OREANDA-NEWS. On 10 September 2009 was announced, that Head of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov held a working meeting with the Minister of Forestry of the republic Vladimir Yuriev. The Minister has informed Head of the Republic on the current situation and activities in the key economic branch of the Karelian economy.

Forestry should be mentioned as the network. Matters comcern both timber industry enterprises, and wood-sawing, pulp and paper industry and forestry. Today the time has come to sum up work of the indstry for the period of eight months of the year.

Speaking of the functioning of the forestry branch of the republic, Vladimir Yuriev, in particular, has told:

– Forestry undergoes great reorganization. New forest districts which general number will correspond to the number of regions of the republic are being created. Every region will have its forest district. All works on forest restoration are conducted according to the plan, though work becomes become complicated with lack of enterprises' means. Nevertheless, all the planned reforestationby will be executed by the end of year.

Situation at the timber industry enterprises is improving in comparison with the beginning of the year, the Minister states:

– In the beginning of the year slump in production in the branch reached 40% to the level of 2008. In August production has made 73% to the level of the previous year and continues to grow. It allows to hope that on results of 2009 all the basic planned targets on the branch will be executed, and consequences of the crisis as a whole would not be as hard as we expected. Revival is observed in wood-sawing. Selling of saw-timbers in the market grows. By now, from the beginning of the year in the republic it has been made about 300 thousand cubic metres of saw-timbers, which is approximately 83% to the level of the last year. Paper market comes to life, that adds stability to paper-making enterprises. On production and selling of the newprint and paper sacks we have approached the level of 2008.

According to the Minister, on the beginning of the year in the branch there were eight idle enterprises, thoday they are three. The Ministry is actively searching for ways of resumption of works for them. There are absolutely positive examples. For instance, this is the republic's leader in wood-sawing the saw-mill in Solomennoye which, despite of the crisis, has increased output up to 140% to the level of 2008. Some other saw-mills have also increased production.

– Situation in the branch is under control, and on the basic parameters it is no worse than on the average across Russia, and on a number of directions it is much better, – the Minister of Forestry of Karelia considers.

Vladimir Yuriev and Sergey Katanandov have discussed another positive piece of news. The largest Karelian investment project, kwown as the Polar Bear, provides radical reconstruction and expansion of Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill. On August 26 at the level of the federal center the decision was made on inclusion of this project in the list of priority investment projects in the sphere of forestry. No doubt, this circumstance offers great opportunities to the Polar Bear.