Local Communities

Project Aim and Objectives

The aim of the project is to create new and restore damaged shelterbelts, raise awareness among communities and farmers about their importance, and provide knowledge and practical experience in their maintenance.

Relevance of Shelterbelts for Ukraine

Given that agricultural landscapes occupy a significant portion of Ukraine’s territory, and the agricultural sector is a vital part of GDP, the ecosystem services provided by shelterbelts are extremely important for the country. Shelterbelts perform the following functions:

• Regulation of the microclimate, reducing wind speed, increasing air humidity, and protecting the soil from overheating.
• Creating habitats for birds, pollinators, and other animals, thus supporting biodiversity conservation.
• Preventing natural disasters and reducing damage to agricultural crops.
• Reducing the spread of pests and diseases by increasing the ecological resilience of agricultural landscapes.
• Protecting soil from water erosion, filtering surface runoff, and retaining moisture.
• Increasing yields and carbon sequestration, among other benefits.

Challenges and the Need for Project Implementation

The primary idea of the project is to restore space for wildlife through the creation of shelterbelts, since the level of arable land in some regions of Ukraine reaches 80–95%. There are no alternative tools in Ukraine for soil protection, microclimate improvement, or defence against dust storms. According to the WORLD BANK GROUP, the level of arable land in Ukraine is about 57%, while in EU countries this figure averages 25%. Nevertheless, even under different climatic conditions in the EU, shelterbelt systems and agroforestry are actively developing.

Historically, Ukraine has lacked shelterbelts sufficient for the full protection of agricultural land. In 2012, the area of shelterbelts was 446.1 thousand hectares (1.3% of arable land), while the scientifically justified need is 3–4% (at least an additional 580,000 hectares of shelterbelts are needed).

Project Team Activities and Achievements

The “Shelterbelts of Life” project team has resumed its activities, focusing on the creation of new shelterbelts. The project has received support from various offices of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, local communities, and farming enterprises.

Given the limited financial resources of communities, the project team organises shelterbelt planting events and provides the necessary equipment and machinery (spades, cultivators, motor augers, wood chippers, etc.).

The team adheres to a scientific approach in shelterbelt planting, actively involving leading experts from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine.

Educational Initiatives

An important aspect of shelterbelt planting is the subsequent care of the plants, which is why our environmental project has been supplemented with educational initiatives. With financial support from the project, a certified course “Nursery Production, Restoration, and Agroforestry” was launched at NULES of Ukraine in collaboration with the “Peli can live” charity foundation. The course is designed for both professionals and those without a specialised background. The first five graduates have already completed the course with grant support. A new group is planned for the spring semester.

Collaboration with Communities

The foundation is establishing cooperation with local communities, involving them and official bodies in the shelterbelt restoration process. Given the lack of relevant knowledge and experience in communities, the “Shelterbelts of Life” project has become a connecting link between communities, farmers, and scientists.

Completed Projects and Results

During the autumn 2024 – spring 2025 season, shelterbelts were planted in the Hirska, Bilohorodska, and Studenykivska communities of Kyiv region, as well as in Dnipropetrovsk region (together with the “Sura-Agro” farming enterprise). In total, shelterbelts with a length of 3.06 km over an area of 2.38 hectares were created, 4,750 common oak acorns were sown, and 4,352 seedlings and saplings of more than 20 species of trees and shrubs were planted. These include lime, maple, walnut, rowan, viburnum, hawthorn, fir, pear, apple, cherry, lilac, currant, forsythia, spirea, dogwood, barberry, quince, bird cherry, and rosehip. In the Hirska community, the “Alley of the Unbroken” was established with Ginkgo biloba, variegated jasmine, and forsythia.

In the autumn 2025 – spring 2026 season, new shelterbelts were planted in the Korostyshivska and Studenykivska communities, and a shelterbelt was restored in the Bila Tserkva district together with the “Mriya” farming enterprise. The total area of new plantations is 2.19 hectares, with a length of 3.24 km, using 4,324 seedlings and saplings.

The nearest plans include planting shelterbelts in the Sursko-Lytovska community of Dnipropetrovsk region and on the border of the “Tuzly Lagoons” National Nature Park.

Maintenance of Shelterbelts and Further Development

Project participants undertake to care for the planted shelterbelts (the relevant obligations are recorded in memoranda and agreements). The project team provides communities with advisory support. Identified risks highlight the importance of further education for participants.

Some plants for planting are purchased, while others are provided by the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine. A mini-nursery has been established at NULES, and plans are underway to create a nursery in Odesa region together with the “Tuzly Lagoons” National Nature Park. This is important to ensure the supply of planting material adapted to local soil and climatic conditions.

Project Features

A distinctive feature of the “Shelterbelts of Life” project is the exclusive use of local species of trees and shrubs that have long grown in Ukraine, with the aim of supporting local ecosystems and preventing the use of invasive species.

The “Shelterbelts of Life” project will continue to be developed by the Foundation, NULES, and ING Bank as the project’s financial partner. We plan to involve other local communities in tree planting, expand educational programmes, and engage farming enterprises.