Belarus is establishing Model Forest in Neman River valley near Novogrudok

Przemyslaw Majewski has been visiting area of future Model Forest near Novogrudok in 14-19 July 2012. Main purpose of the trip was to support Belarusian colleagues with experience in establishing Model Forest especially in local partnership building and implementation of the project.

The trip took place within Baltic Landscape Project, which is led by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umea and funded by Baltic Sea Program. Establishment of 5 new and strengthening of two existing Model Forests is one of Baltic Landscape objectives. The Model Forests are covering not only forests but also waters and agriculture land – they are dealing with forested landscape and to stress it they have been named Baltic Landscapes.

Model Forest is covering area of 85 000 ha of forest plus River Neman, temporary flooded large areas of meadows and agriculture land in two administrative localities: Novogrudok and Karelichi. Our Belarusian colleagues selected three main problems to be solved by Model Forest:

lack of integrated planning on the landscape level,
spontaneous development of tourism and related risk of losses in the scenic nature,
unclear results of drainage of forest and meadows in the Neman River valley; and related need of development of new approach for forestry in the river valley. Local society, very much settled down, react positive way for the Model Forest project.

The project has three main partners: State Forest Enterprise in Novogrudok, Belarusian State Technological University in Minsk and State Forest Inventory Belgosles in Minsk.

We wish good luck to our Belarusian colleagues.