The University Expands Cooperation with the Forest Stewardship Council

     Managing Director of the global network of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Gemma Boetekis, visited NULES of Ukraine on September 26.

     Gemma Boetekis represents international, non-governmental and non-profit organization FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), which promotes responsible forest management worldwide through forest certification. Products that have been evaluated according to strict international standards can easily enter ecologically sensitive markets of the developed countries.

     NULES of Ukraine initiated forest certification in Ukraine. Now the University conducts training of specialists for this field basing on the international standards.

     The participants of the meeting highly appreciated the work of the teams of the Education and Research Institute of Forestry and Park Gardening and of the separated subdivision of NULES of Ukraine “Boyarka Forestry Research Station”. In 2012 the subdivision was the first among CIS counterparts to receive the international certificate of responsible forest management. By the way, the subdivision offers training in certification. With the help of research, information and consulting advice of the scientists and employees of the Education and Research Institute of Forestry and Park Gardening more than 2.5 million hectares of Ukrainian forest were certified, which comprises 24% of the country's forest.

     Special attention was paid to the additional opportunities for cooperation. Head of the ERI of Forestry and Park Gardening, Petro Lakyda, highlighted importance of participation in research related to assessment of the impact of forest certification on forest ecosystems and forestry, as well as other pilot projects conducted by FSC internationally.

Pavlo Kravets,
Associate Professor of the Department of Forest Management,
national representative of FSC in Ukraine