According to expert estimates, Russia has 70 million hectares of forests growing in former fields, i.e. agricultural land (“agricultural forest”) that is not managed or used. On several occasions, it has been suggested that practicing forestry should be made possible in these areas. For example, the common statement of Russian WWF and Greenpeace at the end of 2018 calls for legislative changes to allow private forestry (“lesnoe fermerstvo”) and forest plantations in agricultural forests.
The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has now drafted a regulation laying down rules for the use and protection of forests growing on agricultural land. The draft states that agricultural forests can only be used in ways permitted for agricultural land, i.e. in addition to agriculture, for the harvesting of edible forest products and medicinal plants, or for growing fruit and ornamental trees.
Russian regional authorities can transfer agricultural forests to the forest reserve, allowing them to be used for forestry. In the meantime, regional authorities are responsible for the protection and management of agricultural forests.
Sources: Minprirody Rossii, WWF Russia
Earlier about the theme (only in Finnish) 09.01.2017 Maatalousmetsille ehdotetaan yksityisomistusta