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Ukraine’s forests, already under pressure from climate change and commercial exploitation, have suffered further degradation due to war-related deterioration, fires, and increased risks of illegal logging or overuse. In this lecture, Ganna Lobchenko will discuss how de-mining and reforestation efforts are intertwined in the country’s ecological recovery. Drawing on her extensive experience, Ganna will highlight projects restoring shelterbelts in agroforestry landscapes, strengthening forest resilience, and developing the Digital Platform for Ukrainian Forest Restoration, an innovative tool to guide restoration efforts. She will also share WWF’s broader mission and practical approaches to advancing nature-based solutions, agroforestry value chains, and forest policy reforms in post-war Ukraine.

Speakers:

Ganna Lobchenko

Senior Forest Expert, WWF-Ukraine

Regional Forest Coordinator, WWF Central and Eastern Europe

Dr. Lobchenko leads work on forest restoration, close-to-nature forestry, and nature-based solutions, and currently heads the development of the Digital Platform for Ukrainian Forest Restoration. Her projects range from post-demining restoration of shelterbelts in agroforestry landscapes to advancing agroforestry value chains and strengthening forest resilience. She actively contributes to international policy dialogues and expert fora on restoration, agroforestry, and sustainable forest management including initiatives such as Seven Reasons to Invest in Agroforestry for Post-War Reconstruction and Reform Efforts in Ukraine. Alongside her WWF work, she is an Associate Professor at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine.

Yuliya Dzyuban (moderator)

Assistant Professor,

MS in Sustainable Environmental Systems, Pratt Institute GCPE

Yuliya’s work contributes to developing solutions targeting heat in urban areas to enhance resilience and livability in the context of climate change, urbanization, and inequity. Her research has taken her to some of the hottest cities globally, including Singapore, Phoenix, and Hermosillo, contributing to local design and planning policies. In NYC she is engaging with local communities by mapping and recording lived experiences of heat to co-develop solutions that could alleviate the heat burden and support advocacy towards infrastructure and policy changes. Yuliya teaches courses on Urban Heat Management and Microclimate Assessment for Urban Design, equipping students with the necessary skills to tackle complex urban systems challenges. She is a member of the NYC Panel on Climate Change, working on the Fifth Climate Assessment Report, specifically exploring the relationships between the extreme heat, people, infrastructure, and natural systems.

Event partner:

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World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) mission is to halt the degradation of the planet’s natural systems and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. This can be achieved by preserving the planet’s biodiversity; rational use of natural resources; reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF has been implementing projects in Ukraine for over 20 years. Since 2019, we have been operating as the national office of WWF-Ukraine. The main task of the Ukrainian team of the fund is to preserve the country's priceless natural resources, promote the restoration of the environment from the effects of war, adaptation to climate change, and the introduction of effective and sustainable approaches to natural resource management that will support current and future generations.

This event is co-sponsored by:

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The Master of Science in Sustainable Environmental Systems (SES) is one of the nation’s most innovative, interdisciplinary, systems-based sustainability programs. This STEM certified degree program is designed to meet today’s increasing demand for environmental professionals, uniquely combining environmental science, sustainable design, and climate policy. Students learn the interdisciplinary skills and systems-thinking approach needed to assess contemporary environmental issues; catalyze innovative environmental problem-solving; uphold environmental and social justice; and engage diverse stakeholders in designing and developing sustainable communities.

We also offer an Advanced Certificate (9 credits)!

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Faced with climate change, systemic racism, and growing inequity, communities need forward-thinking approaches to urbanism now more than ever. Practice-based and rooted deeply in the network of communities we serve, our alliance of four graduate-level programs works to address these evolving threats, working in partnership to build asset-based solutions at the intersection of environment, equity, culture, and economy.

We see the design, planning, and management of the built environment as tools for addressing the critical issues of our time—from social justice to the climate crisis. As a student at the School of Architecture, you’ll build the skills and knowledge you need to respond to these complex and evolving challenges in a uniquely versatile, innovative, and ethical way. As you do, our goal is to prepare you to lead a life of consequence within each discipline, both today and beyond.

Cover image by Kasturi Salvi & Leonel L. Ponce, with original photograph by: HALO Project

Contact the host of Ganna Lobchenko: Nature-based Solutions for Ukraine's Recovery