Feedback Loop

This project explores the ecological consequences of war in Ukraine, focusing on the forests of the Sumy region — the place where I was born and raised. In autumn 2024, massive fires broke out near my hometown of Khutir-Mykhailivskyi, on the border with Russia, spreading into the Desniansko-Starohutskyi National Nature Park, an area within the active combat zone. Nearly 3 million hectares of Ukrainian forests have been affected by military operations; around 170,000 hectares have burned, and tens of thousands more have been logged in the occupied territories for fortifications. Many forests are now inaccessible due to landmines or proximity to fighting. The destruction of forests has long-term impacts: loss of biodiversity, depletion of water resources, soil erosion, and worsening air quality. Forest fires release vast amounts of carbon dioxide, intensifying the greenhouse effect. This, in turn, accelerates climate change and increases the likelihood of new fires — creating a dangerous “feedback loop” between fire and climate.