Belarus

FLEG II developed a more efficient evaluation system in line with the newly approved Forest Code

On 9-15 October 2016, eight forestry experts from the Republic of Belarus, including the first deputy Minister of Forestry, Alexander Kulik, and chief forestry officers of the state production forestry associations of Belarus visited Germany for a study tour. The educational workshop ‘Opportunities for sustainable silvicultural practice development in intensively managed forests: experience of Germany’ was organized within the framework of ENPI FLEG II project.

On November 24-26, in Minsk the FLEG II (ENPI East) program’s round table “Implementation of the European Union Timber Regulation 995/2010: lessons learned, challenges, solutions” took place. The main issue of the meeting was the question “What is the progress in implementation of the European Union Timber Regulation?”

One lesson stood out from the rest at a recent trans-boundary meeting of Russian and Belarusian ecotourism businesses – they do not have to wait for someone else to start a program before they can start doing something really innovative in their own communities.

In the frames of the “Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) of the Eastern region of action of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument II” (ENPI East Region) a study tour for the Belarusian foresters was orginised from 7 to 13 June 2015 in Finland.

The FLEG II Program provided analytical support to the development of Belarus' Strategic Forestry Development Plan for 2015-2030.

On February 13, 2015 results of an international research “Feasibility Study for Introduction of Electronic Timber Tracking Technologies in Belarus” were presented at the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus. The research was carried out by the Russian consulting company “Forest Certification” together with experts from the Grodno State Forestry Complex and the Belarus State Technological University supported by the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) II Program funded by European Union.

LEPELSKY DISTRICT, BELARUS—The success of local ecotourism enterprises around the Polistovsky Nature Reserve in Russia is spreading across the border into Belarus, and residents of both countries are seeing the benefits of exchanging ideas and building cooperation. FLEG II’s first direct "people-to-people" trans-border cooperation between Russia and Belarus is exploring the benefits of the “resource center” model of ecotourism and ways to engage local communities, businesses and public officials.

The 1st Steering Committee for the ENPI East Countries FLEG II was held in Belarus, October 1-3, 2013. Representatives from all the participating countries presented the successes of the first phase of their forestry reform programs, and discussed plans for the most effective progress in the second phase.

Minsk, October 2013 - The first Steering Committee Meeting for the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) East Countries Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Program Phase II Program (FLEG II), incorporating seven countries, took place in Minsk from October 1-3, 2013.