Photo: Roman Volosyanchuk / IUCN
Development of communal forests
IUCN has been working towards improving the governance and management strategies of communal forests (forests managed by local authorities). To help move this process forward, a study was conducted to: assess the level of strategic planning within communal forests, make procedures more effective, foster stakeholder involvement, and to ensure the inclusion of local communities in the decision-making process. In addition, trainings and workshops for local officials and communities were conducted with the aim of improving the level and quality of participation in forest administration.
Involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making process
In order to facilitate dialogue between the State Forest Resources Agency (SFRA) and forest sector stakeholders, IUCN has been collaborating with SFRA to enhance its communications strategy through:
- internet-resources development (including social media);
- the establishment of the unified official web-portal of SFRA; and
- the creation of the interactive Ecomap website (soon online).
Forest dependency in rural Ukraine
Forest related income is very important for rural communities in some regions of Ukraine, especially for large families. During the collection season, a family can earn enough to buy essential school supplies (e.g. clothes, shoes, and books, stationary) by selling the berries and mushrooms they collect.
In order to assess the level of forest dependency of local communities in the country, the IUCN team conducted a study in three regions of Western Ukraine (Roztochchia, Transcarpathia, and Polissia), where a total of 150 households in 6 villages were surveyed. The outcomes were collected and compiled in Forest Dependence in Rural Ukraine.
Successes
“We are very proud of what our team has obtained so far. This success is the result of a working method that characterizes our FLEG II Program and can be summarized in two words: dialogue & transparency. FLEG II Country Program Coordinators have established a dense network of professional relations with both public and private stakeholders through open and constructive dialogue. Their positions reflect high-quality, quantifiable analysis and are discussed in an open and transparent manner. This approach makes our experts trustworthy partners who are able to tangibly influence the governance of forest resources in the FLEG countries.” Richard Aishton, FLEG II Program Coordinator for IUCN
