Results of activities of the Ministry of Ecology of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2019 were discussed and tasks for 2020 were outlined at the Academy of Sciences
Today an expanded meeting of the final board of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan “On results of work of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2019 and the tasks for 2020” was held at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan. The event was attended by President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation - Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Sergey Anoprienko, Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Roslesinforg Igor Murayev, Head of the Forestry Department of the Volga Federal District Aleksandr Ornatsky, Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan Ravil Kuzyurov, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan Aleksandr Shadrikov, Chairman of the Association “Council of Municipalities of the Republic of Tatarstan” Ekzam Gubaidullin, heads of ministries and departments, heads of municipal districts, head-foresters and directors of forestry enterprises of the republic.
First of all, Rustam Minnikhanov and Sergey Anoprienko familiarized themselves with the exhibition, in the framework of which the activities of the youth environmental organizations of Tatarstan were described, as well as children's educational and methodological manuals on environmental protection were presented. In addition, the Head of Rosleskhoz was introduced to the experience of Tatarstan in digitalizing the environmental safety sphere, implementing automated emission monitoring systems at enterprises, and digitally managing the republican forest complex. Sergey Anoprienko noted that currently much attention is paid to the digitalization of forestry in Russia and the achievements of Tatarstan in this area will be in demand throughout the country.
The keynote addresses at the meeting were made by the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan Aleksandr Shadrikov and the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan Ravil Kuzyurov.
Aleksandr Shadrikov reported on results of the work of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2019. In particular, he spoke about the changes planned to be introduced into the draft rules for the use of water resources, beginning of work to create methods for modeling the movement of air masses in Nizhnekamsk, creation of the EGAIS “Nedra” and others. “Participation of the republic in the federal project “Improving the Volga” was the most capital-intensive event”. The regional program until 2024 envisages the construction and reconstruction of 22 treatment facilities. Work is being carried out jointly with the Ministry of Construction of the Republic of Tatarstan at 8 sewage treatment plants of the housing and communal complex”, said Aleksandr Shadrikov.
The Head of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan Ravil Kuzyurov acquainted the participants of the meeting with results of work to protect, conserve and reproduce forests. He recalled that last year the republic launched the implementation of the regional project “Forests Conservation in the Republic of Tatarstan” as part of the federal project “Forests Conservation” of the national project “Ecology”. According to the project, reforestation and afforestation work was carried out on the area of 2.5 thousand hectares. The target indicator “The ratio of reforestation and afforestation area to the area of cut down and lost forest stands” amounted to 66% (plan - 62%), the indicator “Damage from forest fires” - 0 rubles.
Along with this, in 2019, work was carried out on agrotechnical care of forest crops on the area of 17.9 thousand hectares, supplementing them - on 5 thousand hectares, and protective forest plantations on 2.4 thousand hectares were laid. 13.6 tons of seeds of the main forest-forming species were harvested and 33.2 million units of standard planting material were grown, including 12 million units with a closed root system on the basis of the Forest Selection and Seed Center of the Republic of Tatarstan.
“Such an amount of planting material is sufficient to create forest crops and establish protective forest stands this year”, Ravil Kuzyurov noted.
In order to improve the sanitary condition of forest plantations last year in Tatarstan, a forest pathological survey was conducted on the area of more than 45 thousand hectares and sanitary-health measures - on the area of more than 6 thousand hectares.
During the implementation of federal state forest supervision (forest protection), 25 thousand patrols in forests were carried out on the lands of the republic’s forest fund, 949 protocols on administrative offenses were compiled, 802 decisions were made on bringing to administrative responsibility, fines totaling 1.3 million rubles were collected . “We set ourselves the task of strengthening work in this direction. This year it is necessary to pay special attention to prevention of forest violations, as well as to improve the quality of the control and supervision measures”, Ravil Kuzyurov emphasized.
Also in 2019, research was carried out on cutting and re-felling in forests, identification of plus trees of Siberian and European spruce larch, identification of key biotopes and objects to be preserved during the development of cutting areas in the republic. Work on digitalization of the forest complex was continued - development of the Geographic Information System of the Forest Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Service for Monitoring and Control of the State of the Forest Fund based on remote sensing data were carried out. “Currently, work is underway to analyze the forest fund of the republic, it is planned to start using the system’s functions to the full in early 2020”, the Minister said.
The main goal of the personnel policy of the Ministry is to provide the industry with highly qualified specialists on the basis of an effective system of training, retraining and advanced training of personnel at all levels, their employment and consolidation in the workplace, creating favorable conditions for work and professional growth. To date, 2.5 thousand people are working in the forest industry. In 2019, changes were made to the program “Development of the forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2014-2024. Providing for allocation of funds from the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan to support young professionals”. Thus, in case of employment in subordinate institutions of the Ministry, graduates of higher and secondary educational institutions will be able to receive allowances in the amount of 300 and 150 thousand rubles.
“At the end of my speech, I want to thank with all my heart the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Nurgalievich Minnikhanov, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation - the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Sergey Mikhailovich Anoprienko, the Government and the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan, heads of municipal districts, law enforcement agencies, staff of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan and subordinate structures, as well as all who are not indifferent to the fate of forests, for their support and purposeful work for the benefit of development of the forest complex”, concluded Ravil Kuzyurov.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation - Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Sergey Anoprienko during his speech drew attention to the successful cash execution of the federal project “Forests Conservation” in 2019 - more than 121 million rubles were received from the state budget in the region to increase the amount of reforestation, afforestation work, equipping with forestry, fire fighting equipment, formation of forest seeds stock and other project goals. “At the same time, forest fires are not allowed in Tatarstan for the ninth consecutive year”, he emphasized. “However, one of the main tasks remains on the agenda - increasing the forest cover, which now makes up 17.5% of the total territory of the region”.
When discussing afforestation issues, Sergey Anoprienko noted a significant role of the Forest Selection and Seed Center of the Republic of Tatarstan in implementation of the federal project “Forests Conservation”. The complex is Europe’s largest automated nursery, where 12 million seedlings with a closed root system are grown annually. This allows us to provide planting material not only to Tatarstan, but also to other regions of the Russian Federation.
Also, the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency emphasized the high level of forestry in the region - according to the results of 2018, Tatarstan was among the ten leaders in the rating of regions in terms of effectiveness of implementation of delegated powers.
President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, in turn, said that environmental protection and development of the forest complex directly affect the quality of life of the population. He noted that thanks to the decisions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, national projects, including the Ecology national project, are being successfully implemented in the republic.
Rustam Minnikhanov instructed forestry specialists to pay attention to the state of protective forest stands near motorways and highways of federal and republican significance. “In some places there are unsightly forest shelter belts that do not correspond to our republic. Together with the road workers, it is necessary to develop a program, to find out - where to update, where to add wood. We have planting material”, Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized.
In addition, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan outlined the coordinated work of foresters, representatives of municipalities and employees of the Ministry of Emergencies in terms of preventing the occurrence of forest fires.
Addressing the leadership of the Federal Forestry Agency, Rustam Minnikhanov asked to support the proposal to increase the wages of forestry workers.
Then, the awarding ceremony of distinguished environmental and forestry workers of the Republic of Tatarstan took place. The honorary title “Honored Forester of the Republic of Tatarstan” was awarded to the District Forester of the Bagryazhsky local forestry department of the State Public Institution of RT “Nizhnekamskiy Forest District” Aleksandr Sikhaev, the District Forester of the Svetlogorsk local forestry department of the State Public Institution of RT “Cheremshanskiy Forest District” Vladimir Kudryashov and the District Forester of Petrovskiy forestry department of State Public Institution of RT “Bugulminskiy Forest District”. Specialists were also awarded Honorary Diplomas of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, Gratitude of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, etc.
The meeting ended with signing of a cooperation agreement regarding the creation of conditions for safe and efficient recycling of waste and elimination of accumulated environmental damage. The document was signed by RT President Rustam Minnikhanov and Acting General Director of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise RosRAO Viktor Kovalenko.