Ukraine has intensified penalties for mushroom picking and tree cutting: here's what offenders can face.

Last week, the Verkhovna Rada approved a document with 242 votes that strengthens both criminal and administrative liability for illegal logging. Additionally, bill №9665 significantly increased fines for the illegal collection of natural resources.

The Verkhovna Rada reported that the Code of Administrative Offenses (КУоАП) is supplemented by a new article 652, while the Criminal Code of Ukraine will feature a new article 2461. Thus, the adopted changes, according to the deputies, will allow for a more effective adherence to the principle of differentiating penalties for offenses of varying severity.

How Offenders Will Be Punished

The extent of liability will depend on the damage inflicted on forests:

• for illegal logging, damage, or destruction of trees or shrubs causing significant harm — from 34,000 to 85,000 hryvnias or restriction or deprivation of liberty for up to three years;
• repeated offenses or prior conspiracy — from 85,000 to 170,000 hryvnias;
• the aforementioned actions committed in protected areas — up to 170,000 hryvnias;
• causing severe consequences as a result of the above actions — from 255,000 to 425,000 hryvnias;
• punishment for illegal logging of trees during martial law — up to 10 years of imprisonment;
• illegal harvesting of reeds — from 34,000 to 85,000 hryvnias;
• illegal logging, damage to forest crops, and young growth — from 3,400 to 5,500 hryvnias;
• for transporting, storing, or selling trees, shrubs, or timber without documents confirming the legality of their logging — from 510 to 1,020 hryvnias, and for officials, up to 5,100 hryvnias.
• for unauthorized haymaking and grazing livestock on state forest fund lands, as well as harvesting reeds, unauthorized collection of fruits, nuts, mushrooms, and berries — from 425 to 850 hryvnias.

Previously, the fine for the latter offense ranged from 17 to 21 hryvnias.

We remind you that on October 7, it was reported that a huge ram's mushroom from the Red Book of Ukraine was found in Chernihiv region. Scientists noted that the mushroom is not very common in the region. It is mainly found in old pine forest areas in the western regions of Ukraine.