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On October 25, 2025, as part of the GORO REFOREST DAY environmental initiative, more than 45,000 tree saplings were planted across nearly 10 hectares at eight locations in the Lviv region, including sites in the Carpathian Mountains.
During the event, GORO signed a 15-year memorandum of partnership with the municipal forestry enterprise Halychyna Forestry (“Halsillis”), aimed at planting one million trees in the Lviv Carpathians. The initiative will help restore ecosystems while laying the foundation for sustainable tourism and community development.
Around 200 participants joined the effort, including teams from GORO, OKKO Group, the OKKO filling station network, the Slavske community, the Stryi District Administration, the Lviv Regional Military Administration, and forestry specialists from Halsillis. The autumn 2025 reforestation campaign covered eight forestry units across the region: Busk, Slavske, Zhovkva, Radekhiv, Drohobych, Kamianka-Buzka, Stryi, and Skole. The future forest is primarily composed of fir, larch, and pine—species well adapted to the local climate and already forming the backbone of the new ecosystem.
GORO REFOREST DAY is part of a broader environmental program focused on restoring the forests and natural heritage of the Carpathian Mountains. The initiative is being implemented as part of the long-term sustainability strategy of the future mountain resort. Earlier this spring, the GORO team planted 2,000 saplings across 2 hectares near the future resort site in the Volosianka forestry area. In addition, members of Ukraine’s national biathlon team planted a dedicated tree alley together with GORO this autumn.
“We are developing the resort within a living mountain ecosystem, and it is essential for us to integrate organically into the natural environment of the Carpathians and the life of the Slavske community. Tree planting is a symbol of renewal. Just as we aim to give new life to this land, its villages, and its community, we also want to restore the forests that will remain long after us,”said Vasyl Danyliak, co-founder of GORO and CEO of OKKO Group.
“Our 15-year partnership with GORO is the first of its kind for our enterprise in the Lviv region. This collaboration not only restores forests, but also fosters environmental awareness and strengthens the tourism appeal of the Carpathians. We operate within designated reforestation areas, and it is important to involve more businesses and communities in such efforts,”said Ivan Pidhorodetskyi, Acting CEO of Halsillis.
“The environmental program is a key pillar of GORO’s vision as a year-round resort. We are not simply building on this land—we are engaging with nature and the local ecosystem, which we aim to preserve, develop, and enhance. Our partnership with Halsillis is especially important, as together we contribute to reforestation in the Carpathians. Beyond this, GORO also sees its role in working with the Slavske community to clean and improve local water bodies, including implementing river waste collection systems,”added Rostyslav Mykhalchuk, GORO Development Director.
“Forests are part of our identity and a space for life. GORO REFOREST shows that forests should not only be protected, but also restored. In the long term, this program is vital for the development of the Slavske community, as it brings together business, local residents, and forestry professionals around a shared goal—preserving the region’s natural potential,”said Oleh Danyliak, Acting Head of the Slavske Village Council.
“The forest planted together today will, in decades, become a thriving green landscape—and the children who planted these trees will grow alongside it. Initiatives like this demonstrate the unity of government, business, and communities. It is this unity that sustains Ukraine. It is encouraging to see socially responsible businesses that care not only about infrastructure development, but also about the environment,”said Khrystyna Zamula, Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.
As part of GORO REFOREST DAY, UAH 1 million was also raised during a charity auction in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The auction featured unique lots, including battlefield artifacts, artworks, commemorative items, and collectible stamps. All proceeds were donated to the 103rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade named after Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, supporting the needs of its newly established drone battalion, including the purchase of 3D printers for equipment production.
About GORO Mountain Resort
OKKO Group began construction of the large-scale GORO Mountain Resort project in October 2024. The development spans nearly 1,200 hectares, including 360 hectares designated for mountain and ski infrastructure and over 800 hectares for hotels, commercial, and recreational facilities.
Over the next 15 years, the resort will feature 25 hotels with 5,150 rooms, 41 ski slopes totaling 75 km (with 342 hectares of snowmaking coverage), two modern gondola lifts, and 11 chairlifts, as well as dedicated Welcome and Mountain centers.
The first phase of the project, covering 127 hectares, has been launched near the village of Volosianka, located 5 km from Slavske in the Lviv region. This phase includes 10 ski slopes (13 km total length) with 50 hectares of snowmaking, the longest gondola lift (2.8 km), two modern chairlifts (1.5 km each), and nine hotels with 1,100 rooms. Construction of the first hotel complex, ONDE Hotel, began in February 2025.
OKKO Group serves as the sole owner, lead investor, master developer, general contractor, and operator of GORO Mountain Resort, ensuring a cohesive concept and sustainable development of the year-round destination. To deliver a world-class resort, OKKO Group has engaged leading Austrian experts, including PKF Hospitality (investment analysis and concept), ILF Group (master planning and ski infrastructure), and Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group (lift and cable car systems design).
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