According to a survey conducted by WWF Russia, 80 percent of citizens consider illegal logging to be a current problem in Russia. Only 13 percent disagree. Two thirds of citizens consider the legal origin of wood to be an important requirement in wood processing. However, little attention is paid to the FSC label, which certifies, among other things, the legal origin of the wood. Only 16 percent of respondents have …
An amendment to the Russian silvicultural rules has been approved, which makes it possible to engage in intensive forestry in Karelia. The change is aimed at increasing thinnings to improve the quality of forests. In Karelia, high quality wood is harvested at 0.7 cubic meters per hectare, compared to 4-6 in neighbouring countries. Until now, Russian legislation has not allowed practicing intensive forestry in Karelia. In addition to the silvicultural …
According to statistics of the Russian Forestry Agency, wood harvesting in 2019 amounted for 219 million cubic meters, which is eight percent less than in the previous year. One-third of the wood harvesting took place in the Siberian Federal District and 27 percent in Northwest Russia. Wood harvesting in Northwest Russia was 59 million cubic meters, a decrease of three per cent from the previous year. Unlike other regions of …
A brief overview of the forest sector in Northwest Russia is available in the publication BSR Policy Briefing 1/2020 (page 49). https://www.centrumbalticum.org/files/4638/BSR_Policy_Briefing_2020.pdf
The statistical review provides information on the development of fellings and roundwood production during 2009-2019. It covers 11 selected regions in the Central and Northwestern Federal Districts. Contents: Basic information about forest resources and fellings by regions: growing stock, annual increment, annual allowable cut and fellings in 2018. Development of fellings 2009-2019 by regions. Production of timber assortments in 2018 and 2019 in the Central and Northwestern Federal Districts. Roundwood …
The proposal for an indirect ban on softwood export has been rejected by the Russian Duma without consideration. The proposal was left to the Duma in 2018 and it was justified by increasing wood exports, in particular to China. According to the proposal, softwood harvesting would have been permitted until the end of 2030 only for processing and use in the territory of the Russian Federation. Sources: https://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/470635-7, BSRforest
The exceptionally warm winter has caused difficulties for logging companies in Russia. The lack of ice roads and the poor condition of forest roads have caused problems in wood transportation. In the Arkhangelsk region, for example, less than one-third of the planned ice road connections have been opened. Companies have asked the authorities to postpone forest use fees to overcome the difficulties. In addition, assistance has been requested for solving …
Coordinated by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), the Biokarelia project is developing tools to promote biodiversity conservation. The implementation is based on the mapping of biodiversity hotspots, the observation and forecasting of forest fires and fellings in the Finnish-Russian border area. Biodiversity ”hotspots” along the Finnish-Russian border are under risk of biodiversity loss due to wood harvesting, forest fires and destruction of connectivity between the high conservation forests. “The …
Trishkin M. (2019). Assessment of forest industries compliance to forest certification standards in northwestern Russia. https://doi.org/10.14214/df.285 Russia has approximately 43 million hectares of forests under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme. This thesis investigated the perceptions of certified and non-certified companies towards forest certification (FC), and to what degree the representatives of these companies agree with the benefits and barriers of the FC process. The Due Diligence System (DDS) employed by …
The working group against illegal timber trade under Russian Government discussed the export of roundwood and sawn wood, the monitoring of timber transportation and the legality of forest lease contracts. The problem related to sawn wood exports was raised. In order to avoid export duties, some companies have started to export roughly sawn wood (export code 4407) instead of roundwood, and now the aim is to eliminate the phenomenon. Customs …