Forging resilient capital from a scarred landscape:
Climate and ecological action plan for selected communities in the Kyiv region, Ukraine.
● Location: Irpin, Makariv, Borodianka communities, Ukraine● Year: 2025● Type: research of the natural environment, climate and ecological action plan● Client: "Urban Reform"● Deep Eco Team: Anna Yalova, Oleh Bykh
Images source: https://shostka.in.ua/2/
Images source: https://shostka.in.ua/2/
As a result, Deep Eco developed a comprehensive analytical report that includes:
● A SWOT analysis of the community's natural capital;● An evaluation of ecosystem services and biodiversity;● Educational materials to enhance understanding of climate change challenges.
This document provides a solid foundation for local authorities to make informed decisions, plan strategic development, and educate the public on environmental issues. It will also support the creation of biodiversity conservation measures aligned with European standards.
The Shostka project demonstrated that nature is an active participant in a community's economy. This marks the beginning of a transformative journey toward sustainable regional development.
The Bucha Region (Irpin, Makariv, and Borodianka) faced a dual crisis: the acute trauma of war and the chronic, systemic degradation of its natural capital.
Post-war reconstruction presents a single opportunity. The choice was not between rebuilding or ecology. It is between rebuilding on a fragile foundation or engineering a resilient, high-value future.
The "null scenario"—simply continuing current trends—is not stagnation. It is accelerating decline. It guarantees further ecosystem fragmentation, rising climate risks like droughts and floods, and mounting economic losses from crop failure and infrastructure damage. This trajectory fails to attract the stable, long-term international investment needed for recovery.
Deep Eco was engaged to provide the Strategy for Biodiversity Restoration and Ecosystem Services. We delivered a data-driven plan to reverse this decline, transforming ecological liabilities into performing assets.
We also analyzed agroecosystems, which occupy 60% of the community's land. While they are a critical food source, they also contribute to the degradation of natural ecosystems, which provide a far broader range of ecosystem services. Often invisible yet invaluable, wild ecosystems offer services like water purification, flood protection, carbon sequestration, and pest control, which remain underappreciated.
Using GIS analysis, we conducted an in-depth assessment of forest conditions, selected biodiversity parameters, key ecological challenges, and pressures on the natural environment. Our findings were revealing: while the city’s green network preserves ecological resilience, it requires protection and strategic management.
A significant part of our work focused on climate-related risks. We identified urban heat islands and areas vulnerable to potential flooding — critical insights for community climate adaptation efforts.
The project was implemented by NGO "Urban Reform" and NGO "Street Culture Okhtyrka" with the support of the Okhtyrka City Council.