OREANDA-NEWS. March 24, 2011. In St.Petersburg Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov took part in the All-Russian conference on implementing the authority in the sphere of forestry relations. At the conference chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Viktor Zubkov its participants have summed up the results of 2010 and determined prospects of forestry development in 2011. The conference was attended by heads of Rosleskhoz (Federal Agency for Forestry), representatives of Russian Emergency Ministry, the RF Accounts Chamber, the General Prosecutor’s office, the RF State Duma and Governors of Russia's regions.

"This was the most scaled event of the kind in the past 10 years, – Head of Karelia has pointed out. – The program approved at the forum yesterday is a step towards forest industry development. Timber merchants realized they have been heard. They spoke of their expectations and suggestions. If the discussion starts, decisions will follow. It is good to know that the current head of Rosleskhoz Viktor Maslyakov is originally from Karelia, a former mayor of Petrozavodsk, thus, there's complete mutual understanding in our work."

According to the Official Website of the Government of the Russian Federation, speaking at the conference, Viktor Zubkov said: "Last year was the year of challenge for the branch. Wildfires last summer have shown both importance, and vulnerability of our forest. They became a catalyst for forest industry restructuring. It is obvious now, efficient branch management requires new approaches, complex and system solutions."

In particular, the Federal Agency for Forestry has held inventory reconciliation of forest legislation, a package of amendments to the Forestry Code were adopted, as well as other legislative acts regarding fire conservancy, strengthening of control and supervision in the woods, the order of forest regulation, reforestation and forest planning.

"Work with leaseholders remains substantial as well, – Viktor Zubkov has pointed out. – Regions have to achieve decrease in the level of arrears caused by non-payments of timber land holders. It is not necessary to remind that the funds raised from leaseholders are received by the federal budget, and by budgets of constituent entities of the Russian Federation."

Speaking of the branch development prospects, Viktor Zubkov has mentioned: "It is necessary to complete perfection of the forest legislation, to achieve peak efficiency in forest growing and reforestation, to provide readiness of the branch for any natural disaster, to create an effective monitoring system of legality of logging, purchase, transportation and export of forest products, to provide development of forest transport infrastructure, to advance profitableness of forest exploitation, to create a modern system of professional training, conditions for forest science development. All these issues will be reflected within the scope of the developed State program of Forestry Development in the Russian Federation in 2012–2020.