Creation of Fireproof Forest Margin (Edges) in State Enterprize "Oster Military Forestry"

On April 13, 2021, scientists of Silviculture Department of NULES of Ukraine Assoc. Prof. Vasyl Gumeniuk, Assoc. Prof. Oleksandr Soshenskyi, PhD stud. Oleksandr Vorotynsky, Department of Forest Taxation and Forest Management Assoc. Prof. Galyna Domashovets and specialists of Ostersky Military Forestry - Director Volodymyr Braiko, Chief Forester Oleg Kulinich, Forester Roman Karamelya, Forester Sergiy Plaksa, Forest Protection Engineer Denys Makhov, Forest Crops Engineer Anastasia Apetsko, Forestry Engineer Danylo Derkach jointly began a scientific experiment on creation of fireproof forest margin (edges) for protection of Scots pine stands which every spring suffer from intentional arson on border with a floodplain of Desna river. 

Purpose of the scientific experiment is to test different ways to increase fire resistance of Scots pine forest edges to prevent fire spreading from open landscapes in pine stands of State Enterprise "Oster Military Forestry".

To create fire-resistant edges, deciduous tree species (birch, aspen) were selected, express soil analysis, furrow preparation of soil was carried out and the required planting scheme was selected in accordance with the habitat conditions.

In the future, in areas with high natural fire hazard, it is planned to increase the number of experimental sites and expand the range of planting material.

Note: Fireproof Forest Margin (Edges) are a kind of fire barrier represented by strips, mainly deciduous or mixed stands 150-200 m wide, which are designed around fire-hazardous areas of coniferous forest, located on border or around settlements, dachas, forest borders, floodplains, agricultural lands, etc.