Illegal Logging in Yasinya Forestry and Hunting Enterprise

The work of the NGO ForestCom specialists is never-ending. Monitoring forest cover and closely watching illegal logging remain relevant as experts encounter new cases, particularly in the Carpathian region.

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 This article discusses the systematic detection of illegal logging signs in the forests of the Yasinya Forestry and Hunting state enterprise. The forest districts under this enterprise are not fortunate, as they are located in one of the most tourist-crowded regions of Ukraine, near the slopes of Hoverla Mountain and the resort areas of Bukovel.

‼️ Recently, the media and activists have been actively raising alarm about the massive scale of logging in the Yasinya Forestry and Hunting state enterprise. News about the impressive volumes of felled Carpathian forests regularly appears in numerous media outlets. For example, at the end of September, this was reported by the State Environmental Inspection in the Zakarpattia region. 

ForestCom experts first encountered illegal logging in this region in 2021, when a criminal investigation was opened in several areas of the Lazeshchyna Forestry (Case No. 42021070000000362 from 20.10.2021). At the same time, violations with usual signs of illegality were discovered in several sections of the neighbouring Svydovetsky Forestry, which is also part of the Yasinya Forestry and Hunting state enterprise. The felled stumps lacked the required marking.

This October, specialists again found freshly cut stumps in the Svydovetsky Forestry. However, among them, there were many stumps of different ages. Of course, no markings were found on the older stumps either. District 14 of this forestry has a 0.9-hectare area with signs of unlawful logging at the following coordinates: X = 24.355040; Y = 48.230240. 

This year's monitoring data matches results from previous ForestCom expeditions, such as the one in September 2022. Hence, the logging is happening systematically.

Figure 1. The location of isolated illegally felled trees, sanitary logging with signs of illegality, and rubbish dumping sites are in the districts of Svydovetsky Forestry of the Yasinya Forestry and Hunting state enterprise.

How do experts determine the illegality of logging? 

There are several undeniable signs:

• The absence of required logging area marking.

• The previously mentioned marking on the stump is absent. However, there have been some failed attempts to imitate the markings on stumps.

•  The stumps are hidden under the remains of the logging: soil, forest litter, and moss.

• Some freshly cut stumps have been scorched. This is done intentionally — to cover the traces, the criminals burn fallen branches, leaves, and pine needles on the fresh stumps. Such burning causes significant harm to the trees. The scorched bark at the base of the trunk stops the tree from growing in the future.

Photos from the archives of the ForestCom

During the autumn 2022 expedition, experts stumbled upon a portable sawmill near the logging site, which showed signs of recent use. Such sawmills are very convenient for loggers, allowing them to saw up wood in the forest and quickly transport the tools by vehicle. The coordinates of the sawmill were X = 24.354250; Y = 48.23031. A pile of sawn wood was also found nearby.

Photos from the archives of the ForestCom

 

In purely pragmatic terms, we provide an approximate assessment of the ecological damage caused by the logging recorded in October 2022 in this district of Svydovetsky Forestry. We must understand that since then, the number of felled trees and the corresponding financial losses have increased hundreds of times. Of course, financial assessments are a minor aspect of the entire damage that the ecosystem suffers from illegal logging.

 

Total: 124,303.43 UAH

Table 1. Calculation of ecological damage according to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 665.

Another factor of damage from illegal logging that receives insufficient attention is the destruction of Carpathian mountain streams. During logging inspections, ForestCom experts consistently encounter ravaged watercourses that wood thieves use to transport felled trees. During an expedition in October 2022, experts recorded traces of timber movement along forest watercourses over a distance of more than 630 meters. These tracks carry freshly felled wood and logs from previous years' logging. The timber is mainly hauled along the Faresok stream (coordinates: X = 24.49042; Y = 48.218183), and then a 240-meter-long upper stockpile is set up alongside the stream.

 

Figure 2. Traces of timber hauling along forest streams and the establishment of upper stockpiles.

Photos from the archives of the ForestCom

Naturally, the 2022 expedition also found questionable sanitary logging practices. During an inspection of Lazeshchyna Forestry, a clearcut sanitary logging operation was discovered (coordinates: X = 24.49042; Y = 48.218183). There were no boundary markers, and the remaining trees were healthy and robust. It is hard to imagine why such a brutal clear-cut operation would be necessary, as it indiscriminately removes all trees in the area. Sanitary logging, especially clearcuts, is an outdated and ineffective method that modern forestry has abandoned. Ukrainian legislation on sanitary logging has numerous gaps that forest thieves exploit.

Another area in Lazeshchyna Forestry also showed signs of clearcut sanitary logging (coordinates: X = 24.489904; Y = 48.217961). Once again, there were no boundary markers, and only a few were found at one point in the logged area.

Figure 3. Location of clearcut sanitary logging in Yasinya Forestry and Hunting Enterprise, Compartment 21, Section 27; 34.

📌All these cases of logging show violations of the Rules of General Use Logging, established by the State Forestry Resources Agency of Ukraine on December 23, 2007, No. 364. These violations of the established forest management, harvesting, and transportation regulations are crimes in forestry. The desired outcome of such actions for illegal loggers is administrative and criminal liability under Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, primarily for environmental harm and failure to comply with forestry regulations. In fact, this is an abuse of office by officials under Article 364 of the Criminal Code.

Following the request of the NGO ForestCom, the Sixth Investigative Department of the Uzhhorod Territorial Unit of the State Bureau of Investigation in Lviv opened a criminal case No. 42021070000000362 under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code: 

“Abuse of power or office, i.e., the intentional use of power or office for personal gain or the benefit of others, to the detriment of the interests of service, resulting in substantial damage to the legally protected rights, freedoms, and interests of individuals or public interests. If it results in serious consequences, it is punishable by imprisonment for three to six years, with a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities for up to three years, and a fine from five hundred to one thousand tax-exempt minimum incomes of citizens.”

While state protection agencies are slowly initiating the investigation process, illegal logging continues in the Yasinya forest for the second year. The criminals have a head start — their hands are untied, unlike the forestry experts, who face numerous bureaucratic hurdles. Despite everything, we must keep pressing on.

The NGO ForestCom continues to fulfil its statutory tasks and monitor changes in forest cover due to illegal logging as part of the U.S. Forest Service's "Combating Illegal Logging in Ukraine" project.