REIMAGINING FOREST POLICY, INSTITUTIONS AND INSTRUMENTS THROUGH CONCEPTS OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND SOCIAL INNOVATIONS: A FOCUS ON UKRAINE

Abstract

The reality of forest sector in Ukraine doesn't correspond fully to high societal expectations. The issues of illegal logging and corruption, management of multiple ecosystem services, the recent ban on round wood export, a lack of transparency have become a concern not only for NGOs but also for mass-media and local communities. It has caused an increase of forest conflicts and worsening of the attitudes towards forestry profession. Institutional transformations in the sector have started and positive trends are observed, but the rules of the game have not changed substantially so far. Additionally, administrative and financial decentralization has not been achieved. Forest policy is strongly state-oriented and follows a top-down approach of organization, although public boards have been introduced to advise regional and central offices of the Agency of Forest Resources. There is a lack of policy coordination and weak cross-sectoral coordination. Although market instruments have been increasingly applied and certification efforts have been intensified, there is still room for deliberately involving governmental, civil society and private sector actors. Analysis of laws, governmental programs and its practical implementation shows that previous policies and strategies did not take into account full range of ecosystem services and the climate change implications on forest management. The evolution of forest policy as a science and as a process is analysed from different perspectives. It is concluded that the principles of ecological economics should be considered as a theoretical foundation for the creation of effective international, national and regional forest policies. The conditions defined would promote that forest policy would correspond to societal expectations. Especial attention is paid to policiy development which integrate ecosystem services in decision-making and stimulate social innovation to overcome the government and market failures.

Keywords

• national forest policy
• forest governance
• forest ecosystem services
• communities
• ecological economics