Everyone knows the crucial role forests play: they are not only the lungs of our planet but also regulate temperature, prevent erosion processes, and stabilize the natural environment. However, throughout their existence, forests are exposed to many negative factors, among which pests and diseases occupy a significant place.
The forests of Ukraine grow in three forest vegetation zones: Polissya, Forest-Steppe, and Steppe. It is known that artificially created forests growing at the edge of their range (southern and eastern regions of Ukraine) are most susceptible to negative factors. One of the most pressing tasks in forest management in these regions has always been and remains forest protection.
The forest protection service traces its origins to the late 19th century. I.Ya. Shevyrjov, a graduate of Kharkiv University, made a significant contribution to the development of forest protection foundations by developing and organizing all practical activities for combating forest pests. It seems symbolic that many scientific works on forest protection are connected with the forests of Kharkiv region, where prominent scientists such as A.G. Illinsky, D.F. Rudnev, and others conducted their research. It was in the forests of Kharkiv region that the first trials of the aerial-chemical method of forest protection were conducted, and scientific works laid the foundation for domestic forest protection.
In 1981, on the initiative of the director of UkrNDILGA Institute P.S. Pasternak and head of the forest protection department Y.D. Avramenko, with the support of the Ministry of Forestry of Ukraine (Minister V.D. Baytala), the first station for combating forest pests and diseases was organized in Kharkiv region, which began operating on April 1, 1982. It was headed by V.I. Kucherevanko.
In 1990, the interregional station was reorganized into "Kharkiv Specialized Forest Protection Enterprise," which included a biological laboratory for the production of viral insecticides for forest protection. The operational area of Kharkiv Specialized Forest Protection Enterprise included forest plantations in Donetsk, Poltava, Sumy, Luhansk, and Kharkiv regions. Today, 7 forest protection enterprises (SSE "Kharkivlisozakhyst", SSE "Kyivlisozakhyst", SSE "Vinnytsiallisozakhyst", SSE "Ivano-Frankivsklisozakhyst", SSE "Lvivlisozakhyst", SSE "Krymlisozakhyst", SSE "Khersonlisozakhyst") provide monitoring of the most dangerous forest pests and diseases in Ukraine.
Since 1991, "Kharkivlisozakhyst" has been conducting work on developing and improving technologies for protecting forest plantations from needle- and leaf-eating forest pests using an adjustable dispersion aerosol generator (GARD-MN), as well as methods of integrated protection of forest plantations from pests, diseases, and weeds.