MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – Experts of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will explore Belarus' experience in combating decline and dieback of pine plantations, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry.
Over the course of several days, international experts will take stock of the situation with the mass reproduction of tree-eating insects. They will also consider providing international technical assistance to Belarus.
Belarusian First Deputy Forestry Minister Alexander Kulik welcomed the FAO delegation and pointed to the importance of the visit for Belarusian foresters. “The Belarusian Forestry Ministry is busy strengthening the potential of cooperation and expanding mutually beneficial contacts with partner states and relevant international organizations. In light of climate changes, forestry is one of the most vulnerable sectors to unfavorable environmental conditions. Windthrows, snowbreaks, forest fires, pests and diseases damaging plantations – these are the problems Belarus faced in the recent years,” Alexander Kulik said.
He added that Belarusians are not the only ones dealing with this problem. “Our Ukrainian partners confirm that they have had a tougher situation. In Ukraine's Polesye, decline and dieback of trees have affected 142,000 hectares with a total volume of 8 million cubic meters of wood,” Alexander Kulik stated.
Belarus offered the FAO to carry out a joint cross-border project in Belarus and Ukraine to work out comprehensive measures to improve the health of trees, prevent their decline and dieback, and stop forest diseases from spreading to other countries. The main focus should be put on the early diagnosis, monitoring, and recovery of damaged plantations.
