Changes in forest cover were identified on 389 plots in the Carpathian region

Reducing illegal logging and the illicit timber trade is a strategic goal and top priority for the NGO "ForestCom" in Ukraine. Hence, the organization's specialists employ satellite monitoring to track alterations in forest cover and conduct field visits to logging sites, aiming to ascertain the legality of activities. This initiative conducted within the project "Combatting Illegal Logging in Ukraine," supported by the International Programs Department of the US Forest Service.

Throughout the second quarter of 2023, the "ForestCom" experts, employing satellite monitoring of forests in three Carpathian regions, discovered 389 areas where changes in forest cover were detected. These involve:

- 68 areas in Lviv region,

- 169 areas in Zakarpattia region,

- 152 areas in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

You can access the map here displaying these areas.

Figure 1. Territory of Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Zakarpattia oblasts with forest cover changes marked in red.

The process of detecting illegal logging involves tracking changes in forest cover using satellite imagery in a semi-automated manner. Experts compare satellite imagery from two consecutive years, identifying regions where modifications in forest cover have transpired. Coordinating the locations is the initial step, followed by a comprehensive analysis conducted in the second phase. This assessment scrutinizes whether logging permits are present using the online database of the "Forestry Innovation and Analytical Center" (FIAC). In cases where permits are absent, these areas are selected for the third phase of verification, which involves field inspections. 

ForestCom continues to monitor changes in forest cover and report the results of field investigations to the public, foresters, and law enforcement authorities.

#ForestGuard