Svetlana Grinchuk highlighted crucial work in the Zaporizhzhia region, stating, "3 million hectares of Ukrainian forest have already been impacted by the war."

Today, we are working in the Zaporizhia region to synchronize actions with local authorities and address the ecological issues of the area.

For the frontline and industrial Zaporizhia region, it is crucial to focus on the restoration and expansion of forested areas. We examined one of the self-seeded areas near the village of Smolyane. This plot has been transferred to the Belenkivka territorial community under the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine."

In total, nearly 4,000 such self-seeded forests have been identified in the region, covering an area of 10.7 thousand hectares. Of these, 51 plots have already been approved for further transfer to the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine." This work is ongoing.

Protecting self-seeding forests is a vital step toward increasing Ukraine's forest cover amid the war. Almost 3 million hectares of Ukrainian forests have already been affected by the conflict. Nearly one million hectares are occupied, and half a million hectares are mined.

In the Zaporizhia region, 7,000 hectares of forests managed by the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine require inspection for explosive remnants and subsequent demining. This is particularly relevant for de-occupied territories and forests where active combat is taking place. Additionally, approximately 60,000 hectares of forest remain occupied. Currently, we can only speculate about the extent of their mining and contamination.

Thus, we are seizing every opportunity to restore our forests. Besides legalizing self-seeded areas, since the beginning of the year, 8 hectares of forest have been recreated in the Zaporizhia region, and 64.7 thousand seedlings have been planted, including the establishment of 2.1 hectares of new forests. The trees are planted in areas previously affected by fires or logging, where bushes and shrubs once grew, as well as in meadows adjacent to existing forests—always following an assessment of the territories for the presence of endangered species, steppe varieties, bioindustries, and so forth. This is important work being carried out by foresters in the frontline region.