for Economic Affairs and Energy, about the SFI-Project challenges, achievements and planned project activities. Tonner informed about the current economic challenges in terms of investments and trade. With regard to forestry the SFI-Team mentioned that export of roundwood and wood fuel quotas have been set to zero recently, which contradicts the advantages of free trade, but supports the timber processing industry of Ukraine during challenging times of the war.
National Project Coordinator Vitaliy Storozhuk participated in a webinar “From Crisis to Resilience with Close-to-Nature Forest Management in Ukraine” organised by WWF Ukraine. The project is financed by Swiss and lead by School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). The expected outcomes in 2025-2029: CNF guideline, online course, marteloscopes, training and seminars, scientific publications, roadmap for integration of CNF to post-war national forest restoration plan. As this project is now comprehensively addressing the issue of close to nature forestry, this subject is not anymore of highest priority for the SFI-Project.
At the State Enterprise Forest of Ukraine (SE FoU) Ihor Lytsur, Oleksander Schust and Serhiy Yarovyi welcomed the SFI-Team. Due to changing priorities the collaboration with the SFI-Project was at a rather low level. The SE FoU hast taken up the CNF approach and elaborated a STRATEGY for its implementation. For 2026 there was expressed a need in a training for trainers in the forests of Carpathian region in order to provide German experiences in CNF.
At the FAO Office in Kyiv the team presented the draft SFI Work Plan to Luis Fernando Amaya Ortiz, Deputy Head of Office. Alberto Del Lungо informed the SFI-Team about the ongoing review of the Forest Code of Ukraine as well as the implementation of multifunctional forestry into FMP in Carpathian region. Shakhnosa Muminova, Head of Office, discussed the priorities of forest land use – considering impairments by the war. As FAO is now addressing the issue of multifunctional forestry, this subject is not anymore of highest priority for the SFI-Project.
One of the key meetings was organised by MEEA, where vice minister Taras Vysotskyi, headed the Ukrainian delegation. Vysotskyi welcomed the support provided by the SFI-Project and indorsed the draft work plan for 2026, but recommended to exclude activities related to the establishment of an umbrella forestry related association. – Victor Smal, Head of the SFRA, requested options for German assistance in terms of procurement of soft and hardware for the needs of SFMPA, although no procurements are foreseen in the current SFI-Project.
Another meeting was organised with the EU-COM representatives on Agriculture and Food Safety in Kyiv. Michael Wolf, Anna Fedun and Giuseppe Aristei shared their views on current challenges in forestry and forest resource development. Special attention was drawn to the coordination of the various international donor activities, such as the forestry related activities by the ISPRA and FAO projects.
During the online meeting with the EU4Environment Programme Component of the World Bank, Oksana Kovalenko and Olha Gorodnytska was announced that the programme’s current forestry-related activities will run until August 2026. The issue of the availability of reliable information on the forest sector, which is necessary for the successful implementation of projects, was raised, as well as the issue of information exchange between projects discussed.
As a summary, consultancy provided by the SFI Project is highly appreciated by Ukrainian partners. Due to the current policy framework, mainly the ongoing war by Russia, needs in technical assistance are changing dynamically. Altogether 12 appointments with partner organisations took place during the recent mission of the SFI-Team to Kyiv.
As a result the draft 2026 SFI Work Plan was adjusted – namely reduced number of activities and focussed on real impact on forestry and forest resource protection in Ukraine. The reviewed 2026 SFI Work Plan and will now be provided to the PSG members in preparation of the upcoming meeting, planned for 18.03.2026 in Berlin.
