The Tomsk region will invest RUB 490 million into the forestry industry development in 2015.

In 2015 the Tomsk region will invest about RUB 500 million into the forestry development under the Federal and Regional Programs.

On December, 18 Sergey Zhvachkin, Governor of the Tomsk region, and Ivan Valentik, Head of Federal Forestry Agency (Rosleskhoz), opened in Tomsk a field meeting of Rosleskhoz devoted to efficiency of implementing the authorities in forestry industry that were handed over to regions.

"Tomsk has not been incidentally selected as a place of the meeting: the region demonstrates positive dynamics of forestry development, successfully implements the authorities delegated", stressed I. Valentik at the beginning of the meeting.

At the meeting S. Zhvachkin reported that Tomsk government continues re-equipment of forestry companies within the framework of the Regional Program: the region purchased 30 units of new machinery for companies subordinate to the Forestry Department and provided 100% of new uniforms to foresters. For two years in succession the Tomsk region overfulfills the plan on planting the forest species: this year overfulfillment makes 17%, works were performed on the area of about 18 thousand hectares.

"On the whole almost half a billion roubles were allocated into forestry development of the region in 2012-2014", stressed Zhvachkin. - Despite the regional budget deficit this work will be continued in the coming year. We plan to allocate RUB 163 million and expect additional RUB 326 million from the federal budget. The sum has been approved, and it is 50 million higher than in 2014. It is another confirmation of efficient use of forest resources in the Tomsk region".

Meanwhile, Ivan Valentik, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, Head of Federal Agency of Forestry informed that financing under the federal program "Forestry Development" in 2015 will be reduced by 10%. "It is already the fact", announced he. He stressed that Rosselkhoz will take measures to minimized the losses of subventions. "Several state programs are being implemented under the Ministry of Natural Resources and those 10% can be manoeuvred between the programs. But you must be realistic and be ready for working under budget constraints", he continued.

S. Zhvachkin noted that further forestry development in the Tomsk region depends on solution of two tasks. The first one is forests accessibility. Construction of Igol-Orlovka road the Tomsk Governor agreed with his Novosibirsk Governor V. Gorodetsky in October would allow creation of a forest cutting area in the western part of the region. The second problem is almost complete lack of up-to-date forestry management.

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S.Zhvachkin reported to the meeting that the Tomsk region is one of the largest forestry regions in Russia: in terms of forest resources the region comes eighth in the Country and third in Siberia. Annual cut in the region exceeds 40 million m3, and taiga occupies almost 65% of the region's area. Head of the region also stressed that structural changes in the forestry management, updated legal base in terms of wood turnover, communication with forest users and legal bodies allowed legalization of the industry and raised incomes into the regional and federal budgets.

"Annual payments into the budgets due to forest use will grow by 10% and will surpass the planned indicators", said S. Zhvachkin. - Income in 2014 has already exceeded half a billion roubles.

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