Fundraising appeal for Ukrainian National Forestry University

Please help us raise funds to support the Ukrainian National Forestry University (UNFU) in Lviv. The brave staff and students have suffered the devastating loss of colleagues, friends and family, but continue to work and learn while enduring regular missile strikes in their war torn country.

The Scottish School of Forestry is dedicated to:

• Raising funds to help the UNFU continue to educate its students amid the devastation of war
• Creating a lasting partnership with UNFU through forestry education, research and outreach
• Supporting their students' learning through online classes with our lecturers, students and industry experts, to share information about the forestry sectors in both countries.

More than 40 employees and students at the UNFU are currently fighting in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and seven people from the university have already been killed.

The UNFU, the only forestry and wood technology provider in Ukraine, has adapted its teaching to provide hybrid learning to allow more than 4,500 students to continue their studies. These future foresters will be needed to support and rebuild their country and we need your help to support them.

One of the most urgent matters is providing technical support to supply heat and power to allow staff and students to continue to teach and learn.

The Scottish School of Forestry has a fundraising target of ;€85,300 (£73,000) to support the UNFU to maintain their learning environment for their students by:

• Replacing an old and damaged heating system - €20,000
• Heat pumps x 3 units - €47,000
• Mobile solar power electricity generators - €18,300

Mykola Borys, Vice Rector for Educational Work and International Relations at the UNFU, said:

"The educational process is regularly interrupted due to the power outages and massive destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The university organises on-campus studies with anxiety and fears due to the security reasons. Lviv, like other Ukrainian cities, experiences constant attacks by Russian missiles and drones. The last deadly attack took place on July 6 at a distance of 1000 meters from the UNFU and took the lives of 10 city residents, and more than 40 people were injured. Therefore, classes are constantly interrupted by air raids alarms, during which students and faculty members are forced to go to the shelters."

Dr Euan Bowditch, Scottish School of Forestry lecturer and researcher, said:

"It’s hard to imagine war, fighting, missile attacks and the constant threat of something happening at any time: not knowing when you wake up in the morning what the news might bring. I am absolutely amazed at the pragmatism and strength of the Ukraine people.

"We really want to help the UNFU in any way we can and help them to continue their efforts to educate and teach. I hope that we raise the €85,000 very quickly and, beyond this, provide education and technological support to enhance their education delivery and develop shared resources, collaborations and a beneficial relationship that will support the UNFU in rebuilding after the war. This is a priority and the Scottish School of Forestry at UHI Inverness is committed to engaging the UK forestry industry and beyond to create a supportive network.”

Mr Borys continued:

"Like many other state institutions, UNFU today faces financial difficulties, as a result of which the university is unable to invest in infrastructure and update the heating systems. For the functioning of the university and ensuring work in the new winter semester, it is extremely important to have alternative sources of energy for the operation of heating systems. Looking to the future, UNFU staff and students see uncertainty, and therefore we ask for help and support of the university in this difficult time. Your partnership, moral and financial support, assistance with equipment or materials is an extremely important contribution to the support of forestry education and science in Ukraine."