Belarus drafts state program Belarusian Forest for 2021-2025

The Belarusian Forestry Ministry together with other stakeholders has drafted the state program Belarusian Forest for 2021-2025. The document will be sent for approval in the coming days, BelTA learned from the press service of the Forestry Ministry.

The main goals of the state program include improving the forest resources accounting system to preserve and enhance the main functions of the forest, stepping up the reforestation and forest care activities, and achieving sustainable use of forest resources to preserve and enhance the environmental and social functions of the forest. The program is also aimed at developing the market for forestry services and logging as well as the infrastructure for using small-diameter timber.

The implementation of the program is expected to help increase the woodland area to 40.3% of the total territory of Belarus and the logging volume to 3.2m3 from one hectare by 2025. Plans are in place to build at least 574km of new forest roads. Under the program, the population of moose should account for 100% of the optimal number, red deer – 34%, and roe deer – 80% by 2025. The output of paper and cardboard is expected to grow by 2.1 times, pulp by 1.7 times, panel products by 1.1 times. The program also provides for boosting furniture output by 1.3 times (in actual prices) over 2020.

“The work on the document kicked off at the beginning of the year. The draft state program takes into account interests of all the stakeholders. The development of the program was initiated by the Forestry Ministry,” the press service noted.