OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2009. Russian Forest International Fair 2009 was held in Vologda on December 9-11, 2009. Important for all experts of wood branch event. Within the limits of an exhibition a plenty of actions was spent.

For Karelia the most interesting was, in particular, the Forest and Person – Vologda international forest forum.

Opening of the forum was preceded with the session attended by Assistant to the Governor of the Vologda Region, representatives of Russian regions, the CIS countries and abroad. Minister of Forestry of the RK Vladimir Yuriev has spoke at the session having tоld of measures taken in the republic to support timber industry and forestry in 2009.

Within the scope of the Vologda exhibition session of the forest complex commission of the North-West Association was held. Management of the Association, representatives of higher and secondary educational institutions training skilled personnel for timber industry, such as St.-Petersburg Forestry Engineering Academy, Moscow State Forest University, their branches in the North-West, and timber merchants participated in it. Issues on aviation protection of woods and its development both in territory of the North-West Federal District, and all over the country and plans of work of the Association for 2010 were discussed. The next session is scheduled for the end of the first quarter of 2010, it will be held in Arkhangelsk and devoted to one of the most important issues of the beginning of the year which is financing and use of funds for construction of forest tracks. Besides, matters will concern preparation for the fire-dangerous season of the next year.

Russian Forest International Fair was held at a high organizational level. Expositions presented achievements of experts of all spheres of the forest complex: reafforestation, design, forest management, timber processing, production and supplies of equipment for timber processing, equipment for work in the forest, harversters, forwarders. More new names become famous in the Russian market. Karelia was represented by the Forest of Karelia state unitary enterprise which has brought ball-rooted planting stock of pines and fur-trees cultivated on the Finnish technology to the exhibition. They are of interest for forest exploitators which according to their rent contracts carry out reafforestation works including planting and renewal of forest crops. We grow a few million young plants a year and may offer them both in Karelia, and in all regions of the North-West and Russia.

There was a wide choice of low-rise homes, framehouses, various wooden constructions, pavilions, etc., presented at the exhibition, which may be demanded by the population for construction of summer cottages or individual homes. Visitors of the exhibition had an opportunity to get acquainted with novelties in the branch and to conclude contracts.

On the second day of work of the exhibition there has been held a series of visiting workshop seminars in districts of the region. The Innovation in Forest Management. Ten Years' Experience of Selection Felling visiting seminar-meeting in Belozersk was the most interesting to Karelian delegation. Visitors were received by BelozerskLes enterprise. It was interesting to get acquainted with Vologda's experience, since in Karelia final harvesting prevails over selection felling. However, it is necessary to note, that in Vologda Region where forest was actively cut in the 1940s, selection felling are necessary as the optimal way of forest exploitation. Forest in this region in the bulk has not ripen for final harvesting yet. However, Karelia needs this experience now considering necessity to intensify forest exploitation.

Russian Forest International Fair has been held for 14 times, although it draws attention of many specialists of the branch. From year to year organizers improve organizational level of theaction, for whinc we must express our gratitude to them. It was no mere chance that the exhibition draws attention of the federal center, experts from the CIS countries and from abroad.