The International Conference “Forest Sector Transformation towards Ukraine’s Post-War Green Rebuilding: Meeting Changing Demands for Professionals” Held at NULES of Ukraine within the ForestPost Project

The National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine successfully held the international scientific conference “Forest Sector Transformation towards Ukraine’s Post-War Green Rebuilding: Meeting Changing Demands for Professionals”, which became a landmark event in shaping a modern vision for the development of Ukraine’s forest sector in the context of post-war recovery. The event, organized within the ForestPost project (under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme), brought together around 150 participants from Ukraine, Romania, Germany, and Spain. Holding the conference on the eve of the International Day of Forests highlighted its strategic focus – supporting Ukraine’s green recovery through the development of the forestry sector.

The high level of the event was ensured by the active support of governmental and sectoral institutions. Participants were warmly welcomed by Rector of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine Vadym TKACHUK; Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management Roman VASYLYSHYN; ForestPost Project Coordinator, Professor at the Department of Economics, Tourism and Recreation of the Ukrainian National Forestry University Ihor SOLOVIY; representative of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, Deputy Head for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization Valentyn BACHURNYI; representative of Forests of Ukraine State Enterprise, Deputy Director of the Department of Development and Information Technologies Oleksii ZHAMOIDA; Professor of Sustainable Forest Resource Economics and Academic Director of the Biosphere Reserves Institute at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (Germany) Carsten MANN; Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Forest Engineering at the Transilvania University of Brașov (Romania) Alexandru Lucian CURTU; Vice-Rector of the University of Valladolid (Spain) Julio Diez CASERO; Acting Rector of the State Biotechnological University Andrii KUDRIASHOV.

In their speeches, the speakers emphasized the importance of consolidating science, education, and public policy, as well as international cooperation, for the modernization of the forest sector. They highlighted the strategic role of the ForestPost project in training a new generation of professionals. The project aims to modernize master’s programmes to support the transformation of the forest sector in the context of Ukraine’s post-war green recovery.

The first day of the conference took place at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine in hybrid format (offline and online) and was dedicated to the potential of forestry education for Ukraine’s green rebuilding. The focus was on innovative educational approaches, interdisciplinarity, and the integration of science and practice.

In particular, Professor Florin HĂLĂLIȘAN presented experience in integrating “green” skills and dual education into master’s programmes; Professor Ihor SOLOVIY outlined an intersectoral nexus approach to transforming natural resource management; and Professor José Reque KILCHENMANN shared methodological approaches to optimizing field-based practical training in forestry courses.

In her presentation, Dr. Yuliia NIKITCHENKO emphasized the importance of developing managerial and donor-related competencies in forestry education, while Professor Volodymyr PASTERNAK presented experience in integrating scientific approaches to forest assessment into master’s programmes under wartime challenges. The issue of certification and its role in financing low-carbon construction was addressed by Pavlo KRAVETS.

Liudmyla ZAHVOISKA explored the transformation of business models under conditions of global polycrisis through the lens of didactic approaches.

A significant emphasis was placed on innovation and technology: Professor Viktor MYRONIUK and Yevhenii KHAN presented modern approaches to forest monitoring – from satellite data to digital tools in education – while Serhii HAVRYLIUK shared experience in using the Google Earth Engine in research and teaching. Highly relevant issues for Ukraine, including adaptive forest management under wartime conditions and increased fire risk, were highlighted by Professor Sergiy ZIBTSEV and Oleksandr SOSHENSKYI.

Professor Anders ROOS from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences presented research findings on the conditions for wood-based recovery in Ukraine.

Iryna IVANCHENKO presented the LiDAR360 application for forestry as a three-dimensional vision of the sector’s future.

The second day of the conference took place at the Boyarka Forest Research Station. Participants visited the Dzvinkove Educational, Scientific and Production Complex, where they learned about the scientific, educational, and practical mission of the forest research station, particularly its role in training forestry professionals.

Importantly, young researchers played a key role on this day. In particular, PhD students Yevhen KALCHUK and Andrii ODRUZHENKO presented research results focused on forest restoration, productivity, and the consequences of military actions.

Yurii LAKYDA, Associate Professor at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, introduced participants to research on the structural features and mechanical properties of solid and hollow wooden beams.

The field component of the event provided a vivid illustration of the effectiveness of different forest management approaches. Participants compared unmanaged forest plots with stands where comprehensive silvicultural measures had been implemented, ensuring their resilience, productivity, and ecological value. Special attention was given to marteloscopes – innovative training plots – presented in detail by Oleksandr SOSHENSKYI.

The conference brought together several generations of professionals, creating a unique platform for knowledge exchange and the development of a shared vision for the future of the sector. In the context of war and large-scale recovery challenges, such initiatives are extremely timely, as it is through the development of education, science, and international partnerships that the foundation for Ukraine’s sustainable and green rebuilding is formed.

Programme of the event: Programe_Conference_ForestPost_19_20_March_2026.pdf

We sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the conference in the shared effort to ensure a sustainable and green future for Ukraine!

The conference was organized with the support of the European Union within the framework of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme. The views expressed reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the EU or the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).