Explosive contamination also present significant risk to forested areas in Ukraine, particularly for personnel responsible for land management, environmental protection and emergency response.

In April 2024, Global Clearance Solutions (GCS) delivered customised Provincial Explosive Awareness and Reporting (PEAR) training for the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine, the national authority responsible for managing one of the country's largest natural resources.

Adapting explosiverisk management to nonmine action roles

The PEAR programme was adapted specifically for personnel who are not professional deminers, but who operate regularly in potentially contaminated environments. This includes forestry workers, site managers and supporting emergency personnel whose roles require safe decisionmaking rather than clearance execution.

The training was developed in consultation with government, municipal and oblast authorities, first responders and emergency services to reflect the realities of Ukraine's current explosiverisk landscape.

More than 300 employees of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine are scheduled to complete the training, strengthening risk awareness and reporting capability across a wide geographic area.

Flexible training delivery to match operational demands

To accommodate personnel in critical roles who cannot be released from duty for extended periods, GCS designed the PEAR programme with flexible delivery formats, ranging from fiveday fulltime inperson courses, to condensed two-day digital training modules.

This flexibility allows organisations to integrate explosiverisk awareness into ongoing operations without disrupting essential services.

As Ashley Williams, Senior Business Development Manager at GCS, explains:

"PEAR training was designed to support personnel in critical posts who cannot always step away from their duties. With formats ranging from fulltime courses to short digital sessions, we can ensure that risk awareness and reporting skills reach those who need them most."

From national need to scalable best practice

The PEAR programme has evolved into a scalable riskmanagement model that can be applied beyond traditional mine action settings. Its application within the forestry sector demonstrates how explosivehazard awareness can be integrated into civilian landuse and environmental management.

The programme is supported by DEG Impulse as part of the develoPPP initiative, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

"The support for PEAR has enabled it to develop into a bestpractice model that can be rolled out across regions affected by explosive ordnance," Williams adds.

Supporting safer land use during recovery

By strengthening awareness and reporting at organisational level, PEAR training reduces exposure to explosive risk while clearance activities continue elsewhere. It enables safer planning, protects personnel and supports continued land management and recovery activities in affected regions.

Through customised training solutions such as PEAR, GCS complements clearance operations by helping authorities manage risk responsibly and sustainably during Ukraine's ongoing recovery.