Sustainable Restoration of Agricultural Landscapes affected by Military Activities
Proceedings of the international research and practice conference
Proceedings of the international research and practice conference “Sustainable Restoration of Agricultural Landscapes affected by Military Activities” 30.09-04.10.2023, online. (2023) Kyiv: Talkom - 71 p. ISBN: 978-966-388-681-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36994/978-966-388-681-7-2023-71
Since 24 of February 2022, military activities following the large-scale invasion of russian troops into Ukrainian territory lead to degradation of agricultural landscapes affecting 20-30 % of Ukrainian territory and 182 900 km2 (during the first 8 months) of arable soil. Main ecosystem damage include soil and water pollution (including Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Сu, Ni, Zn, W), soil
compaction, breaking soil structure and reducing its water holding capacities, mixing and rotating soil layers, creation of craters, increased erosion and desertification, damage to soil life, regional fauna, and natural and semi-natural vegetation that increases effects of droughts and frosts and detrimental impact of climate change on agriculture. Consolidated actions of Ukrainian and international researchers and experts are needed to designing strategies for restoring agricultural landscape with the aims of increasing their multifunctionality and agroecosystem service provisioning capacities, promoting agroecological transition and support small, medium, and family farming, regionalizing green energy production, protecting and increase biodiversity.
Our conference promoted the use of agroforestry, cultivation of bioenergy crops in diversified systems, and the application of microbial biopreparations for accelerated bioremediation, for transition to regenerative and carbon farming, and for increasing regional environmental resilience and economic and energy self-sufficiency. Prioritizing these solutions which are in line to major agrifood strategies in Germany and in the EU is not only important for the European integration of Ukraine, but also for (over)compensating detrimental effects of military activities on carbon emission (31 mln t during the first 7 month) and carbon sequestration (3 mln ha of affected forests).
The aim of our conference is to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking between Ukrainian, German, and international researchers and experts and to present approaches and tools for sustainable landscape restoration to the range of institutions and initiatives involved in the restoration projects in Ukraine.