Satellites See What Is Deliberately Overlooked on the Ground

A forest does not disappear overnight. First, a light patch appears on a satellite image. Then come fresh sawdust, stumps without official markings, and traces of machinery where none should have been. This is how the story began in the Tomashchuk Forestry, near Kobyletska Poliana in Zakarpattia.

Experts from the NGO«ForestCom» analyzed Sentinel-2 satellite imagery as part of their monitoring of illegal logging. The data revealed changes in forest cover during the summer of 2025. To understand what was actually happening on the ground, a field inspection was conducted in September.

In Compartment 11, Subcompartment 13, a thinning operation had indeed been carried out—with permits and logging tickets. This fact was confirmed by the forest user, who also confirmed that a windthrow occurred after the logging. However, the forest itself revealed far more than what was stated in the official explanations.

Fig. 1. Location of the thinning operation in Compartment 11, Subcompartment 13, Tomashchuk Forestry, according to information provided by the forest user

In the upper part of the site, along the boundary between compartments, experts documented trees freshly cut in 2025—without allocation markings and without any permit documentation. Nearby, there were signs of clearing a skidding trail. This was no natural disaster and no planned forestry activity. This was illegal logging that, for some reason, went unnoticed by forest protection services.

                                                                        

Clearing of a skidding trail	Logging residues from the clearing of the skidding trail

Freshly cut tree at the top of the slope, Subcompartment 13.1.	Freshly cut trees in the upper part of the slope, Subcompartment 13.1.

Freshly cut tree in the upper summit part of the slope, Subcompartment 13.1.	Stump of a freshly cut tree, upper part of the slope, Subcompartment 13.1.

In addition, stumps of freshly cut trees were found on the site, indicating that logging took place after the expiration of the logging tickets. All of these facts were documented and recorded in the field report.

Masking of stumps from illegally cut trees	Stump of an illegally cut beech tree

Damage to a beech tree leading to growth termination	Logging residues from illegally cut trees

In the same forestry, but in a different subcompartment, experts discovered another location with classic signs of illegal logging. In Compartment 11, Subcompartment 17, they identified unauthorized tree felling and damage to trees resulting in growth termination. The stumps bore no official markings. Some had been deliberately covered with soil and forest litter. No permit documentation exists for this site at all.

According to the official methodology approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the environmental damage caused by these illegal logging activities amounts to nearly UAH 94,000. But behind these dry figures lie lost trees, a disrupted forest structure, and yet another blow to the Carpathians, which are already under constant pressure.

The NGO «ForestCom» submitted a report to law enforcement authorities regarding the commission of a criminal offense. However, even in this case the system failed: within the legally established timeframe, the applicant received no response regarding the results of the review.

At the same time, another reply was received from the Carpathian Forest Office of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine, once again confirming the fact of illegal logging and stating that one forest ranger had allegedly been subjected to disciplinary action. According to the forest user, the materials were forwarded to law enforcement agencies. What happened next remains unknown.

This story is not only about specific forest plots. It is about how satellites can see what people on the ground try not to notice. And it is about the fact that without independent oversight, transparency, and public pressure, illegal logging will continue to disappear along with the forest—quietly and without consequences. Most troubling of all is that these criminal acts were committed by employees of the forest protection service itself, who are obligated to protect the Carpathian forests, not destroy them in violation of environmental protection laws.

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The publication is produced by NGO «ForestCom» with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine –  a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of NGO «ForestCom» and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and ISAR Ednannia.