The main issue on the agenda was the final review of the draft Guidelines for the State Policy on Forest Use, Protection and Reforestation in the Russian Federation. This document has been under development for nearly two years. After this, it will be submitted for coordination to the federal executive bodies.
Opening the council meeting, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi said that this is a key strategic document, a “forest constitution” of sorts which will determine the development of the forestry sector to 2030. The work conducted by the members of the council and working groups will help to coordinate efforts of all relevant departments by creating a unifying document of strategic planning which will orient and coordinate forestry sector development.
In his comments following the discussion, Sergei Donskoi highlighted three main groups of concerns: elaborating goals and tasks, simplifying procedures and forming financial and economic mechanisms. He instructed to strengthen the scientific part in the document under discussion. “Forest management should include a clear and rational approach based exclusively on a powerful foundation of research,” he said.
Sergei Donskoi issued an instruction to develop a plan for public discussion of the Guidelines, and promptly respond to all concerns and proposals made by all participants of the discussion. To this end he ordered the formation of an editing group by the next week.
The document will be finalised by October. Sergei Donskoi thanked all participants for the energetic discussion and constructive proposals on finalising the foundations of forestry policy, meanwhile he urged the participants to keep the timeframe in mind and to maintain the open and public way of working with the document.
