Goal. To investigate the dynamics of processes of damage and loss of forests and forest plantations from pests and forest diseases, the dependence of these processes on the scope of protection forest, primarily biological, but also to determine the prospects of biological method of protection in the context of Ukraine’s transition to sustainable forest management. Methods. Analytical, economic and statistical, comparative analysis, graphics, mapping. Results. A study is carried out of the prevalence of diseases and injuries of forests in Ukraine caused by pests, methods of forest protection and the practice of their application showed a sharp increase in losses of trees from harmful insects and forest diseases. The proportion of losses was reached in some years (2013, 2015) 48–49% of the total loss of the forest. The vast areas of forest destruction are 4–5 times more as compared to 1995–2000, with a general decline in the use of means of forest protection from pests and diseases primarily biological. In 1995, the forest protection was carried out for 68.9% of the area of foci of pests and diseases of forests, of which with the use of biological agents — 78,9%, in 2000–2005 — just 39% of the affected areas. In 2010, the area in which such activities were carried out to protect the forests, did not exceed 12–18% of the area affected by pests and diseases. And in the last 3 years, they decreased to 4–5%. Moreover, the area of application of the biological control agents decreased by almost 7–8 times. Conclusions. Ukraine should return to a positive experience in the use of environmentally safe methods of plant protection based on the new technological and organizational basis. Scholars and practitioners must develop an effective and safe model of protection of forests from diseases and pests, as well as the overall long-term strategy for biological and integrated methods of plant protection, in particular on forests, support mechanisms and preferences for biological protection method for a gradual transition to environmentally sound technologies of forest tending and forest plantations.