CONCEPT FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES IN UKRAINE

Elaboration and adoption of the "Concept for the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources in Ukraine" were caused by the need to define the strategic goals and objectives, methodological, methodical, organizational principles and techniques for conservation of forest genetic resources in Ukraine on a nationwide scale. The development of the Concept aims at providing stable functioning of forest ecosystems today and in the future, preserving the potential of forests for producing of their unique set of economic, environmental and social benefits. The use of the document will serve as the basis for developing of new and improving the existing legislative, departmental and administrative regulations that provide different aspects of biodiversity conservation in forests – programs, regulations, guidelines, directives, recommendations, etc. In the Concept, which is developed in Ukraine for the first time, characterized are the topicality and the necessity for conservation of forest genetic resources, the classification of factors that endanger the genetic diversity of forest tree species is described, legal basis of the process for conserving forest genetic resources is analyzed, the methods and strategy of genetic variability of forest tree species conservation are reported, attention was paid to the benefits from sustainable use of forest genetic resources, also here were indicated the necessity of scientific support of this process and outlined ways of implementing this concept.