Forestries of the Vitebsk region are implementing advanced Finnish experience
The event honored the best workers of the industry. Among them was Vladimir Mazeyko, the forester of the Kozyansky forestry of the Shumilinsky leskhoz (pictured), whose conscientious work was recognized with the badge "Honorary Forester". After graduating from the Polotsk Forestry Technical School, Vladimir Mikhailovich has been working in the same place since 1982. True, there was an opportunity to engage in scientific activities and go to the Penza branch of the Moscow Research Institute of Forestry, where he was invited after completing his industrial practice. But by that time, the young specialist already had a family. Vladimir Mazeyko, together with his wife Vera, raised two daughters, Anastasia and Victoria, who found their calling in medicine. Perhaps, granddaughter Yana will follow in her grandfather's footsteps: the four-year-old girl enjoys visiting the forest and the arboretum created at the forestry.
A native of the Brest region, he consciously chose his profession, as he loved nature since childhood and was involved in gardening. Vladimir Mazeyko believes that the forest senses the attitude towards it and generously rewards conscientiousness.
The current year for the forestry workers of Prividinya is a period of intense and stable work, noted **Sergey Danilovich, General Director of Vitebsk State Production Forestry Association**. For example, timber harvesting is 107.6% of the plan, and its removal is 112%, and the production of lumber is 123%.
Compared to the same period in 2015, revenue from the sale of products for export increased and currently amounts to almost 15 million dollars. In addition, Vitebsk State Production Forestry Association has become a leader in the shipment of balance timber and raw materials. Its average monthly volume exceeds 40 thousand cubic meters, and since the beginning of the year, more than 300 thousand cubic meters have been shipped.
One of the most important tasks in reproduction
forests is the implementation of best practices from Finland. Last year, forestry enterprises grew over 400 thousand units of standard European spruce planting material with a closed root system (CRS), which was used this spring for planting over 250 hectares of new forests. The share of forest crops created with CRS was 6.3% against a plan of 4%. Currently, about 1.3 million units of such planting material are in the growing fields. In 2016, almost twice as much was sown in two rotations. Thus, it is planned that next year the share of crops with CRS will reach 15%, and in the long term, according to the Ministry of Forestry, it will be brought to 30%. By the way, a significant role in this is assigned to the modern center for growing planting material with CRS at the Glubokskoye Experimental Forestry enterprise.In May 2016, the modernization of the sawmill production was completed at the Postavy Forestry enterprise. The installed high-tech equipment will allow producing up to 13 thousand cubic meters of sawn timber per year. The association's plans include the installation of a wood sorting line in Verkhnedvinskoye, Lepelskoye, and Rossonskoye, as well as the construction of pellet production in Orsha and Postavy Forestry enterprises. It should be noted the successful work of Orsha, which has been the leader in the republic for several years.
The full cycle wood processing production operating at the Begomlskoye Forestry enterprise can also rightfully be considered a hallmark of the Vitebsk region. The teams of Lepelskoye, Rossonskoye, and Glubokskoye Experimental Forestry enterprises work harmoniously and stably. By the way, it is in the latter that the lumberjack Alexander Smekhovsky works, who became the absolute champion of Belarus at the republican competition "Lesorub-2016" this year and, together with his colleagues, led the Vitebsk State Forestry Production Association team to victory.
Sergey Lyashuk. Photos by Dmitry OSIPOV. "Vitebskiye Vesti".