Bukovel's Illicit Logging: An Alarming Instance of Severe Illegal Deforestation

At the end of last year, ForestCom received information about illegal deforestation near the village of Polyanytsya in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, specifically in the well-known Bukovel tourist area. The informants requested our assistance in investigating and protecting the forests from further unauthorized encroachment and logging.

Considering the dangerous trend of rampant and irreversible destruction of forests in the largest resort zone of the Carpathian Mountains, we reached out to the Vorokhta Forestry Enterprise to clarify the situation. As a result, we decided to contact the State Specialized Forest Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine." Their reply was swift, confirming the illegality of the logging activities in these areas.

Additionally, we were informed that the Investigative Department of the Police No. 1 in Yaremche is currently carrying out a pretrial investigation in criminal case No. 12023090000000062 as of February 3, 2023, under Article 364, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This article refers to abuse of power or official position resulting in serious consequences, punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to six years and a fine ranging from eight thousand and five hundred to seventeen thousand hryvnias (~$220-$440).

Furthermore, this pretrial investigation is being conducted based on materials provided by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The materials indicate that officials from the Polyanytsya village council, in collusion with employees of the State Geocadastre Management in the Ivano-Frankivsk region and private land management organizations, have abused their positions to unlawfully allocate land plots. Through this scheme, these individuals have transferred ownership of the land plots (cadastral numbers 2611092001:22:001:1118, 2611092000:20:001:0020, 2611092001:22:001:1121), which fall under the permanent use of the Polyanytsya Forestry of the Vorokhta Forestry Enterprise, a state-owned enterprise of "Forests of Ukraine."

Therefore, illegal alienation of forest areas belonging to the Vorokhta Forestry Enterprise, a state-owned enterprise of "Forests of Ukraine," has occurred, and the pretrial investigation is currently ongoing.

Statement from the ForestCom

ForestCom NGO draws the attention of Ukrainian law enforcement and governmental authorities to the fact that, according to current legislation, this type of criminal offense should also include illegal logging (Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) conducted within the specified territories of the State Forest Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine."

It is also important to note that according to European Union legislation (EUDR), this category of illegal logging constitutes deforestation. It is considered the most dangerous type of crime, as it results in irreversible loss of forest cover for our planet. Wood products from such activities are not allowed on the EU market, and in case of detection, suppliers of such products to the EU face multimillion-euro fines.

ForestCom  NGO will continue to monitor this situation and the process of returning the unlawfully seized forest areas back to state ownership.

The undertaken activities are part of the "Combating Illegal Logging in Ukraine" project, generously supported by the International Programs of the U.S. Forest Service.