Nature smashes all barriers

During the abnormally hot summer of 2010 fires and hurricanes damaged more than 935 thousand hectares of the Russian forest area. This emergency situation pushed the reform of timber industry complex (TIC) management system. In autumn the government demanded specific plans and quick actions from the Federal forest management agency.

In the late august Dmitry Medvedev transferred the Federal forest management agency (Rosleskhoz) to the direct supervision of the Russian government (instead of the Ministry of Agriculture). Now this agency is in charge of state policy development, legal control and supervision of forest industry. After the dismissal of Alexey Savinov, his position of the Head of the agency was occupied by his former deputy Victor Maslyakov. The president gave a number of specific tasks to the new management, in particular – establishing the new TIC development concept up to 2020.

The majority of state officials and large-scale manufacturers believe it is high time to revise the Forestry Code approved in 2006. Victor Maslyakov does not guarantee revolutionary changes in the legislation, but, upon assumption of office, he promised to take inventory of regulations within a month and prepare suggestions for a number of governmental resolutions on various topics, including TIC financial support.

In the nearest future Russia must have its unified state Forest Register and Forest Plan. The Rosleskhoz started developing a unified forest management system in the RF subjects and a rehabilitation program for areas suffered from fires. The reforms are meant to overcome industry decline; it should be noted that the timber industry is the primary source of budget revenues in four out of nine subjects of the Northwestern Federal District (NWFD): Arkhangelsk region, Vologda region, Karelia and the Komi Republic.

For further details See http://en.runa.info/content/view/769/154/