Intensification of forest management and improvement of wood harvesting in Northwest Russia

Abstract
Forest management, including silviculture, wood harvesting and logistics are experiencing big changes in Russia due to ecological, economical and social pressures both from inside and outside Russia.

Research will be focused on analyses of present systems of forest management and wood harvesting. Changes to current system will be proposed to meet better the requirements for ecologically, economically and socially sustainable forestry in Northwest Russia. On those bases, economical accessibility of forest resources in Northwest Russia will be evaluated. Research will be aimed also on identification of preconditions for the new forest management rules by using new silvicultural methods, the most efficient forest operations and modern technology. Efficiency, productivity, environmental impacts and safety on work of present technology chains will be analyzed and compared with those used in similar natural conditions in Europe, mainly in Finland. In the connection to changes in forest management practices and needs of market economy conditions, the new policy in wood harvesting will be investigated.

Project leader: Timo Karjalainen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Centre, P.O. Box 68
FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland, Phone +358 10 211 3080, Fax +358 10 211 3251, e-mail Timo.Karjalainen(at)metla.fi

Researchers:
Antti Asikainen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Centre, antti.asikainen(at)metla.fi
Jan Ilavsky, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Centre, jan.ilavsky(at)metla.fi
Timo Leinonen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research  Centre, timo.leinonen(at)metla.fi
Lauri Sikanen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research  Centre, lauri.sikanen(at)metla.fi
Dominik Röser, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research  Centre, dominik.roser(at)metla.fi
Olga Tyukina, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research  Centre, olga.tyukina(at)metla.fi
Taneli Kolström, University of Joensuu, Mekrijärvi Research Station, Taneli.Kolstrom(at)joensuu.fi
Ari Pussinen, European Forest Institute, Ari.Pussinen(at)efi.fi
Andrei Filipchuk, All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, afilipchuk(at)yandex.ru
Vladimir Korotkov, All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, korotkovv(at)list.ru
Maria Palenova, All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, 
palyonova(at)mtu-net.ru
Yurii Nesterenko, All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, comte(at)conik.net, comte(at)au.ru
Vladimir Siounev, Petrozavodsk State University, Forest Engineering Faculty, siounev(at)mainpgu.karelia.ru
Alexandre Lioubimov, St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy, lyubimov(at)lsi.ru
Evgeny Kuznetsov, St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy, fta.icffi(at)home.ru
Taicia Garbuzova, St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy

Project description