Forests are extremely important for the planet ecosystem and perform a number of ecological functions: they provide oxygen, regulate the climate, protect the soil from erosion, regulate water flows and contribute to the purification of the natural environment, and they are a habitat for numerous living creatures. But besides, forestry is characterized as a significant part of the country's economy. The purpose of the article is to study the role of forest resources in the economic potential of the national economy, to identify the current state and problems of forestry in Ukraine. In the work the attention is paid to the influence of forest resources on logging, hunting, various branches of the wood processing manufacturing, on food, pharmaceutical, energy, and tourism industries, as well as on science, education, and culture. Among other things, the infrastructural, export and international potential of forest ecosystems is highlighted. It is emphasized that irresponsible forest use can lead to catastrophic environmental consequences, including floods, landslides, destruction of buildings and disruption of the balance of ecosystems, etc. For this reason, it is justified that the forestry industry requires a rational and careful approach, as well as compliance with the principles of sustainable forestry. The article lists the pre-war problems of forestry: imperfect distribution of management functions, complications in property rights realization, high level of corruption and illegal activities in forests, shortage of relevant specialists in the field, deterioration of the sanitary condition of forests, lack of incentives for the introduction of nature-saving technologies, etc. A special place is given to the assessment of the impact of a full-scale war on forestry: the occupation of large forest areas, soil and water pollution, a significant increase in the number of fires, mining of territories, illegal felling of trees, stoppage of hunting activities, damage to forest infrastructure, inability to carry out normal forest protection activities, etc. It was concluded that all these problems have an extremely negative impact on the state of Ukraine's forest resources, but the final assessment of damage to forest ecosystems can be established after surveys, which will actually be conducted only after the end of the war. But despite the war, forestry is trying to continue fulfilling its obligations to the national economy and society. Therefore, state, public and international support, implementation of effective management of forest resources are an extremely important tasks in modern conditions.