At the opening event of the Forestry Week Mr. Villu Reiljan, Minister of the Environment, announced in his speech that changes are expected in Estonia’s forestry policy. The minister paid attention to the fact that the volume of cutting and logging has considerably increased in Estonia in the last years, to date exceeding our forests’ natural rate of bygrowth. "Since there has been considerable overlogging of spruce and pine while aspen and alder have been logged below the acceptable volumes, it unfortunately needs to be said that the following of sustainable forestry principles is not being secured in Estonia. If those tendencies will continue and deepen, our forest riches will not be maintained for the coming generations in their current volume and quality level," said Mr. Reiljan. The minister mentioned that there are a number of responsible forresters among private forest owners, however, the problem of overlogging is especially severe in private forests. Problems in afforestation are also especially noticeable while monitoring the activities of private forest owners. In his opening statement, the minister listed four main activities required rapidly for improving the current situation. Mr. Reiljan claimed that for solving the problems, the stipulations of the Forestry Act will need to be specified and, if necessary, made more stringent - for that purpose, they will need to be discussed with all interest groups active in forestry related issues. Forest survey should become a licenced area of activity in order to secure the high quality of forest inventories and forestry planning. With the aim of improving the effectiveness of fight against forest thieves, illegal cutting and damaging of nature, cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice should become more efficient. More attention should be paid to the growing of new forest generations, especially in private forests. The Forestry Development Plan (2002) is also planned to be reviewed as in Mr. Reiljan’s opinion it currently includes inaccuracies. This year’s forestry week, held under the slogan "Forest links generations", will last until Sunday. |
