This is the second visit of a member of FSC International management team to Ukraine this year. The first one was the visit of FSC Global Network Director Lieske van Santen - took place at the beginning of the ongoing stage of forestry reform.
The imposition of martial law throughout the country and restrictions on activities in the areas of military conflict are factors that encourage Ukrainian businesses to increase their resilience and find new solutions. Representatives of responsible business are increasingly aware of importance of FSC as a catalyst for positive changes for forestry sector and the country in whole.
“We have no plans to reduce our business, instead, we are increasing investments in new processing capacities. We see the prospects for our business development both in general and in the context of the Recovery Plan of Ukraine. Innovative solutions using FSC-certified building and construction materials, such as CLT, will better meet the sustainability criteria. Thanks to FSC, we already have a competitive advantage in the European market, promoting responsible forest management", said Maxim Voropaev, Deputy General Director of “Result Ukraine LLC”.
“FSC certification remains a prerequisite for us to work with European customers. The solution to a significant number of problems is beyond our influence. The forestry reform is taking place without clear guidelines for the market, clear and transparent rules of interaction with the woodworking business, which makes long-term planning difficult. We see an increasing need for dialogue and search for common interests with all stakeholders to ensure sustainable development of our region. FSC, as an independent mediator, can play a constructive role in this process", said Iryna Matsepura, Director of “VGSM LLC”.
FSC certification in the context of the forestry reform and the advantages of an individual model of branch certification were discussed at meetings with the management of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine and the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”. It is an indisputable fact that the SE “Forests of Ukraine” is focused on integrating FSC values into its management system. Challenges for certification with regard to areas potentially contaminated with explosive ordnance are among the most pressing today.
“The forestry reform aimed at delimiting the powers of state forest management and actual management activity in forests is taking place in a time of war. Accordingly, a significant part of the forest territory is located in the armed conflict zone, there is a loss of material assets, and employees are being conscripted. However, due to the centralization of some operational functions within a single state-owned enterprise and the implementation of modern IT solutions, we demonstrate sustainable financial and economic results", emphasized Viktor Smal, acting Head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine. "We are grateful for the support of the efforts to obtain the certified status by our branches. We hope that application of FSC tools will continue to help us maintain responsible forest management and integrate into the EU", said the head of the agency.
“We are currently working on the development strategy of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, the largest state forestry enterprise in Europe. We consider FSC not only as an opportunity to continuously improve the forest management system and implement best forestry practices, but also as a guide for the formation of long-term goals and objectives of the enterprise, taking into account the balance of environmental, social and economic interests. We appreciate the progress achieved in cooperation with FSC Ukraine and look forward to strengthening cooperation”, said Yuriy Bolokhovets, acting Director General of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
During the open lecture by Frank Harnischfeger on “FSC solutions for forests and forestry in a dynamic world and global challenges”, which was scheduled as a part of the visit, the interested audience of the Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management of NULES of Ukraine learned about the principles of FSC functioning. Trust, integrity and transparency are the advantages of FSC as one of the most authoritative forest certification schemes.
“We had the opportunity to discuss important issues of FSC certification development in the context of solving current forestry problems. The staff of the Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management remains in the leading positions of training specialists armed with knowledge of sustainable forest management, including the values and principles professed by FSC”, said Prof. Roman Vasylyshyn, Director of the Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management.
“The visit of the FSC International representative is a clear indication of the support for certificate holders who want to remain a part of the global responsible business. The war has not only created new challenges in the forestry sector, but also heightened public awareness of the true value of forests and the relevance of FSC's fundamental principles. We will increase our efforts to support responsible forest management”, summarized Pavlo Kravets, Director of FSC Ukraine.