Scientific principles of restoration and management of radioactively contaminated agricultural landscapes of Ukrainian Polissia and their management

Abstract

Goal. To summarize the scientific basis and management of the restoration of the radioactively contaminated agricultural landscapes of the Ukrainian Polissia, taking into account the radiation heritage of the Chornobyl accident, climatic changes, the consequences of Russian military aggression, and European integration requirements as the basis for the formation of a unified national strategy for the rehabilitation of the region in the context of national security. Methods. Analysis of long-term data of radioecological monitoring (1992–2025), GIS-mapping of territories contaminated with radionuclides, cluster analysis and modeling of internal exposure doses using an artificial neural network, optimization of land use structure through the integration of agroecological grouping of lands, levels of contamination with radionuclides, use cases and agricultural production scenarios; a comparative analysis of international experience based on available publications, reports and regulatory documents. Results. Studies conducted in the Ukrainian Polissia for 40 years after the Chornobyl accident showed that the level of 137Cs and 90Sr pollution decreased by more than 50%; the area of safe land reached 90% of the territory. Due to the dependence of the population on local ecosystems, especially forest ones, the risk of radiation exposure remains even after reducing the formal levels of pollution. The developed classification of ecosystems by radioecological criticality, the method of landscape mapping, and the optimized structure of land use provide a transition from general prohibitions to targeted risk management. Climate change is transforming the agrarian specialization of the region, and the war has led to the emergence of new radiation and security threats. Ecosystem services are degraded, while demand for them is growing. The comparative analysis showed the low efficiency of the national rehabilitation model due to the fragmentation of the strategy, underfunding, and outdated regulatory framework. Conclusions. Rehabilitation of Polissia lands is a strategic task of national security, which requires a transition from a conservation paradigm to comprehensive restoration, integrated through the prism of crisis environmental management with the use of assessment of ecosystem services as a tool for strategic planning and fulfillment of European integration obligations.