FOREST RESOURCES

Annual average increment of wood in Belarus is 28,1 million m3. Resource of growing wood per 1 ha of forest is 183 m3. On the basis of several characteristics of forest resources Belarus belongs to the ten leading forest countries of Europe.

Forests of Belarus are not only the renewable source of raw material and energy. They are also the treasury of biological and landscape diversity, important environmental and nature-conservative factor. More than a half of forest resources (51,5%) takes the forest of the 1st group with nature protective function (water protection zones, forest shelter belts around cities and along roads, extra-protected natural territories). 29,8% of such forests make nature reserves, national parks, reserves of the republican importance. Commercial forest (forest of the 2nd group) takes accordingly 48,5% of forest resources.

More than 60% of Belarusian forests are coniferous stands. The most common wood species is pine. Among deciduous species birch, alder and oak prevail.

Total area of the forest resources in Belarus is more than 9 million ha. Forests in our country are the exceptional property of the state. Over 86,4% of forests are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Forestry.