The state and main problems of afforestation in Ukraine

In Ukraine level of arable lands is the highest in the world. Intensive exploitation of agricultural lands has led to their degradation. Degradation processes are associated with the erosion and compaction of soil as well as its salinization and pollution. One of the most effective tools that contribute to reducing the intensity of land degradation is withdrawal from service of degraded and unproductive lands and their transformation into forests and grasslands. The strategic objective of forestry in Ukraine in the near future is to optimize percentage of forest land of the country up to level of 20 %. To do this, on an area of about 3 million hectares, it is necessary to create forest stands. We have analyzed statistical materials of afforestation in Ukraine for the period 2010-2014 ( within the implementation of the State special program « Forests of Ukraine » for 2010-2015 years) and 2016-2018 years as well as the results of scientific research on the assessment of forest vegetation potential of low-yield lands, particularly the complex of saline soils, transmitted under afforestation to Poltava Regional Directorate of Forestry and Hunting . It is shown that in Ukraine the total area of accepted but non-forested lands is 44777 ha, and 96.9 % of this area falls on forestry enterprises of the Steppe zone. Taking root and especially the survival of 1-3 year-old forests created during the afforestation are very low – 66.4 % and 60.9 % accordingly. It is proved that afforestation of low-yield lands, in particular floodplain and non-floodplain habitats, which are with high probability presented by saline soils must be preceded by examination with the aim of determining the level of their forest suitability and in general the expediency of afforestation. A number of issues are outlined, the solution of which will increase the efficiency of afforestation and will contribute to bringing the forest cover of Ukraine to the optimal level. Keywords: low-yield lands, afforestation, forest suitability of soils, taking root and survival of forest crops.