Ukrainians ponder environmental future.

The legacy of the Soviet Union's industrial development has left the region's newly independent countries with many ecological problems. Ukraine, with its vast mines and industrial complexes, is no exception. A four-day workshop there in September looked at ways to rehabilitate the environment within the constraints of Ukraine's current economic difficulties.

AMERICAN FORESTS' Gerald Gray and John Falconer joined officials from government, health and environmental sciences, and local citizen's groups for the Nature Use workshop. Experts described the region's environmental decline, air and water pollution caused by mining, the economic effects of environmental damage, and reforestation efforts at mining sites. Gray and Falconer contributed their experience in environmental policy, citizen involvement, and forestry. Participants toured the region to see firsthand mining's effect on the environment. The workshop concluded with roundtable discussions on new approaches to environmental protection--"cleaner" technology, reforestation of degraded lands, and increased citizen involvement. To begin the "green" effort, trees were planted along the Saksahan River. "This may be the most important result of our meeting," one participant commented.

The workshop was sponsored by the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine, a partner in AMERICAN FORESTS' Global ReLeaf International network. AMERICAN FORESTS' presence there was made possible by support from the U.S. Agency for International Development through The Eurasia Foundation.