Peculiarities of environmental influence on the condition of forest plantations in Ukraine

The article describes the impact of environmental factors on the current state of forests in Ukraine. One of the most important problems of forest plantations is climate change, which has a global character. The forestry industry in Ukraine has been suffering for many years from the fact that oak and pine forests are in a weakened state or are drying out. Wet forest areas are drying up, as are swamps, which are part of forest ecosystems. One of the reasons for the drying out, especially in Polissia, is climate change, characterised by long periods of drought, as well as the reclamation of wetlands, which was carried out in the last century. The most negative impact on forest ecosystems is caused by anthropogenic activities, especially military actions, which have serious consequences. Forest fires are a negative factor, causing the destruction of flora, fauna and topsoil, and disrupting the normal functioning of the forest ecosystem. An anthropogenic factor that directly affects the condition of forest ecosystems and is characterized by rapid growth rates is economic activity, in particular the felling of mature stands for timber harvesting. During their implementation, the technological processes of logging do not always correspond to the specifics of the natural and climatic conditions of a given region. During logging, the soil is mixed, compacted and partially displaced, especially during the installation of the dragline and during the harvesting process. A decrease in forest productivity will lead to a series of irreversible negative processes, in particular: a decrease in carbon absorption; an increase in the duration of droughts; the drying out of certain forest types; an increase in the risk of fire; increased damage to plantations due to storms; the disappearance of part of the forest biotopes, namely wetlands and some swamps; the disappearance of areas with fir trees, particularly in Polissia, which will lead to a significant decrease in forest biodiversity. Priority should therefore be given to the conservation, restoration and protection of natural forests.