A memorial woodland was created near Holoby to honor engineer-energy specialist Bohdan Kostyuchyk and foresters killed in the war, sparking plans for a twin forest in Latvia.
In the Holobska community in Volyn region, foresters and volunteers from Latvia joined the creation of an international ‘Forest of Memory’ dedicated to Bogdan Kostyuchyk, the energy engineer of the Kovel Forestry, and to all foresters who died during the war.
“In the territory of the Holobska community of the Kovel district, together with foresters of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’, their colleagues from Latvia, Latvian volunteers, and Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko, they laid a Forest of Memory in honor of the engineer-energy specialist of the Kovel Forestry of the State Enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’, who died as a result of enemy shelling, as well as all fallen foresters,” the statement says.
– statement
According to Romanyuk, the forest was planted with pine and oak, and separately two trees – a viburnum and a linden – were planted, which symbolize Ukraine and Latvia.
Next week a similar Forest of Memory will appear in Latvia. The Volyn foresters will travel there to, together with their Latvian colleagues, lay another memorial forest.
According to the Polissia Forest Office, the ‘Forest of Memory’ was planted in honor of the warrior-forester Bogdan Kostyuchyk, who died on June 28, 2023 during an enemy shelling.
The State Forestry Agency of Ukraine reported that in 2025, 25.9 thousand hectares of forests were restored, which is 6.2% above the planned target.
The ‘Forest of Memory’ project emphasizes international cooperation and memory of those who gave their lives to defend forests and the country, and calls for joint initiatives in the future.