NUBiP Researchers Participate in Close-to-Nature Forestry Training School at BFH-HAFL

     We are pleased to announce that researchers from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP) had been invited to participate in a prestigious Training School on Close-to-Nature Forestry at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH-HAFL) in Switzerland. 

     The two-week program tooke place from August 19 to September 1, 2024, as part of a Mobility exchange launched to support Ukrainian researchers in building capacity for post-war forest recovery.
     The Training School is designed to enhance the research and educational capacities of Ukrainian forestry researchers through mutual learning and collaboration with Swiss researchers. Participants had the opportunity to engage with innovative tools and methods in forest research and education, practice close-to-nature forest management, and explore multi-actor forest landscape governance and social-ecological innovations.

     The program included:

• Pre-training activities focused on developing guidelines for close-to-nature forestry in Ukraine
• Lectures and workshops on forest management, digital tools, and social-ecological innovations
• Field excursions to Swiss forests to observe close-to-nature forestry practices
• Collaborative work on finalizing guidelines for practitioners in Ukraine
• Networking opportunities with international organizations and Swiss businesses involved in projects for Ukraine

     This Mobility exchange builds upon previous collaborations between NUBiP and BFH-HAFL, including the Mobility Program for Scientists and Researchers in January-February 2023 (https://nubip.edu.ua/en/node/125584) and the seminars and workshops organised online in 2023 (https://nubip.edu.ua/en/node/126776).
     Dr. Oleksandr Soshenskyi, Associate Professor of the Department of Forestry at NUBiP, who participated in previous exchanges, emphasized the importance of this opportunity: “This Training School provide invaluable insights into Swiss forestry practices and innovative approaches to close-to-nature forest management. The knowledge and skills gained will be crucial for the sustainable recovery and revitalization of Ukraine's forest sector“.

     The participation of NUBiP researchers in this Training School is part of the ongoing efforts to support Ukraine's reforestation and address the unprecedented challenges faced by the country's forestry sector due to war and climate change impacts. It aligns with the priority actions identified by the Forum on Ukraine Forest Science and Education to support forest research capacity, enhance innovations in forest education, and collaborate with international partners.

     We express our profound appreciation to Dr. Mariana Melnykovych, who engaged massive support and efforts to organize the Summer School/Mobility Programme.
     The administrative support and contributions made it possible to feel truly supported by the collaboration between BFH-HAFL scientists and the Ukrainian team. This represents crucial support for Ukraine during this difficult time for our country. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Dr. Ute Seeling, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Pauli, Pesche Eigenmann, and Prof. Dr. Luuk Dorren.
     We are especially grateful for the cooperation and knowledge sharing for Prof. Dr. Christian Rosset and his team David Paul Coutrot & Manuel Kurt, as well as Dr. Claude Garcia and his team Dr. Patrick Waeber & Dr. Mariana Melnykovych, as well as Prof. Dr. Thibault Lachat.
We greatly appreciate the financial support from the BFH Global Engagement Office and BFH-HAFL, which opened up opportunities for developing our collaboration.

     As a next priority, we are working on finding opportunities to continue our collaboration and sharing our experience in Ukraine with practitioners and academics
   We are looking forward to the positive outcomes of this exchange and the contributions it will make to the sustainable management of Ukraine's forests in the post-war recovery period.

Oleksandr Soshenskyi,
Assoc. Prof. of the Department of Silviculture
[email protected]