OREANDA-NEWS. December 09, 2009. It is planned to increase allowed forest cut in Buryatia almost twofold, from 3.5 to 6.5 million cubic meters because of construction of forest roads net, as regional government informed Lesprom Network.

Necessity of raising allowed cut level is due to the fact that available forests in the region are mainly explored.

Presently, forest industry in the region is developing mainly through Baikalskaya Lesnaya Kompaniya and Nordik companies. Access to 3 million cubic meters of non-distributed forest will allow establishing investment projects on private and public cooperation conditions. ‘Inventory and assessment of efficiency of forest use is needed on leased forestland. Free and non-used forestland sites should be revealed and redistributed among more effective harvesting companies’, - Buryatia’s President Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn said in his appeal to the Public Khoural (legislative body of Buryatia).

According to the appeal, Mr. Nagovitsyn believes it is necessary to establish a program of forest industry complex development till 2017 which will define growth directions in the local timber processing complex. By 2010, the governor suggests establishing not less than three large investment projects which could have a chance to be included in the top priority projects list, one in Barguzinskiy municipality, and one each in the region’s north and south.

The program will also entail measures stimulating massive development of low-storey wooden housing construction. ‘The law on accruing 300 cubic meters of forest for construction is issued to foster individual housing construction. Forest processing companies should be ready for increased demand’, the appeal says.