Firewood harvesting by the public. Rules and liability for violation of legislation.

The heating season is not yet here, but preparations for it must begin in advance, which is why many citizens need to purchase and procure firewood.

The Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora informs that, in accordance with Article 44 of the Forest Code of the Republic of Belarus, the harvesting of timber by citizens on forest fund plots is carried out for a fee based on an order. An order for the small-scale sale of timber in its standing state is issued by the forestry. No more than 50 cubic meters of timber can be harvested under an order.

According to Article 42 of the Forest Code, a citizen wishing to obtain a plot for timber harvesting must submit a written application to the forestry office at their place of residence for the provision of a forest fund plot for firewood harvesting. The application must specify: the purpose of obtaining the forest fund plot, full name, place of residence, the volume of firewood planned for harvesting, and the period for which the forest fund plot is requested.

The legal entity managing the forest economy, or its structural unit (forestry), in accordance with Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 200 of April 26, 2010 "On Administrative Procedures Carried Out by State Bodies and Other Organizations Upon Applications from Citizens," within two working days from the date of application submission, reviews the application and attached documents. If there are no grounds for refusing the provision of a forest fund plot for forest use, the forest fund plot is provided by issuing an order to the applicant, provided that the applicant has paid the fee for forest use.

After the order is processed, the logging area is transferred to the citizen with the drawing up of an acceptance-transfer act for the logging area. After this, timber harvesting is carried out.

The order serves as the basis for the removal of harvested timber. The removal of harvested timber is carried out only after it has been measured by a forestry employee. The forestry employee enters the volume of actually harvested timber into the order table, indicating the species, their surname, given name, patronymic (if any), and the date of measurement of the timber in its harvested form, to be removed on the day of measurement, and affixes their signature.

Violation of timber harvesting rules entails bringing the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the current legislation.

  Deputy Head                                                         V.A. Goncheronok

  Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate