The Rules for Conducting of the Forest Pathology Surveys have been publiched
On January 16, 2017 the Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation No.480 “On Approval of the Procedure for the Conducting of the Forest Pathology Surveys and Forms of Forest Pathology Survey Report” has been published.
The Order establishes a new procedure for conducting of forest pathology surveys and approves the form of Forest Pathology Survey Report.
The procedure for conducting of forest pathology surveys divides forest pathology surveys into two types: visual forest pathology survey and instrumental forest pathology survey.
The visual method allows the use of ground-based or remote methods of survey, including the Earth surface remote sensing techniques – using aircrafts, pilotless planes and interpretation of spacecraft data, the instrumental one uses only the actual ground instrumental methods of survey.
The instrumental method is used to clarify the boundaries and areas of damaged forest areas.
The document introduces the minimum areas of forest pathology allotments, which may differ from the forest sub-compartments. For the zone of high forest pathology threat this area is 0.1 hectares, for the medium – 0.5 hectares, and for low one is 1.0 hectares.
For forests damaged by fires the minimum periods of visual forest pathology surveys are introduced: upon creeping fire of high and medium intensity – 1.5-2 months, low intensity – 2-2.5 months. For crowning and underground fires the survey periods are not limited.
An important innovation of the document was the enhancing of the personal responsibility of the performer of the forest pathology survey works – previously the Forest Pathology Survey Report was signed by the commission, and now – by the direct executor singularly.
The document is registered in the Ministry of Justice of Russia on 13.01.2017 under the number 45200.