Part 1. North-west russian forests and forestry

Rotation age

Logging of mature and over mature stands*
Types of cuttings of mature and over mature stands
Selection cuttings
Clear cuttings
Clear cuttings
With natural regeneration
Clear cuttings with artificial regeneration
Gradual cuttings
Selective cuttings (shelterwood cuttings)
Evenly-Selective cuttings
Group-Selective cuttings
Regular-Gradual cuttings
Groups-Gradual cuttings
Strip-Gradual cuttings
Long term Gradual cuttings
*according to the Forest Code and the Rules of forest use

Clear cuttings

1) Narrow cutting area fellings - continuous felling, felling areas conducted a small area and width, providing a minimum for major cuts to the environmental impact and providing a favorable environment for regeneration. The width of cutting area does not exceed 100 m;
2) Medium cutting area fellings - solid felling conducted felling areas 101-250 m wide;
3) Wide cutting area fellings - continuous felling conducted felling areas 251-500 m wide;
4) Concentrated fellings (now banned) - continuous felling carried out over a large area, strongly affecting the environment. To the concentrated are clearcut conducted felling areas of 50 hectares and more

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;

Maximum 50 ha
1- forest road; 2 – loading area; 3 – main strip road 4 – secondary strip road

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;

Usually doubled hight of the frontier stands, from which regeneration expected (maximum 500 m)
Restricted by lenght of forest compartment

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Cutting area direction;
Cutting direction;

Cutting direction
Wind direction
Cutting area direction
In taiga region of NW Russia recommended to oriented from north to south since it more heat required for seed germination and needs to increase
evaporation of excess moisture

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Cutting area direction;
Cutting direction;
The period between cuttings on adjacent area;
The patterns of way junction harvest area;
The ”Golden rule”:do not cut the adjacent area before finishing regeneration.

а – direct joining,
б – intermingled joining,
в – rocker joining,
г – chess joining

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Cutting area direction;
Cutting direction;
The period between cuttings on adjacent area;
The patterns of way junction harvest area;
Number of cutting rounds;
Technology of logging operations;

Traditional method
1- forest road; 2 – loading area; 3 – main strip road; 4 – secondary strip road
1
3
4
2

Scandinavian method
1- forest road; 2 – loading area; 3 – main strip road; 4 – secondary strip road
2
3
4

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Cutting area direction;
Cutting direction;
The period between cuttings on adjacent area;
The patterns of way junction harvest area;
Number of cutting rounds;
Technology of logging operations;
The way of cleaning from forest residues;

a) collecting forest residues in piles (bulk) for later use as fuel or processing;
b) piling on portages (strip roads);
c) gathering forest residues in piles (bulk), followed by burning them;
d) crushing and scattered forest residues around the cutted area
Areas with sandy-loam soils
Spruce, or pine stands on wet, swampy areas
Areas with normal drained loam soils
Pine stands on dry sandy, or stony plots

Scandinavia
Russia

Organizational and technical parameters
The rules of selection trees for cuttings;
Size and shape of the cutting area;
Width of the cutting area;
length of the cutting area;
Cutting area direction;
Cutting direction;
The period between cuttings on adjacent area;
The patterns of way junction harvest area;
Number of cutting rounds;
Technology of logging operations;
The way of cleaning from forest residues;
Regenerations method.

* Depending on types of forests
Natural regeneration
2) Artificial regeneration:

Thinnings

Classification of thinnings
Brightening (“osvetlenie”)
Cleaning
(“prochistka”)
Thinning (“prorezhivanie”)
Through-cutting
(“prohodnaya rubka”)
up to 10 years
11-20
21-40 (21-30)
≥41 (≥ 31)
Commercial thinnings
Precommercial thinnigs

Russia
Программа коммерческих рубок ухода, разработанная СпбНИИЛХ для ельников подзоны южной тайги Псковской, Ленинградской и Новгородской областей 1 класса бонитета. Нижняя красная линия показывает минимальные значения сумм площадей поперечного сечения до которых возможно разреживание в данном возрасте. Заштрихованная область – область рентабельной рубки.

Sweden

Comparative analysis of the Swedish and Finnish programs with Russian one
* Ericson, 1997
** Sennov, 2002

Features of Russian thinning programs in comparison with Scandinavian one
Longer rotation
Thinning operations is not depending on technical parameters (dominant height, basal area) but depending on age of the stand
Thinning programs focus to get a certain assortments to final cutting.
In case of thinning regimes combined with fertilization, intervals between fertilizer is longer (but the same guidelines in amount) and associated with the timing of thinnings

General similarities
1. Thinning from below is the most often used type of thinning
Thinning from above is recommended only in rare cases, during the thinning in young stands in order to remove “wolves” trees
2. The intensity of the thinning in spruce and pine stands go down with age class increasing.
3. In case of fertilize, recommended amount of nitrogen fertilizers at the same level

Part II
Local features of Russian Forest Policy

1.1. Introduction

Countries with largest forest area
Forest area Share of
(Mill. ha) Land Area (%)‏
Russian Federation 878 44,7
Brazil 478 57,2
Canada 310 33,6
USA 303 33,1
China 197 21,2
Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010

Forested Area per capita
Forested area in different regions
0.2 ha/person in Asia
5.8 ha/person in Russian Federation
2.6 Latin American countries
0.3 ha/person in Europe
0.14 ha/person in Germany
3.46 ha/person in Sweden
Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010

Contribution of forest sector to GDP
0,8%* - 0,7%**
*State of Europes’s Forests 2015
** Распоряжением Правительства РФ от 06.10.2021 N 2816-р "Прогноз долгосрочного социально-экономического развития Российской Федерации на период до 2030 года»

1.2. The Forest Fund of Russian Federation
Forest governance and legislation in Russia

The definition of woodland
(Термин государственного учета лесного фонда)
…area of at least 0.50 ha, covered under stands of trees with a canopy cover of at least 0,3 (0,4 for young stands), consisting of trees that reach a height of at least 5 meters, including integral open space, and including felled areas that are awaiting restocking. Rows of trees of artificial or natural origin, the width of which is more than 20 metres
Source: www.rosleshoz.gov.ru

The first term You will face studying Russian forest management system is so-called Forest Fund. Originally it just meant all forest and related lands under governmental jurisdiction.

The dominant part of the Forest Fund is under management of Russian Federal Forest Service (Rosleskhoz).
However, some parts of the Forest Fund are managed by other structures and agencies.

The Forest Lands also are divided in two categories :
- “Lands Covered by Forest” (or “Stoked Lands”) and
- “Lands Non-Covered by Forest” (or “Unstoked Lands”) (but they are still Forest Lands).

Forest area in Russia (1000 ha)
www.roslesinforg.ru

Distribution of forest area by species and age groups
www.roslesinforg.ru

Rotation age

Forest governance and legislation in Russia
1.3. Background of policy making

The fact
… now forestry is unprofitable for the state!
11.12.2004
Valery Roshupkin
Head of the Russian State Forest Service
Forest Service has received from the federal budget 4,5 billion rubles in 2003…
But
Forest sector have earned 1.5 billion rub at the end of 2003!

1.4. Forest legislation and structure of forest sector since 2007
Forest governance and legislation in Russia

New Forest code
Political decision
The conceptual framework adopted by the new Forest Code (2006):
- No private ownership on forestland
- Lease holders – must be the main operators in forest – “Lease out as much as possible”
- State forest enterprises have only control function
- Forest ownership, public policy and regulations and the disposal of forest finance retain for the Russian Federation, but at the same time responsibility for what happens in the forests on a regions.

Multi-level politics in Russia
Russian Federation
General norms for forestr management
Prices for timber
Framework for leasing contracts…
Subjects of the Russian Federation
Development of regional forest plans
Leasing contracts
Forest use and protection
Forest control
Local structures
Jaroschenko 2009, modified

3- stars system of government
Ministry
Agency
Department (public service)
Concept of “vertical power”

Rosleshoz subordination
Ministry of Agriculture
Federal Forestry Agency
Government
Federal Forestry Agency
Government
Government
Federal Forestry Agency
Ministry of Nature resources
Government
Federal Forestry Agency
Ministry of Nature resources
2000-2008
2008-2010
2010-2012
2012-2021

Normative levels in general
Russian constitution
Presidential and governmental decrees
Federal decrees (Forest code, land code, etc)
Laws of Subjects of the Federation
Other normative acts

Forest Code
Regulations
Logging,
thinning
Non-wood recourses
Fire protection, sanitary
Regeneration
Turpentining
Structure of sub normative acts

Management regulations levels
Forest code
Forest plan (up to 10 years)
Forestry regulations of forest districts (up to 10 years)
Projects of forest management

Federal Forestry Agency
(Rosleshoz)
Regional forestry agency, or ministry
Forest Districts and Forest parks
(Lesnichestvo and Lesoparks)
Timber enterprises
National Parks and protected areas
Ministry of Nature Resources and Ecology
Service on supervision in sphere of wildlife management
Forest units
(Uchastkovoe lesnichestvo)
Government
Structure of governance (2015)
Subdivisions:
Air forest protection,
Forest Protection,
Roslesinforg,
Russian Institute of Continuous Education in Forestry,
…
Federal Districts Departments

Republic of Tatarstan

Area – 68000 km2
Population – 3776 mln.
0,31 ha of forest land per capita (sparsely wooded region)
Forest fund – 1,3 mln. ha
Forest covered area - 17,4 % from total region area
Main functions of forests – water protection, conservation, recreation
Total amount of foresters and forest workers – 8300 (156 ha/person)
Total forest area leased out – 16,8%
System of forest use and control:
- 30 Management Units
30 Control units
Average area of forest district – 43 000 ha

Leningrad region

Area – 83908 km2
Population – 1774 mln.
3,38 ha of forest land per capita (forest rich region)
Forest fund – 6 mln. ha
Forest covered area - 55,5 % from the total region area
Main functions of forests – timber production, recreation, conservation
Total amount of foresters and forest workers – 14400 (415 ha/person)
Total forest area leased out – more than 92 %
System of forest use and control:
18 Control units
1 Management Unit (2 subdivisions)
Average area of forest district – 330 000 ha

A basic territorial managerial units in the field of forest
exploitation, conservation, protection and reforestation are forest districts (лесничества) and forest-parks (лесопарки).
The forest fund lands shall consist of forest districts and forests-parks.
Forest districts and forests-parks shall be likewise located on
land:
1) intended for ensuring defence and security where there are forests;
2) of settlements where municipal forests are located;
3) of specially protected natural territories where there are
forests.

Forest Code
The object of forest relations – forest block (лесной участок)
“The location, boundaries and area of forest blocks shall be determined in accordance with compartments and (or) subcompartments, their boundaries and area”
Article 69 (2) of FC

compartments

forest blocks
(лесной участок)

Ownership of Forest Blocks
“Forest blocks within the composition of the forest fund land shall be under federal ownership”
Article 8 (1) of FC

Long-term use Short-term use
Leasing contract sale-and-purchase contract
10-49 years 1 year and less

Maximum duration of any Exploitation rights
49 years

Types of Forest Exploitation
1) logging;
2) preparing turpentine;
3) procuring and collecting non-wood forest resources;
4) storing up food forest resources and gathering of medicinal herbs;
5) game husbandry and hunting;
6) farming;
7) scientific research and educational activities;
8) recreational activities;
9) creating man-made forests (forest plantations) and their exploitation;
10) cultivation of fruit woods, berry plants, decorative plants and medicinal plants;
Article 25 (1) of FC

11) carrying out works aimed at geological exploration of subsurface resources, development of mineral deposits;
12) construction and operation of water reservoirs and other artificial water bodies, as well as of hydro-engineering structures and specialized ports;
construction, re-construction and operation of power transmission lines, communication lines, roads, pipelines and other linear facilities;
14) processing of wood and other forest resources;
15) exercising religious activities;
Article 25 (1) of FC

Subdivision of Forests According to Their Designation Purpose
protective forests
Merchantable (exploitation) forests
reserved forests
Article 10 (1) of FC

Steps of forest renting
Preparation of technical
documentation for forest block
Participation on forest auction
Make a project of forest management
Make a forest declaration (every year)

Forest governance and legislation in Russia
1.5. Timber transportation and export

Federal low № 415 from 28.12.2013
Timber transportation since 2014
Obligatory registration of the timber transported from the forest
Timber transportation requires additional accompanying document (information about the owner, customer, transported company, timber volume, species and assortment composition, place of origin and destination…)
Each log of valuable species (oak, beech, ash ) must be marked individually.
Severe punishment for violation of low – high penalty and transport confiscation.

Forest governance and legislation in Russia
1.6. Punishment for illegal activities with forest recourses

Punishment for illegal activities with forest recourses
Damage estimated less than 5000 rub
Damage estimated more than 5000 rub
Administrative Code
Criminal Code

The Code of Administrative Violations:
Article 8.28 Of The Administrative Code. Illegal logging, damage to forest plantations or unauthorized excavation in the forests of trees, shrubs, lianas.
… administrative fine on citizens at the rate from 3000 to 4000 rubles;
on officials - from 20000 to 40000 rubles;
on legal entities - from 100000 to 300000 rubles…
Illegal logging, damage to forest plantations or unauthorized excavation in the forests of trees, shrubs, lianas.

CRIMINAL CODE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Illegal logging … if committed in substantial scale* –
shall be punished by a fine of up to 500000 rubles …
or imprisonment for the 1 year
Illegal logging … if committed in large scale** –
shall be punished by a fine from 500000 up to 1000000 rubles …
or imprisonment for the 4 years
Illegal logging … if committed in extra large scale*** or by an organized group –
shall be punished by a fine from 1000000 up to 3000000 rubles …
or imprisonment for the 7 years
* - more than 5000 RUB
** - more than 250000 RUB
*** - more than 1000000 RUB
Article 260 of Criminal Code