Forest Restoration and Reliable Timber Supply: What the New Cabinet of Ministers Resolution Means
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted the Resolution "On Amendments to Certain Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Regarding the Regulation of Timber Harvesting." The document updates the rules governing forest management, introduces selected European approaches to sustainable forestry, and aims to address several long-standing practical challenges that have affected the supply of raw materials to the woodworking and furniture industries.
The resolution was developed over a period of more than five months. Its preparation involved experts from the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, the Wood Industry UA Economic Platform, specialists from the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, representatives of the woodworking and furniture industries, and environmental organizations. The draft resolution was also subject to public consultation in the spring of 2026 before being revised to incorporate stakeholder feedback.
For furniture manufacturers, timber availability has become an issue that extends far beyond forestry itself. Stable access to raw materials directly affects production planning, export commitments, factory utilization, employment, and the development of domestic value-added processing.
According to the explanatory notes accompanying the resolution, its primary objective is to ensure the supply of timber to meet the needs of Ukraine's economy, public sector, citizens, and Armed Forces during martial law while maintaining the principles of sustainable forest management.
At the same time, the resolution does not weaken environmental standards. Instead, it establishes the legal framework for a gradual transition toward close-to-nature forestry — an approach that has been successfully implemented across many European Union countries.
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of practical mechanisms for implementing close-to-nature forestry. In particular, oak, beech, and fir forests in the Carpathians will increasingly be managed through shelterwood harvesting with clearly defined technical parameters, replacing clear-cutting where appropriate.
The resolution also introduces more precise criteria for selecting trees for harvesting, establishes minimum stand density requirements, and regulates the use of technological corridors to reduce soil disturbance and damage to remaining trees during harvesting operations.
Another important set of changes concerns forests affected by the war and deteriorating forest health. Damage caused by military actions is now officially recognized as grounds for sanitary logging. The approval procedures for such operations have also been simplified, and the documentation process has been updated.
The resolution additionally introduces a new forestry measure known as sparse forest harvesting, creating a legal mechanism for restoring degraded and low-productivity forest stands that previously could not be managed under existing regulations.
Administrative procedures have also been streamlined. For example, technical errors in electronic logging permits can now be corrected without requiring the entire permitting process to be repeated.
One of the most important provisions for the woodworking and furniture sectors concerns timber obtained through clear sanitary harvesting. During martial law and for one year after its termination, this timber will no longer be counted toward the allowable annual harvesting limit.
According to industry experts, this measure could increase the legal supply of timber without changing the fundamental principles of sustainable forest management.
Yurii Diuh, Coordinator of the Wood Industry UA Economic Platform at the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, also highlights several practical improvements introduced by the resolution. These include removing legal obstacles to sanitary harvesting in commercial forests, allowing harvesting decisions to be based on field inspection reports instead of waiting for the next forest inventory cycle, simplifying procedures in war-damaged forests, enabling faster responses to bark beetle infestations and forest diseases, reducing the documentation required for sanitary logging approvals, and introducing a clear mechanism for correcting technical errors in electronic logging permits.
According to preliminary industry estimates, the adopted changes could increase commercial timber harvesting by approximately 500,000 to 900,000 cubic metres annually, primarily in the northern and north-western regions of Ukraine.
Importantly, the new resolution is not solely focused on increasing timber harvesting volumes. Its broader objective is to balance the needs of the economy with environmental requirements while aligning Ukraine's forestry practices with modern European standards.
For furniture manufacturers, this represents more than improved access to raw materials. It also signals the gradual development of a more predictable and transparent regulatory framework for the forestry sector, providing greater certainty for production planning, investment decisions, and export growth.
This article is based on information provided by the Wood Industry UA Economic Platform, comments by its Coordinator Yurii Diuh, and materials published by the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine regarding the development and adoption of the respective Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
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