Biodiversity conservation is inextricably linked to land use, as reduction in the area of natural ecosystems is the key driver of the decline in species populations and diversity. Most of Ukraine’s territory (almost 70%) is used as agricultural land, including 57% of arable land. Also, there are approximately 17% of forests, and 4% of settlements. At the same time, 6.91% of Ukraine’s territory has been designated by national legislation as areas of the Nature Reserve Fund (NRF) for nature conservation purposes. Although Ukraine has committed to increasing the NRF to 15% of the country’s territory by 2030, progress remains alarmingly slow, with an increase of only 0.33% achieved between 2019 and 2023 — far below what is needed to meet this target.
We recognize that competition for land use among various economic sectors is intensifying. Nevertheless, it is crucial to expand protected areas proactively to safeguard valuable ecosystems from short-sighted practices such as ploughing, forest degradation and deforestation, as well as urban development.
The Ecoaction team works nationally to accelerate establishment of the new protected areas, focusing on simplifying the designation procedures. Additionally, we monitor legislative initiatives related to nature conservation and land use and actively oppose policies that threaten biodiversity.
We also understand significant challenge of lack of awareness among local government officials and the general public about the value of the Nature Reserve Fund. To address this, we collaborate with communities to explore opportunities for protecting critical ecosystems within their territories. We also develop educational materials to highlight the importance and benefits of biodiversity conservation, including the ecosystem services that communities derive from these efforts.
