Challenges and problems of reforming the forestry sector in Russia

Abstract

Inefficiency of the «universal» traditional forestry model, which results in depletion of available forest resources for forestry industry, an overestimation of allowable cut in forestry regions by 2-3 times, and a decrease in area and share the most valuable and ecologically significant hardwoods and cedar pines, as well as an increase in the rate of intact primary forests loss. . The departments in charge, contrary to strategic governmental documents adopted in 2013–2018, do not take steps to stimulate transition to an intensive forestry model, which requires to charge fees based on a unit of leased area, and not the volume of cut wood; the transition of forest management to felling based on tree diameter instead on the tree age, etc. It is obvious that the transition to a model of intensive use and restoration of forests is more economically beneficial in regions with higher biological productivity of forest lands, with a greater density of forest roads and more developed infrastructure. The problem of spatial demarginalization of the country's forest complex seems to be an urgent task – the shift of forest resource base and processing infrastructure from the northern taiga of European Russia (ER) and Central and Eastern Siberia to secondary forests of coniferous-broad-leaved and southern taiga forests in ER with a developed and denser road network (6-7 km per 1000 ha and above). This position is confirmed by growth of investments in timber processing and production of wood-based panels, sheet materials, etc. by private companies.