Eight new recreational areas will be created in the forests of the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions

In 2026, eight new "Lisovychok" recreational sites are planned to be built in the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. Once the work is completed, there will be a total of 30 such recreational sites operating in the southern region.

This was reported by the “Southern Forest Office” branch of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.”

Five new recreational sites will be established near the busiest highways, and three more will be located near settlements where local residents traditionally spend their leisure time in the forest. All new “Lesovychky” will be established in the coniferous forests of Mykolaiv and Odesa regions, which are among the most fire-prone.

According to foresters, such recreational sites help concentrate the flow of visitors in specially designated areas, which reduces litter in the forests and the risk of fires.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: Southern Forest Office

The office cited the example of the Balovno-Matviivka forest tract near the Matviivka neighborhood in Mykolaiv. Between 2023 and 2024, 12 forest fires occurred there. After the “Lisovychok” recreational center opened in late 2024, only one fire was recorded in this forest area in 2025.

By the end of 2026, there are also plans to develop two more modern family recreation areas on the outskirts of Mykolaiv.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: Southern Forest Office

The “Lisovychok” recreational centers are equipped with gazebos, playgrounds, sports fields, parking lots, and restroom facilities. The “Southern Forest Office” emphasizes that such facilities not only create comfortable conditions for recreation but also help protect forests from fires.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: Southern Forest Office

Recently, the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against the former head of a forestry enterprise. The official is accused of official negligence, which led to the misuse of 32 hectares of forest land.

Earlier, in the Odesa region,the head ofa municipal enterprise was suspected of organizing the mass logging of green spaces instead of restoring them. According to the investigation, the official’s illegal actions caused hundreds of thousands of hryvnias in damages to the community and the environment.

Андрій Колісніченко