Characteristics of the Forest Fund of Ukrainian Polissia

The study examines the spatial and forestry structure of the Ukrainian Polissia forest fund based on forest management materials from four branches of the State Specialised Forest Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine»: «Poliskyi Forest Office», «Pivnichnyi Forest Office», «Stolychnyi Forest Office» and «Podilskyi Forest Office». The methodology included several stages: spatial analysis using GIS tools and forest management materials to determine administrative units within the natural zone of Polissia; creation of a database based on key taxation indicators (species composition, forest site conditions, forest stand origin, age class, forest site conditions class); analytical summarisation of the structure of forests by administrative units. The study determined that natural forests predominate (52% of the area), but their share varies by region. The dominant species is Scots pine, which occupies approximately 63% of the total area. A high mosaic pattern of forest site conditions was identified, with a predominance of fairly poor and fairly rich forest types site conditions. The structure is dominated by high-level site conditions class plantations (class I and above, 58% of the area). Certain patterns were identified in the forest inventory structure, which are associated with an increase in the continentality of the climate from west to east, namely: an increase in the proportion of artificial plantations, a change in the predominance of moist and wet hygrotypes to fresh ones, a decrease in the proportion of softwood species in the composition, an increase in forest productivity, and an increase in the proportion of maturing and mature tree stands. The results of the study can be used to optimise forest resource management, develop regional strategies for sustainable forest use and preserve the ecosystem stability of the Polissia forests