Foresters of Verkhnedvinsk region celebrate their professional holiday
Forest Worker's Day is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of September.
People who have dedicated their lives to this profession are enriching the country's natural wealth. Artur Sergeevich Kruglikov, the director of the institution, talks about how the team of the Verkhnedvinsk Forestry Enterprise is coping with this important task.
– The territory of the forestry enterprise, which spans over 100 thousand hectares, is divided among nine forestries. They are responsible for the main work: planting trees, carrying out tending felling, monitoring young stands, implementing fire prevention measures, pest control, and much more. Recently, we have been fencing off forest plantations to prevent animals from destroying the young trees.
A very important task is the protection of natural wealth. This year, there was no rain in our territory for 57 days. The lack of moisture not only negatively affects young plantations but also poses a serious fire hazard. The forest protection service worked in an intensified mode, carrying out round-the-clock duty.
One of the important principles of forestry management is ensuring the continuous and rational use of forests. We fell trees to grow new ones. It is necessary to act competently: one hundred years is the age of wood maturity. The forest management party is engaged in the inventory of the forest fund, the design of forestry activities, and also plans the volume of felling for 10 years. According to the plan, we carry out felling, compensate for the felled trees with newly planted ones, and increase the areas annually. And, of course, we use the precious raw material as effectively as possible.
The modernization of the enterprise allows for the creation of new jobs, the production of products with high added value, the generation of profit, and the development of the industry. Under sanctions and a difficult economic situation, the Verkhnedvinsk Forestry Enterprise has not lowered its standards. The markets for sawn timber have been reoriented to the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. By modernizing the sawmill line, the enterprise has increased the output of export products from 50% to 76%. The share of export revenue is 31%.
In February of this year, the "Forest House" exhibition site opened on Logoisky Trakt, where the products of the Verkhnedvinsk Forestry Enterprise occupy a place of honor. A house made of profiled logs with an area of 95 square meters (frame and roof truss system) costs 27 thousand rubles. And this is the most profitable offer among the forestry enterprises in the country. The demand for this
We continue to modernize production, acquiring new equipment that minimizes manual labor at all stages – both in woodworking shops and at logging sites. To expand the range of manufactured products, we have purchased a firewood processing and sawing line, which performs several operations simultaneously and significantly simplifies the firewood production process.
To increase timber harvesting volumes, we acquired two new "Harvesters" this year. One such machine is capable of logging as much as 25 loggers. However, it is impossible to replace people at any stage of production: they protect the forest, operate complex machinery, and work in logging and raw material processing. 380 people are employed in the district's forestry sector, and these are people of special fortitude. They perform their work flawlessly in any season.
To improve working conditions, two rest rooms for workers and one for woodworking shop masters were repaired this year.
At the celebration dedicated to Forest Worker's Day, over 60 people will be awarded Certificates of Honor and Commendations from the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, Vitebsk State Production Forestry Association, Verkhnedvinsk Forestry, the District Executive Committee, and the District Council of Deputies. This is the result of many years of fruitful work and a responsible attitude towards their chosen profession.
Larisa ZAITSEVA.
Source: d-p.by