Forest Alliance

This meeting was organized by Federal Forestry Agency and Swedish Forestry Agency.

The meeting of Russia-Sweden working group in Pushkino started from report of Alexei ERMOLENKO, Head of Department for Forest Protection and Regeneration, Federal Forestry Agency of the RF. He submitted a survey of current cooperation and told the present about prospects for the future and what is interesting for Rosleskhoz in this program of cooperation.

As Alexei ERMOLENKO said, for three years a huge amount of work has been done.

“Rosleskhoz together with its Swedish colleagues conducted four seminars on commercial forest management. During this period 150 managers and specialists of forestry enterprises received an opportunity to improve their skills. Works on perfecting training programs and methodological materials were done, and training manuals and text books were published, - said Alexei ERMOLENKO, - And also such global project as Pskov Model Forest should be mentioned. As well as demonstration of Scandinavian methods of sustainable forest management at the Lisino forest college within the frames of Interles forest summit”.

Specialists of Rosleskhoz and Swedish Forestry Agency developed long-term plan of further activities within the frames of agreement on cooperation. Also were developed main directions of joint activities.

The main activities were focused on work in four subject sub-groups: Monitoring of Forest Resources by State Power Organs, Sustainable Forest Management and Multi-Purpose Forest Utilization, Monitoring and Forest Protection against Pests and Diseases, and Vocational Training and Re-training in Forest Sector. At the final meeting representatives from each working sub-group submitted their proposals, which after further development will be included into general action plan of joint activities. Final approval of action plans of Russia-Sweden cooperation in the field of forest relations for the period of 2009-2012 is planned for April next year.