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 group included 7 forestry experts, representing the Ministry for Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, State Production Forestry Associations of Brest, Mogilev, Grodno and other subordinate organizations. Experts of the nursery “Suonenjoki” have prepared an intensive internship program for the Belarusian delegation.

The program contained the whole range of activities review of Finnish forestry specific characteristics and in-depth study of all features of growing seedlings with closed root system, including irrigation, fertilization, protection from diseases and pests, weed control, grading, packing, storage.

“We went on a trip with a lot of questions, and we were responded to every detail”,- says Inga Vyunova, Leading Engineer for the Reforestation and Reclamation of the Grodno State Forestry Association. “We were disclosed all the secrets of growing planting material, we were given the extensive and competent practical advice. It will be a great help in our work. By the way, we have already started to analyze the samples of the soil they use in Finland to grow seedlings, and its prototype, optimized to our climate, soon will be developed in Belarus".

Lectures and demonstrations of production processes, as well as the technology of creating tree seed plantations based on tree nursery have aroused the greatest interest in the Belarusian group. In addition, participants of the study-tour have got a lot of new visual information, concerning the practice of reforestation by using planting material.

“Finland for decades is demonstrating the best practices and technologies of growing forests at all stages of the forest cycle”,- says Nikolay Shmatkov, Head of the Forest Program of WWF-Russia and FLEG II Country Coordinator in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. “Therefore, a study tour in one of the foremost Finnish tree nurseries is an effective way to improve the skills of forestry workers to develop intensive forest management in the Republic of Belarus”.

Now Belarusian experts are going to implement acquired knowledge in accordance to specifics of their country, and to cooperate further with the Finnish colleagues. It is expected that this year in Belarus will be completed the development of the project to establish four tree nurseries, and in 2016 the construction works and purchase of necessary equipment will be started.