Year of Forests

According to the decision adopted at the 83rd plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly in December 2006 and in 2011 declared the International Year of Forests.

Recognizing that forests and sustainable forest management can make a significant contribution to society, eradicating poverty and achieving the internationally agreed goals in the forestry sector, the UN stressed the need to focus joint efforts on raising awareness at all levels about the importance of the management, conservation andsustainable development of all types of forests for present and future generations.

The International Year of Forests will be numerous activities held with representatives of governments, forestry and related sectors, NGOs, academic and educational institutions, local communities and indigenous people. These events provide a unique opportunity for the participants and all stakeholders to discuss ways to address the most pressing issues currently facing forests and forestry worldwide.

The Council of Ministers of Belarus has approved the Action Plan to be held in 2011 in the Republic of Belarus of the International Year of Forests, which will contribute to the preservation and enhancement of forest wealth of our country, strengthen its credibility on the international level.

Belarus - Forestry country. More than 38% of its territory is covered by forest. Total area of forest of the Republic of Belarus is 9.4 million hectares, more than 8 million hectares of which are operated by the Ministry of Forestry.

As a result of a deliberate policy of reforestation and afforestation increased the area of forested land, maintained formational structure and species diversity of forests, increasing their stability and productivity.

In the forests of Belarus during the last 20 years there have been significant quantitative and qualitative change for the better. They are due to both economic activity of organizations, leading forestry and the natural processes of forest growth.

Through the establishment of new forests on marginal agricultural land total area of forest fund of the republic during this period increased by 1 million 360 thousand hectares.

The increase in the total area of forest due to the purposeful activity of Foresters is a qualitative improvement in the state forest fund of the republic. The area of forested land has increased by 974 000 hectares. Forest cover in the republic increased from 33.9% to 38.5%.

In addition, in the Republic of Belarus has been a steady increase in the area of maturing, mature and overmature stands. Over twenty years of old growth forest stands has more than doubled.

As a result, the volume of planned regulation of logging in the first place, felling, the total stock of plantations increased by 1.6 times and has already exceeded 1.5 billion cubic meters. m, while the stocks of mature timber were 197 million cubic meters.m

As a result, economic activities and natural growth forests significantly improved the productivity of forests: the average stock of trees on one hectare of forested land during this period increased from 135 to 196 cu. m, including mature and overmature stands - from 216 to 244 cu. m. The average age of trees increased by 12 years and has reached 51 years.

The area of protected areas and special protection areas - almost 2.3 million hectares or 24.6% of the total area of forest fund.

All forests in Belarus are the exclusive property of the state.