Storm destroyed 700 hectares of forest in Rivne region: damage – hundreds of millions of hryvnias
A storm that swept through the Rivne region two weeks ago destroyed more than 700 hectares of forest, the press service of the Rivne regional administration reported
The forests of the Kostopil region were the most affected by the disaster. Thousands of trees were felled here – pines, oaks, alders, and birches.
The damage to the environment and the economy is estimated at hundreds of millions of hryvnias, the regional council noted.
"Damaged wood loses quality, the woodworking industry loses quality raw materials, local budgets lose tens of millions of hryvnias from rent, income tax, etc.," they explained there.
In addition, the risk of forest fires is increasing every day.
According to the law, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) must first be completed, which can take months. During this time, the quality of the wood will decrease, and the risks to the economy and the environment will increase.
To assess the scale of the problem and find options for its solution, regional leaders, representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the State Emergency Service, the State Agency for Forest Resources, the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine", leaders of local communities, and ecologists came to the Kostopil Forestry Department of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine".
Deputy Head of the Regional State Administration Oleksandr Kokhan, who reviewed the situation on site, called for the development of the affected areas to begin as soon as possible.
"We must act quickly and within the law. This is a matter not only of the forestry and woodworking industries, but also of the environment and the stability of local budgets. The quality of wood is declining every day. If we delay, we will increase the risks of fires and economic losses," Kokhan emphasized.
His position was supported by the First Deputy Chairman of the Rivne Regional Council, Mykola Kucheruk.
"We must act exclusively in a legal manner. We propose to use the norms of Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1010, which determines how to deal with the consequences of a state of emergency," he said.
- In April 2025, the restoration of the Selyansky Forest began in the Rivne region. This is the site of the largest illegal logging in Ukraine.
