Conservation policies and management in the Ukrainian Emerald Network have maintained reforestation rate despite the war

Abstract The Russian-Ukrainian War, ongoing since 2014, impacts an area containing Emerald Network environmental-protection sites created through the implementation of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Here we explore the impact of this conflict on institutional links supporting environmental sustainability and conservation efforts. Using satellite data, we analyzed tree cover changes in the Luhansk region’s Emerald Network protected areas from 1996 to 2020. The results reveal that the implementation of Bern Convention conservation policies led to a shift from deforestation (−4% each) to reforestation (+8% and +10%) on both sides of the Emerald Network divided by the demarcation line in 2014. It also shows that despite the war, territories under Ukraine control after 2014 continued reforestation (+9%), while sites under Russian control experienced dramatic forest loss (−25%). These findings emphasize the significant consequences of warfare-induced separation of local institutions on conservation areas and underscore the positive impact of the Emerald Network establishment, both before and after the conflict’s onset.