2 Million Hectares of Ukraine’s Forests Lost

How 3 years of war have ravaged 2 Million Hectares of Ukraine’s forests, and affected the people who depend on them

Over two million hectares of Ukraine’s forests have been lost due to intense conflict, with Russian fire, artillery shelling, and explosive devices making the eastern forests of Ukraine some of the most dangerous in the world.

80,000 Hours

That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
Kieran Anders Forestry

Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
Promoting safety in the workplace

It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill

Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
Keeping Timber Hauliers Safe

Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.

FIND US ON

This information is based on new data published by Grist, which reveals that 90% of Ukraine’s wildfires are occurring in just 20% of the country, with 75% of these fires igniting within or near conflict zones.

In response to this crisis, a collective of forest scientists in Ukraine and internationally are studying the wildfires and other destruction caused by the war, as well as mapping unexploded ordnance that could lead to further damage in the future. These efforts, according to Grist, aim to optimise the use of firefighting resources and other support to protect forests that are already susceptible to wildfires. This vulnerability has been exacerbated by decades of mismanagement, dating back to the Soviet Era, which has left Ukraine’s forested areas highly flammable.

So far, more than one-third of the country’s forests and agricultural lands are covered with unexploded ordnance, including landmines. Svitlana Hrynchuk, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Minister for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, stated that over 6,500 environmental crimes have been reported, with damage costs exceeding $40 billion. She emphasised that this figure is “just the tip of the iceberg.”

Hrynchuk noted that when including the loss of natural resources—such as conflict timber trafficked through Chernobyl—the total costs could be significantly higher. She added that the volume of landmines now makes Ukraine’s forests the most dangerous on Earth. This statement follows a report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this year, which was supported by the Ukrainian government, estimating that the total carbon lost since February 24, 2022, has surpassed 230 million tonnes

Ukrainian emissions have risen by 31% compared to the previous 12 months, now matching the combined emissions of Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia. The European Forest Fire Information System revealed that combat-related fires have burned approximately 92,100 hectares of forest. Notably, landscape fires—particularly those near the frontlines—more than doubled to 25.8 million tonnes of CO2, reflecting a 118% increase compared to the wartime average of previous years.

Lennard de Klerk, the report’s lead author, explained that “ignition points during the war include shelling on both sides, firing ammunition, crashing drones, and exploding mines, as well as soldiers making campfires.” Due to ongoing hostilities and the presence of landmines, firefighters often cannot access affected areas, allowing initial fires to grow larger and more intense until all available fuel, such as trees and bushes, has been burned.

Ukraine's forests — Forest Europe has mapped out the battle zone areas over Ukraine’s vast forests – fortunately the most intensive forests (on the Western side of the country) have been spared from the most intense fighting. (Photo Credit: Forest Europe)

De Klerk pointed out that last year’s arid weather on the frontlines, combined with several heat waves, contributed to a high Fire Weather Index. He noted, “The probability of such weather has increased due to climate change. Thus, we see that climate change creates conditions that facilitate forest fires, while war triggers them, leading to increased carbon emissions that further exacerbate climate change. This forms a vicious cycle of destruction.”

As fighting intensified, emissions from military activity have steadily grown over the past 12 months, finally overtaking the other major category for carbon cost – the reconstruction of damaged buildings and infrastructure: “Warfare has now become the biggest source of emissions, the report said. “Fossil fuels burned by vehicles like tanks and fighter jets – major consumers of diesel and kerosene – make up the majority of these emissions at 74 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents.”

Those backing the research say Russia should be held liable for the emissions from the war and the resulting climate-related damage:

“The full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine is entering a fourth year. The analysis shows that environmental damage knows no borders, and the war is exacerbating the climate crisis that the whole world is facing today,” Minister Grynchuk said. “This report is an important document to hold Russia accountable for the harm it is causing to all of us.”

As fighting has intensified, emissions from military activities have steadily increased over the past twelve months, ultimately surpassing emissions from another major category: the reconstruction of damaged buildings and infrastructure. The report states, “Warfare has now become the largest source of emissions. Fossil fuels burned by vehicles such as tanks and fighter jets—significant consumers of diesel and kerosene—account for the majority of these emissions, totalling 74 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents.”

Supporters of the research argue that Russia should be held liable for the emissions generated by the war and the ensuing climate-related damage. Minister Grynchuk commented, “The full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine is now entering its fourth year. This analysis reveals that environmental damage knows no borders and that the war is exacerbating the climate crisis we all face today. This report serves as an important document to hold Russia accountable for the harm it is causing to everyone.”