MONITORING OF STAND MORTALITY IN ZVIRIVSKE FORESTRY

Abstract

The loss of tree stands is one of the key environmental problems of Zvirivske Forestry, which affects the stability of forest ecosystems. Forests not only fulfill an important ecological function, but also serve as a habitat for numerous species of flora and fauna that form a unique ecosystem of the region. The purpose of the study is to investigate the dynamics of tree mortality in Zviriv forestry in 2019–2021, to determine the main causes of this process. The main aspects of the study of stand mortality in the forestry include analyzing the scale of mortality, assessing the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors, and identifying effective measures to reduce forest loss. For this purpose, a comprehensive analysis was conducted, which includes: 1) Determination of the area of death and the possibility of natural recovery in the of natural recovery in the affected areas. 2) Study of the main causes of the forests’ death, including diseases, pests and anthropogenic pressure that led to the intensive spread of these diseases and pests. 3) Developing recommendations to reduce the loss of stands. The research was conducted in the period from 2020 to 2025. For the first time, we systematized and analyzed the key causes of forest loss. The study used modern methods of forest monitoring. Particular attention was paid to determining the area of stand mortality and analyzing the dynamics of this process in 2019–2021. The results of the study show a gradual increase in the area of stand mortality in 2019 and 2020 compared to 2021. The main causes of losses are the spread of diseases and pests (insects). In response to these challenges, Zvirivske Forestry is developing measures to reduce the loss of forest areas, including selective and clear-cutting felling; biological methods of tree species protection.