VEGETATION Forest resources

According to the latest forest inventory as of 1 January 1996, the forest resource area in Ukraine is 10.8 million hectares, 9.4 million hectares of which are covered with forest vegetation. Percentage of forest area is 15.6%.

Total timber stands in forests are estimated at 1,736 mill mі. Average timber stock per hectare of forest area is 185 mі. The stock of matured and overmatured forest stands is 237 mі. Average increment per hectare of forest area is 3.8 mі.

Forests of the first group account for 55.8% of the total forest area. The rest is forest of the second group. Coniferous trees account for 42% of the forest area, hard-leafed for 13.3%, other tree species for 0.5%, and bushes for 0.4%.

In terms of forest areas and timber stands Ukraine is experiencing a shortage of forests.

WWW pages created by the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine phone: +380-044-2287343 fax: +380-044-2287343 e-mail: grid@mep.freenet.kiev.ua