Peter Besseau, CEO of the International Model Forest Network expresses his confidence:“The strategy of sustainable forest management is practically realized through the model forest initiatives”.

On February 2-3, 2006 Silver Taiga Director Przemyslaw Majewski participated in the workshop of the Baltic Forest Project in Sundsvall (Sweden). This project is designed for development and implementation of the general forest policy in the Baltic Sea Region and North-West of Russia. It is also planned to involve International Model Forest Network, particularly model forests of Scandinavia and those of the North-West of Russia. The workshop gathered representatives of Sweden, Russia, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Denmark. There were presented 4 key reports on land and forest management, and among them a presentation prepared by Przemyslaw Majewski on the situation in forest industry in the North-West of Russia.

The Baltic Forest Project designed for 2 years aims at sustainable development and includes 3 components – economic, social and environmental. Moreover, there are also 2 supporting activities – assistance to small forest users and application of model forests as a tool of sustainable forest management and regional development. The most discussed issue was that of the model forests and their potential.

Although the Komi Model Forest is located not in the Baltic Sea Region, it can share its structured knowledge in model forests and forestry problems of the Russian North-West. From this point of view the Baltic Forest is interested in cooperation with the Komi Project through consultation.

The workshop was also attended by Canadian officials – Mr. Peter Besseau, CEO, International Model Forest Network, and Mr. Steve Price, Program Director of the Canadian Forest Service. Przemyslaw Majewski as a leader of the Komi Model Forest Project, had a meeting with them in order to negotiate cooperation and funding possibilities.

On February 7, 2006 there was organized a Russia-Canada meeting in the State Forestry Agency in Moscow with participation of the above mentioned officials from Canada, and representatives of the Komi Model Forest, Gassinsky Model Forest from Khabarovsk and of the Kovdozersky Model Forest being established in Murmansk. They spoke of work results and development perspectives of model forests in Russia. The Komi Republic was represented by Petr Perchatkin, Deputy Head of the State Forestry Agency for the Komi Republic, and Vasily Osipov, Director of the Priluzsky Forest Unit.

Mikhail Giryaev, Deputy Head of the State Forestry Agency, stressed the significance of the model forests and importance of their network development. In this connection the All-Russia Research Institute of Forestry has already been given a 2-year task to elaborate a system and a concept of model forests in Russia. Mr. Besseau, IMFN CEO, agreed that a joint concept is needed, given the fact that the present model forests in Russia are located at random. Moreover, the Canadians were surprised that the Russian model forests are funded by international sponsors while the state itself does not support the projects financially at all. Meanwhile in Canada model forests have a 100% and later a partial financial support from the state. The answer of the Russian officials was simple enough: there is no “model forest” definition in the Russian law, therefore, it cannot be financed. Nevertheless, model forests in Russia exist and function. It is important to encourage their development, and the International Model Forest Network has capacity and an interest in creation and support of the regional boreal forest network.

The Komi Model Forest is in the process of applying for a membership to the IMFN that can provide international and professional support and assist in fund-raising. The project itself is also of interest for the Network since it has been successfully and independently working for several years and is willing to share its experience in establishing model forests in Russia.

* International Model Forest Network involves model forests throughout the world on a voluntary basis. Its goal is to promote sustainable forest management. The Network Secretariat is located in Canada. At present the Network includes 40 model forests from 19 countries, mostly in Canada, South America and South Asia. Within the International Network there have been established a Canadian network of model forests and a regional network in Latin America and the Caribbean. Under discussion is an initiative on creation of a regional network of boreal forests covering Canada, Scandinavia and Russia. The majority of model forests in the International Network occupies huge areas of a half million and one million hectares, e.g. Bolivia and Canada can boast of model forests covering over 7 million hectares. For comparison: the Komi Model Forest occupies 800 thousand hectares.

17/02/2006