In order to ensure safety of coniferous young stock in the pre-New Year period

In order to ensure the safety of coniferous young trees in the pre-New Year period and ensure that the necessary measures are taken to strengthen their protection against illegal logging, an Order "On ensuring the safety of coniferous young trees in the New Year's Eve" is issued annually by the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan. In accordance with this document, the harvesting and exportation of harvested products under the contracts for the purchase and sale of forest plantations is being monitored, the schedules and routes for joint patrolling of forest areas are coordinated, and systematic patrolling of forest areas where coniferous forests predominate. There is an active interaction with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, explanatory work with the population on preservation and careful attitude to the forest and inadmissibility of destruction of coniferous young trees in the pre-New Year period, as well as about the liability established by the legislation for illegal logging and damage to forest plantations.

Illegal cutting of New Year trees will be fined as follows:

Citizens, officials and legal entities guilty of illegal cutting of coniferous trees for New Year trees are obliged to compensate for damage caused to forestry and must be brought to administrative responsibility in accordance with Article 8.28 of Code of Administrative Offenses.

For illegal logging, damage or excavation of trees, bushes or lianas, an administrative fine will be imposed in the amount of:

- for citizens 3 - 4 thousand rubles;

- for officials 20 - 40 thousand rubles;

- for legal entities from 200 to 300 thousand rubles.

The same actions committed with the use of mechanisms, motor vehicles, self-propelled vehicles and other types of equipment entail will be imposed with an administrative fine:

- for citizens 4 - 5 thousand rubles;

- for officials 40 - 50 thousand rubles;

- for legal entities 300 - 500 thousand rubles.

Acquisition, storage, transportation or sale of knowingly illegally harvested wood, if these actions do not contain signs of a criminal offense, entail the imposition of an administrative fine:

- 5 thousand rubles for citizens;

- 50 thousand rubles for officials;

- for legal entities from 400 to 700 thousand rubles.

In addition to imposing an administrative fine, an illegally felled tree is confiscated (seized) and transferred to the Federal Property Management Agency for sale.

In cases of damage to forestry, in the amount of more than 5 thousand rubles, the materials will be sent to the investigative authorities for the initiation of criminal cases.

Realization of New Year's Spruce

For realization of New Year Spruce and Pines, foresters prepare products in special areas - plantations located on the territory of the forest fund, where the soil and climatic conditions are characteristic for the growth of good coniferous plantations. In total, the forest fund of the republic has 345 hectares of plantations of New Year trees, 2 hectares of which were created in 2017.

In 2017 on the territory of the forest fund of the Republic of Tatarstan, 17580 pcs of firs and pines and 43 tons of coniferous paws were placed to the auction for the sale of the right to conclude contracts for the purchase and sale of forest plantations for harvesting spruce and (or) trees of other coniferous species for New Year holidays.

Last year, 16490 items of spruce and pine were put up for auction, where 11199 coniferous trees were sold.

The list of documents for the right to procure, transport and sell New Year trees required for compilation in the SBU "Forestry Establishment": a copy of the contract of purchase and sale, for the removal of harvested products one must have a waybill, a retailer needs a cash receipt, for wholesale and retail trade the receipt for sale of Christmas trees are necessary.