About Foundation
Provision of support to enterprises in the preparation to the voluntary forest certification according to the FSC system
Certification according to the Forest Stewardship Council system is developing quite rapidly in Russia and the whole world. From year to year more and more companies certify forest management and supply chain according to the FSC system. On November 11th, 2009 Russian national voluntary forest certification standard according to the FSC system came into effect. Independent consultants can provide assistance to companies in fulfilling the requirements of the Russian national FSC standard. Silver Taiga Foundation is a legally registered consultant in the field of voluntary forest certification according to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) system and it’s specializing in such topics as biodiversity, high conservation value forests, and work with local population.
Today Silver Taiga Foundation is ready to render consultation services in the following areas:
- provision of information about certification (free of charge);
- training in the field of forest certification (fee-based);
- preparation for the forest management certification in general (fee-based);
- preparation for the forest management certification according to principles 3,4,6,9 or separate FSC policies (fee-based)
Professional development in the sphere of natural forest dynamics and biodiversity in the Pechoro-Ilych Reserve and Komi Model Forest
Silver Taiga Foundation organizes 7-10 days excursions to the Pechoro-Ilych Reserve and Komi Model Forest for the employees of the state forest service, environmental organizations, research associates, and other interested parties. The excursions are conducted in Russian and English languages.
Pechoro-Ilych Reserve
Excursion to the Pechoro-Ilych Reserve «Landscape-ecological features of pristine taiga forest” is devoted to study of peculiarities and natural dynamics of different types of taiga forest: from light coniferous to dark coniferous. The participants of the course will get a unique opportunity to visit one of the largest massifs of pristine forests preserved to the present moment and get acquainted with biological diversity of this territory.
You can get familiar with the program and the cost of the excursion here.
Here you can find a short description of the routes.
Komi Model Forest
Excursion to the Komi Model Forest “Natural dynamics and biological diversity of taiga forests” is devoted to study of all types of natural forest dynamics: from the pine forest fire dynamics to the dynamics in the extremely poor soil conditions. Besides the participants of the excursion will get information about the history of development of the Komi forest territories and will get a chance to visit test fields of Model forest. The program of the excursion is prepared taking into account the wishes and interests of the group participants and consists of the routes and test fields already existing on the territory of the Model forest.
At the request of the group an excursion can be supplemented by a trip to the Koygorodok massif of pristine forest. Participants of the excursion can not only visit the most southerly massif of pristine forest in Europe but to live in the traditional Komi houses, communicated with local residents, and learn more about culture and traditions of the Komi people as well.
You can have a look at one of the versions of the excursion program here.
Demonstration routes in the Komi Model Forest:
- «Man and forest: history of relations» — Demonstration of the consequences of the forest territories agricultural development and forest use influence on the forest fund dynamics on the permanent settlements area in the historic retrospective;
- «Priluzje pristine forests and conservation of the forest ecosystems biodiversity» — Demonstration of the landscape, structural, and species diversity of the old-growth Priluzje forests and consequences of the various cutting types’ influence on the natural forests biodiversity;
- «Clear cuttings in the pine forests: short-term profit and long-term losses» — Retrospective demonstration of the consequences of the clear cuttings, conducted in the green moss pine forests, and their impact on the regeneration, productivity and biodiversity of the secondary forests.
Test fields in the Komi Model Forest:
- «Regeneration of the original species and conservation of the biodiversity elements during the selective cuttings execution» —Comparative analysis of the results of the reconstructive cuttings, performed in compliance with the norms of the selective cuttings execution according to the forestry unit’s general practice, and accretion cuttings aimed at the use of the potential of the forest stands’ productivity and restoration of the original species, as well as conservation of the biodiversity elements;
- «Regeneration of the pine as an original species during the clear cuttings organization» — Comparative analysis of the results of the clear cutting, performed in the bilberry spruce forest according to the general practice of the forestry unit, and clear cutting with further fire reclamation of the soil aimed at restoration of the original forest type, namely, bilberry pine forest;
- «Ensuring pine regeneration during the gradual cuttings» —Comparative analysis of the results of the clear cutting, performed in the coniferous-deciduous stands according to the general practice of the forestry unit, and gradual cutting, conducted in order to use the potential of the forest stands’ productivity, ensure regeneration of the original species, and preserve the biodiversity elements;
- «Clear cuttings performed in the spruce forests and conservation of the ecosystems biodiversity» — Demonstration of the methods necessary for conservation of soils and forest biodiversity during the clear cuttings in the water-logged spruce massifs;
- «Selective cuttings performed in the spruce forest: searching for a compromise between the ecology and economy» — Demonstration of the stages and methods of voluntary selective cutting, conducted in the uneven-aged spruce forest, imitating spruce forests gap development dynamics aimed at stands destruction prevention and conservation of their protective functions and biodiversity elements.
Professional development on routes and test fields in the Komi Model Forest
The workshops are conducted for the managers and specialists of the forestry agencies, logging companies, forest inventory enterprises, environmental organizations, research associates, and all other interested participants of the forest relations. The workshops are devoted to the taiga forest natural dynamics issues, conservation of biodiversity and soils during the planning of the logging and the logging itself, and voluntary forest certification. The workshops are carried out on the basis of the Komi Model Forest. The training consists of lectures and field excursions to the demonstration sites (routes and test fields).
Demonstration routes in the Komi Model Forest:
- «Man and forest: history of relations» — Demonstration of the consequences of the forest territories agricultural development and forest use influence on the forest fund dynamics on the permanent settlements area in the historic retrospective;
- «Priluzje pristine forests and conservation of the forest ecosystems biodiversity» — Demonstration of the landscape, structural, and species diversity of the old-growth Priluzje forests and consequences of the various cutting types’ influence on the natural forests biodiversity;
- «Clear cuttings in the pine forests: short-term profit and long-term losses» — Retrospective demonstration of the consequences of the clear cuttings, conducted in the green moss pine forests, and their impact on the regeneration, productivity and biodiversity of the secondary forests.
Test fields in the Komi Model Forest:
- «Regeneration of the original species and conservation of the biodiversity elements during the selective cuttings execution» —Comparative analysis of the results of the reconstructive cuttings, performed in compliance with the norms of the selective cuttings execution according to the forestry unit’s general practice, and accretion cuttings aimed at the use of the potential of the forest stands’ productivity and restoration of the original species, as well as conservation of the biodiversity elements;
- «Regeneration of the pine as an original species during the clear cuttings organization» — Comparative analysis of the results of the clear cutting, performed in the bilberry spruce forest according to the general practice of the forestry unit, and clear cutting with further fire reclamation of the soil aimed at restoration of the original forest type, namely, bilberry pine forest;
- «Ensuring pine regeneration during the gradual cuttings» —Comparative analysis of the results of the clear cutting, performed in the coniferous-deciduous stands according to the general practice of the forestry unit, and gradual cutting, conducted in order to use the potential of the forest stands’ productivity, ensure regeneration of the original species, and preserve the biodiversity elements;
- «Clear cuttings performed in the spruce forests and conservation of the ecosystems biodiversity» — Demonstration of the methods necessary for conservation of soils and forest biodiversity during the clear cuttings in the water-logged spruce massifs;
- «Selective cuttings performed in the spruce forest: searching for a compromise between the ecology and economy» — Demonstration of the stages and methods of voluntary selective cutting, conducted in the uneven-aged spruce forest, imitating spruce forests gap development dynamics aimed at stands destruction prevention and conservation of their protective functions and biodiversity elements.