A large-scale scheme of illegal logging in the National Park “Hutsulshchyna” was revealed: the management of the forest farm was detained
Law enforcement officers exposed a large-scale scheme of illegal logging on the territory of the National Nature Park “Hutsulshchyna”. According to the investigation, the managers of the state enterprise “Kutske Lisov estvostvo” are involved in the criminal activity.
About this write State Bureau of Investigation.
“Employees of the DBR in cooperation with the National Police reported the suspicion of an organized group from among the officials of the state enterprise “Kutske Forestry”, which was illegally felling the forest on the territory of the National Nature Park “Hutsulshchyna”“. The group was created by the head of the forest farm back in 2018. Officials illegally, without any permits and approvals, issued documents for felling in areas that have not been under the control of forestry for more than 20 years, but are part of the National Park,” – the message says.
For more than two decades, these areas do not belong to the forest farm, but are part of the National Park. The perpetrators sold the felled trees to the local population, and appropriated the proceeds. According to preliminary estimates, the damage caused to the environment reaches almost 250 million hryvnias.
In addition to the manager, the group included an acting chief forester, a forester and a forest protection engineer. They illegally sanctioned and ensured the felling of valuable tree species.
Four participants of the scheme have already been charged with abuse of office, illegal felling and sale of forest in the protected area. Currently, the issue of choosing a preventive measure for them – detention or removal from their positions – is being resolved.
The investigation is ongoing. Suspicions are being prepared against two more groups involved in illegal logging in the park.
