11 May 2025
,France
A well-known environmental violation occurred in Zakarpattia: the illegal cutting down of a part of the unique snowdrop forest for the construction of a forest road. This activity caused a considerable resonance among environmental organizations and members of the public. The development of the snowdrop contradicts the current legislation, as such areas are untouched natural monuments that need to be protected. The desecration of natural resources undermines not only the ecological balance, but also violates the law as if in passing without any attempt to coordinate actions with the relevant authorities.
An important element in solving this case was the use of satellite analysis, which confirmed in detail the fact of illegal deforestation. Systematic observation from space records changes in the landscape and allows for the detection of illegal economic activity. In the case of deforestation in Zakarpattia, satellite imagery provided indisputable evidence.
In turn, the environmental organization WWF-Ukraine expressed its deep concern and called on the responsible authorities to cancel the tender for the road construction and cancel the issued logging tickets. Environmentalists insist on the need to conduct a thorough investigation of the persons involved in the decision-making that led to such a blatant violation of the law.
Activists called for urgent measures to preserve the remnants of the forest and restore the destroyed areas. The question arises: why are environmentally sensitive projects such as deforestation for road construction not surrounded by greater restrictions and stricter controls? Why are decisions that can have a devastating impact on the ecosystem made without proper consideration of all environmental consequences?
Given the large number of calls from environmentalists to stop this project, it is clear that the environmental aspects of the road construction have been ignored, which only exacerbates the problem.
The reaction from the official authorities is mixed. According to the conclusion of the Perechyn Forestry State Enterprise, the felling did indeed take place in the protected zone of virgin forests, which is part of the projected natural monument. Such an approach to working with natural resources undermines trust in official institutions and creates the basis for further incidents and conflicts.
It is worth noting that the road for which the deforestation was carried out was to be built to provide access to future wind farms. The project of wind farms on the territory of the forestry "Shypot" of the branch "Uzhhorod Forestry" had a noble goal of providing the region with renewable energy sources. However, despite its positive aspects, this project should not have been implemented through the destruction of natural monuments or disregard for environmental standards.
The events in Zakarpattia have once again drawn attention to the problem of improper compliance with environmental regulations in the course of economic activity. Preserving unique natural sites requires an integrated approach and cooperation between government agencies, scientists and environmental organizations. The future depends on our ability to act responsibly and take into account the long-term environmental impact in every decision we make.
