Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

DYNAMICS AND STATE OF THE FOREST FUND OF THE TRANS- BAIKAL TERRITORY FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1998 TO 2016

Larisa Nikolaevna Pak

Abstract

The work provides the analysis of the forest fund state dynamics of the Trans-Baikal Territory over an eighteen-year period in order to identify stable trends and assess their condition. The retrospective study of the materials of the state forest inventory for the Chita region until 2008 (as of 1998, 2003) and the state forest registries for the Trans-Baikal Territory from 2008 till present (as of 2008-2016) allowed to identify positive and negative changes in the forest fund of the territory. The positive trends may include: a slight increase in the total area of the forest fund of the State Forest Service of the Trans-Baikal Territory, the area of forests land and forest-covered area; a reduction of the forest restoration fund; and an increase in the yield and stand growth. Negative trends have come through: the reduction of lands occupied by forest nurseries and plantations; the increase in the dead wooded stands, felling and clearing lands; the increase in the proportion of soft-wooded broadleaved plantations; damage to the age structure of forests; preservation of low average timber reserves; reduction of current growth in coniferous forests and age of plantations; prevalence of low-budget and low-density plantings; uneven placement of forest operators in the region, and weak organization of forest protection from fires and forest disturbances.