Illegal deforestation in Ukraine is an urgent problem that has a significant impact on the country's environment and economy. To combat this problem, Ukraine has a legal framework regulated by the Forest Code of Ukraine, in particular Article 105. This article provides for various types of liability for persons who violate forest legislation.
Different types of liability are envisaged in case of illegal logging. They include disciplinary, administrative, civil and criminal liability. Disciplinary measures are applied to persons who have an employment relationship with the organization that harvests the wood. Administrative liability is imposed for minor violations, such as cutting down trees without proper authorization, and may include monetary fines.
Civil liability usually consists of compensation for damages caused by illegal actions. Finally, criminal liability is the most severe and is applied in cases where significant damage has been caused. Criminal charges can result in fines and even imprisonment.
Those responsible for illegal felling of trees are obliged to pay damages and may also be subject to other sanctions, such as confiscation of the means used for felling.
It is important to note that not only the felling itself is subject to liability, but also the related actions of transportation and storage of illegally felled trees. This means that all stages of illegal activity from production to sale can be subject to sanctions.
Illegal logging can take place in various types of plantations, including forests, protective and other forest plantations. Protective plantations, which are often located along roads or on the periphery of agricultural fields, suffer significant damage from illegal logging due to their special importance to the ecosystem.
The level of punishment for violations depends on the degree of damage caused. For example, if a large volume of timber is damaged or the ecosystem is significantly disrupted by illegal logging, the accused may face more severe penalties, including imprisonment for a significant period of time.
Illegal logging activities threaten the ecological balance of the country and therefore require a strict and systematic approach to addressing this problem.
