52 forestry facilities operate in the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT). The distribution of forest reserve lands is presented on the interactive charts.

Species composition of BNT forest lands

90% of the area of forest lands in Irkutsk region is covered by forests and 10% is covered by scrubs. The forests are represented by two groups of forest-forming species: conifers and deciduous trees. Among the conifer forest type, pine forests (Pinussilvestris) and larch forests (Larix) are equally represented at 26%. Cedar forests (Pinussibirica) are also widely represented - 17%. The deciduous forests are dominated by birch (Betula) 17%.

Siberian dwarf pine (Pinuspumila) forms shrub thickets in the highland zone, while in the floodplains of rivers and streams it is formed by dwarf birch, or thickets of dwarf and shrub birch and shrub willows.

Species composition of the forested area included in the forest reserve lands of the Republic of Buryatia is represented by: conifers – 74.0 % of the forested area; soft-wooded broadleaved species – 12.8 %; hard-wooded broadleaved species – 0.002 % and shrubs – 13.2 %.

Reforestation

Irkutsk region. In 2015 reforestation was conducted on the area of 15.8 thousand hectares of the Baikal Natural Territory (2014 – 15.2 thousand hectares), where among other activities forest crops were planted on the area of 1.6 thousand hectares. 15.5 thousand hectares of young forests were transferred to the category of lands covered with mature forests – (2014 – 14.8 thousand hectares).

Republic of Buryatia. In 2015 reforestation was carried out on the area of 5.3 thousand hectares (in 2014 – 15.0 thousand hectares), where among other activities forest crops were planted on the area of 1.16 thousand hectares (in 2014 – 1.2 thousand hectares). 27.9 thousand hectares of young forests were transferred to the category of lands covered with mature forests (2014 – 27.3 thousand hectares).

Zabaykalsky Krai. In 2015 reforestation was conducted on the area of 4.3 thousand hectares within the Baikal Natural Territory (in 2014 – 4.9 thousand hectares), where among other activities forest crops were planted on the area of 0.7 thousand hectares (in 2014 - 0.8 thousand hectares). 17.3 thousand hectares of young forests were transferred to the category of lands covered with mature forests (in 2014 – 16.1 thousand hectares).

Measures aimed at the increase of utilisation efficiency, protection, preservation and reproduction of forests

Irkutsk region. In order to ensure the efficiency of detection and extinguishing of forest fires within the boundaries of Irkutsk region on the area of 9,562.1 thousand hectares the forest reserve lands of BNT was divided into fire risk monitoring zones: ground forest fire protection zone, occupying 717.6 thousand hectares, aerial surveillance zone, occupying 8,125.0 thousand hectares and 2nd level space monitoring zone with the area of 719.5 thousand hectares.

In 2015 the following activities aimed at fire-fighting management of forests were performed on the lands of the forest reserve of Irkutsk region:

- construction of forest roads – 1,192.4 km;

- reconstruction of forest roads – 2,057.4 km;

- arrangement of fire barriers (fire lines and clearings) – 5,251.0 km;

- upkeep of fire barrier lines – 5,827.0 km;

- controlled preventive burnings of dry vegetation –26,003.5 hectares.

During the year 2015 the employees of forestry facilities located within the boundaries of BNT conducted 5,557 checks in order to prevent illegal felling of forest plantations and illicit timber trade, including 1,229 events with participation of law enforcement agencies. 1,520 violations were detected, including 1,018 cases of illegal felling of forest plantations, where the volume of illegally cut timber amounted to 53,304 m³ and the damage caused to the forest reserve of Irkutsk region amounted to 478,341.5 thousand Rubles.

976 sets of case materials related to illegal felling were passed to the investigative authorities, resulting in initiation of 942 criminal cases.

Republic of Buryatia. In order to ensure the efficiency of detection and extinguishing of forest fires within the boundaries of the Republic of Buryatia on the area of 13,146 thousand hectares the forest reserve lands were divided into fire risk monitoring zones: ground forest fire protection zone, occupying 2,388 thousand hectares, aerial surveillance zone, occupying 7,455 thousand hectares and 1st level space monitoring zone with the area of 3,303 thousand hectares.

In order to prevent forest fires, preventive controlled burnings were conducted on the area of 92.0 thousand hectares; arrangement of file lines – 2,348 km; upkeep of fire lines – 4,065 km.

The Government of the Republic of Buryatia approved the Consolidated plan for forest fire extinguishing within the territory of the Republic of Buryatia in 2015. 100 fire-ground managers qualified for extinguishing large forest fires graduated from the Forest Industry College.

Within the framework of fire-fighting public awareness campaign 155 articles in the printed media were published, 537 target themes were presented on TV and 510 - on the radio. 21,000 memos and posters were distributed, 744 local information boards aimed at forest preservation were installed, demonstration of fire-fighting videos in educational institutions and in large stores of the city of Ulan-Ude was organised.

Door-round with the goal of communicating the forest fire safety related information to every resident was conducted in villages.

Zabaykalsky Krai. In 2015 the following forest fire-fighting arrangement activities were conducted within the boundaries of Baikal Natural Territory:

- construction of fire safety roads – 103 km;

- reconstruction of forest roads – 46.4 km;

- operation and maintenance of forest roads – 230,8 km;

- arrangement of file lines and clearings – 667.5 km;

- upkeep of fire lines and clearings – 1827 km;

- local information boards manufactured and installed – 278;

- flyers and memos distributed– 2,800.

In the course of 2015 a forest pathology research was conducted on a total area of 11 thousand hectares, sanitary and recreational activities were carried out on the area of 2.8 thousand hectares, including cleaning of forests from litter – about 300 hectares.

In 2015, 316 kg of seeds of coniferous species were planted on the territory of forestry facilities located within the boundaries of the Baikal Natural Area.

In 2015, 2,889.9 thousand of seedlings of standard planting material of the main forest tree species were grown in forest tree nurseries located within the boundaries of the Baikal Natural Area.

Conclusions

1. In 2015 the area covered with forest vegetation decreased in total by 119.3 hectares (0.5 %) in the Baikal Natural Area and leaves 25,151.2 thousand hectares remaining. In Zabaykalsky Krai the area increased by 0.16 %. In the Republic of Buryatia the area decreased by 0.34 %, while in Irkutsk region – by 1 %.

2. In 2015 the calculated felling rate of mature and over-mature forest stands in BNT decreased by 0.41 % and amounted to 15,815.5 thousand m³. 

Forest utilisation indicators within the Baikal Natural Territory in 2015

In 2015 in BNT the felling volume for mature and over-mature forest stands amounted to 4,202.5 thousand m³ and decreased by 1.6 % in comparison with 2014. In Irkutsk region the felling volume decreased by 1.3 %, while in the Republic of Buryatia – by 8 %. In Zabaykalsky Krai this volume increased by 9 %.

The improvement felling volume increased in comparison with 2014 by 25% and amounted to 34.6 thousand hectares. In Irkutsk region the increase amounted to 32%, while in the Republic of Buryatia – to 27%. In Zabaykalsky Krai the felling volume decreased by 60 %.

In 2015 the sanitary and recreational activities were conducted on an area of 12.3 thousand hectares (in 2014 – 11.7 thousand hectares).

In 2015 the number of fires compared to 2014 increased 1.3 times and amounted to 2,674 fires. The total area affected by fires, increased 6.3 times compared to 2014 and amounted to 1,096 hectares.