MINSK, 18 January (BelTA) – Two forest nurseries designed to grow balled saplings will be commissioned in 2019. The nurseries are being built using a World Bank loan, BelTA learned from Nikolai Yurevich, Head of the Forestry Office of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry.
Two forest nurseries have already been opened in Brest Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast as part of the project financed by the World Bank loan. “This year we intend to commission another two: in the national forest breeding and seed center in Minsk Oblast in spring and in Mogilev Oblast closer to the end of the year,” said Nikolai Yurevich.
In April 2015 the Forestry Ministry acting on behalf of the Belarusian government and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed a loan agreement as part of the project designed to develop Belarus' forestry industry. The IBRD granted a loan to the tune of $40.174 million. The money was invested in the construction of modern forest nurseries to grow balled saplings and in the acquisition of the necessary machines and equipment. After reviewing progress in implementing the project in spring 2018 the World Bank Board of Directors decided in favor of allocating an additional loan to the tune of €12 million.
Over 90 Belarusian forestry enterprises are taking part in the project's implementation. The first forest nursery meant to grow balled saplings was opened in the Ivatsevichi forestry enterprise in Brest Oblast in April 2018. The second one was opened in the Glubokoye experimental forestry enterprise in Vitebsk Oblast in late October 2018.
