Using model forests as a form of balanced forestry in Ukraine

The relevance of the research topic is prompted by the need to improve the practical instruments of forest management and make them in line with the principles of sustainable development. The research is aimed at facilitating the implementation of environmental, social and economic functions of forest ecosystems in a long-term perspective. The study made use of the following methods: systemic structural analysis, clustering and comparative analysis to identify groups of administrative areas that correspond to certain strategic areas of sustainable forestry. The research is based on cybernetic modeling which helps determining the strategic zones of sustainable forestry. The stages of creating model forests were defined alongside formulating economic, organizational, social and environmental aspects of forest management. The methodology envisages grouping of administrative districts on the basis of a number of factors, including the percentage of forest land, social and economic indicators prompted. The methodology was implemented when analysing official data from several administrative districts in the Zhytomyr region. Several scenarios of sustainable forestry were detailed for each group of administrative districts. Three strategic options were pursued: 1) preserving the viability of forest ecosystems in Ukraine, 2) contributing to the welfare of Ukrainians, 3) ensuring economic development of the forestry sector. It follows from the research that the model forest is a powerful form of cost-effective business interaction in the process of sustainable development that shall bring into action the conservation of nature, provision of comfortable living conditions for territorial communities as well as the most capital-productive utilization of forest resources.