Scientists have explored arable land in the de-occupied territories of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions
Researchers in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions recorded more than 600,000 explosions from shells and explosive objects and thousands of hectares of arable land damaged by the war. Such data were obtained within the scope of the study conducted by the Society of Researchers of Ukraine, informs press service of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
As part of the work, scientists used a combination of high-precision satellite images with ground surveys and analysis of soil samples. The project was implemented at the request of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support the initiatives of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy regarding the clearance of agricultural lands from mines and explosive remnants of war. Funding was provided by the governments of Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
In the Mykolaiv region, the researchers surveyed the territory with a total area of 980,440 hectares, with the exception of the 40-kilometer buffer near-front zone, which occupies a small part in the south of the region. More than 306,000 craters with a diameter of 0.5 to 50 meters were found, and the total volume of soil displaced by the explosions reached more than 612,000 m³.
2,334 hectares were recognized as destroyed due to bombing, more than 6,000 hectares were compacted due to the passage of heavy equipment. About 18,800 hectares are considered potentially contaminated. 138 soil samples were selected for analysis, in particular to determine the content of heavy metals and agrochemical composition.
In the Kherson region, work was carried out on the de-occupied part of the right bank — Beryslav and Kherson districts — where 263,860 hectares were investigated. An even higher density of damage was recorded here: 311.7 thousand holes with a diameter of 0.5 to 22.4 meters. The volume of soil displaced by the explosions exceeded 1.6 million cubic meters. Bombturbation is recorded on 3.4 thousand hectares, another 7.3 thousand hectares are compacted. Almost 27 thousand hectares may contain pollution due to explosions. 90 samples were collected to determine the level of heavy metals and the agrochemical condition of soils.
In June, the Society of Researchers of Ukraine plans to present a monetary estimate of the damage caused to agriculture due to soil degradation in these two regions. The results of the research will become the basis for determining the ecological potential of the territories. This analysis is carried out by the Ministry of Economy and the Center for Humanitarian Demining in order to prioritize the lands that need demining.
