Ukraine's Wartime Forests 

The war in Ukraine is having a devastating impact on the country’s fragile natural environment. Following Russia’s invasion in February 2022 an estimated 40% of conservation areas were occupied, much of them lying along the country’s strategic northern border with Belarus. The Polissky and Drevliansky nature reserves in Ukraine, renowned for their high levels of biodiversity, have been left scarred by a year of conflict in the country. Conservation work has become dangerous and difficult, mines are a constant threat and communication with Belarusian peers has been disrupted. As the threat of a new invasion from Belarus looms, conservationists do what they can to continue their vital work.