Integrated approach to land management with self-sown forests in Ukraine

Abstract

Protection and recovery of land natural ecosystems is a relevant task of sustainable development. Natural recovery of forests is an important instrument to solve the problem. The article describes the integrated approach to management of land use with self-sown forests, which have become a wide-spread phenomenon on the agricultural lands in Polissia and Forest-Steppe zones of the western Ukraine. The authors conducted an interview, which demonstrated people’s attitude to self-afforestation of lands. The idea of protecting self-sown forests was supported by one third of the respondents. Among those, who wish to possess a land plot with forests, the main share is represented by people of the age category of 21-40 years old. The authors substantiate the potential value of ecosystem services, which can be supplied by self-sown forests by introducing different practices. A focus is made on the ecosystem benefits from protection of self-sown forests, which cannot be expressed in money terms, but are of environmental and social value for the community. A model of integrated management of agricultural lands with self-sown forests was developed. It is suggested to use planning as an instrument, which involves assessment of the potential of land and other resources, to determine alternatives of land use, considering economic and social conditions of the territory development and landscape characteristics. Ukraine should develop a policy, establish institutes and approve procedures intended to protect self-sown forests. In the future, it will reduce the area of ploughed land and improve biodiversity of the territory.