FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AS ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC ASSETS IN THE SYSTEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

The study comprehensively analyses the evolution of the scientific concept of forest ecosystem services in the context of the transition from traditional resource-oriented approaches to contemporary models of natural capital valuation. The theoretical foundations underlying the understanding of ecosystem services as an integral outcome of forest ecosystem functioning, combining ecological, social, and economic benefits for society, are examined. The relevance of interpreting forest ecosystem services as economic assets capable of generating long-term value, forming stable financial flows, and serving as an instrument for enhancing the economic resilience of the forest sector is substantiated. Based on the synthesis of international theoretical and methodological frameworks and the analysis of national experience, the key challenges in implementing an economic accounting system for ecosystem services in Ukrainian forest management practice are identified. Particular attention is paid to institutional, methodological, and legal constraints that hinder the monetization as well as capitalization of non-resource forest functions, including regulating and cultural services. Promising directions for the development of an ecosystem-oriented forest management model are defined, which envisage the systematic integration of ecosystem services into the mechanisms of strategic planning, financial management, and economic accounting of forestry activities. This model is based on viewing forest ecosystems not merely as a source of resource-based products, but as multifunctional economic assets capable of generating long-term societal and financial value. It is demonstrated that the implementation of these approaches provides a methodological foundation for the capitalization of regulating as well as cultural forest ecosystem services, the development of new financial instruments, and the diversification of income sources within the forest sector. Special attention is given to adapting this model to the conditions of Ukraine’s post-war recovery, particularly in the context of assessing environmental losses, substantiating compensation mechanisms, attracting climate finance, and achieving sustainable development goals at the national and regional levels.