Storm destroyed 700 hectares of forest in Rivne region and caused damage worth hundreds of millions of hryvnias
The storm that swept through the Rivne region caused large-scale forest destruction – more than 700 hectares of forest were destroyed and hundreds of millions of hryvnias worth of damage were caused. About this reported in the press service of the Rivne regional administration.
The forests of the Kostopil district were the most affected, where the elements felled thousands of trees: pines, oaks, alders, birches. The regional council noted that the damage to the environment and the economy reaches hundreds of millions of hryvnias.
“Damaged wood loses quality, the woodworking industry – high-quality raw materials, local budgets – tens of millions of hryvnias from rent, income tax, etc.”, – they explained there.
According to the current legislation, before starting work, it is necessary to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA), which can take several months. At this time, the quality of the wood will deteriorate, and the potential losses will only increase. In order to assess the extent of the damage and discuss possible solutions, representatives of the regional government, the Ministry of Environment, the State Emergency Service, the State Forestry Agency, community leaders, and ecologists arrived at the Kostopil Forestry Department of State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
Oleksandr Kohan, the deputy head of the regional state administration, who personally inspected the affected areas, urged to start work on the elimination of the consequences as soon as possible.
“We must act quickly and within the limits of the law. This is not only a matter of the forestry and woodworking industries, but also of ecology and the stability of local budgets. The quality of wood is decreasing every day. If we delay, we will increase the risk of fires and economic losses.”, Kohan emphasized.
Mykola Kucheruk, the first deputy chairman of the Rivne Regional Council, supported his position:
“We must act exclusively in a legal manner. We suggest using the norms of Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1010, which determines how to act with the consequences of a state of emergency.”
Photo: espreso.tv
