Constant shelling in the border area of Sumy district has become commonplace, significantly affecting the local environment. They lead to frequent forest fires, causing serious damage to nature and forestry. In the face of this disaster, residents of the region are trying to draw attention to the problem, which has both environmental and social consequences.
Due to the proximity to the border with Russia, one third of the forest is located in the uncontrolled zone, which makes firefighting much more difficult. The inability to respond quickly to fires has catastrophic consequences for the local ecosystem. The fire disaster not only destroys trees, but also harms the fauna living in these forests. The impossibility of constant monitoring leads to difficulties in assessing the real extent of the burned areas.
The lack of access to a large part of the territory makes the restoration process even more difficult. The fire destroys as much of the tree stock as it would take almost a century to restore. This means that the process of restoring the natural balance in the region will be a major challenge for years to come.
Forest fires have caused significant material and environmental losses. The fact that many areas of the forest remain inaccessible makes it difficult for engineers and emergency services to restore the disturbed balance.
The problem is also that the extent of the damage to forestry is still underestimated. Infrastructure damage and timber loss have become both economic and environmental issues that require urgent attention from the authorities and the international community.
Volodymyr Kolosok, a leading forestry engineer, is directly involved in the problems of forest restoration after fires. He says that this particular task is one of the most difficult due to the lack of proper conditions and resources. "Our forests require not only physical restoration, but also long-term monitoring to prevent further disasters," Kolosok says.
"The need to attract additional resources, technology and international support is becoming apparent. If further delay is allowed, the damage to the local ecosystem may become irreparable, and the problem itself will reach a new level.
