How Improper Crossings Devastate Carpathian Waterways

There's no doubt that change is a complex process requiring self-critical awareness of problems and significant effort to address them. However, when the essence of your work revolves around driving change and caring for the ever-evolving natural environment, adaptability, and flexibility are indispensable.

One of the core statutory functions of the NGO ForestCom is to monitor how forestry enterprises care for forests and address the challenges that arise from human interaction with nature. In late September 2023, the organization's specialists conducted an inspection of the forests of the Beskydy Forestry near the village of Myslivka, Vyhoda amalgamated territorial community, Kalush district. During the inspection, they discovered large-scale unauthorized vehicle crossings over mountain streams. These mountain waterways were being used as logging roads and routes for hauling timber.

This alarming finding prompted the NGO to send a formal notice (No. 445) to the responsible forest user, whose area included the stream crossings damaged by heavy machinery. The forest user responded, citing a state enterprise Forests of Ukraine inspection report dated November 17, 2023, confirming the violations. They assured the NGO of upcoming measures to address the documented issues.

Simultaneously, the NGO submitted a request to the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Carpathian Region on October 31, 2023, seeking state supervision over environmental protection compliance. However, the Inspectorate failed to secure the required permit from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, stalling further action.

Nearly a year later, on October 7, 2024, experts conducted a follow-up field inspection to assess progress. Unfortunately, no improvements were evident. Worse still, new instances of damage were documented: unauthorized crossings over the Svicha and Synya Mahura Rivers. The Svicha River is part of a locally protected landscape reserve, while Synya Mahura is actively used as a logging road, with its riverbed serving as a timber-hauling route. These activities constitute clear violations of environmental legislation, particularly regarding the protection of mountain rivers.

Impacts of Improper Crossings

The lack of properly constructed crossings over the Svicha and Synya Mahura Rivers significantly harms vital protective areas that play critical roles in safeguarding water resources and riverbeds. Such impacts directly conflict with the environmental obligations of the Beskydy Forestry, part of the Vyhoda Forest Management Branch of Forests of Ukraine.

Dmytro Karabchuk, Executive Director of NGO ForestCom, highlights the risks:

Crossings through riverbeds disrupt the stability of the riverbed. Although it might seem minor, the stability of mountain streams’ beds underpins the ecosystem’s resilience, mitigating flood risks. Disturbed riverbed materials—stones, sand, and sediments—get displaced during floods, exacerbating downstream issues. Large boulders loosened by vehicles can become high-energy projectiles, damaging infrastructure like bridges, roads, and homes in mountain villages. Sedimentation reduces river capacity, causing them to overflow and flood surrounding areas, leading to significant environmental and financial damages.

Failure to Act

The forestry's neglect of its environmental responsibilities violates FSC standards and Ukrainian forest and environmental protection laws. These standards emphasize balancing biodiversity conservation with benefits to local communities and ensuring economic viability.

The NGO ForestCom reported the violations to the FSC certification body, Preferred by Nature, requesting an inspection of compliance with the FSC standard. The certification body confirmed non-compliance and issued a requirement for the Vyhoda Forestry Branch to address the violations within three months (by March 13, 2025). Failure to do so could result in the suspension of the FSC certificate.

Call for Action

To resolve these issues, properly constructed crossings over the Svicha and Synya Mahura Rivers are urgently needed. The NGO will continue monitoring the situation, hoping the forestry enterprise fulfills its environmental obligations and prioritizes protecting the Carpathian ecosystems.