The 23rd session of the Volyn Regional Council decided to increase the forest cover of the region's territory by 2015 to the generally accepted in Europe scientifically substantiated optimal level – 36%. This decision was made after a lengthy discussion of the issue of the state of use, reproduction and protection of forest resources of Volyn, – reported the own correspondent of the Western Information Corporation.
The work of the Volyn Regional Forestry Administration (state forestry enterprises) and the main administration of agro-industrial development of the Regional State Administration (specialized forestry enterprises) on forest reproduction was recognized as satisfactory by the 23rd session of the regional council on October 18, while their work on the use of forest resources was recognized as insufficient.
The session recommended that the regional state administration create a working group on issues of improving forest protection and control over their use, and instruct it to develop measures to eliminate shortcomings in this work. In addition, the deputies proposed to introduce additional staff positions in the main administration of agro-industrial development of the Regional State Administration to ensure proper control over these issues, as well as to adopt an order "On conducting auctions for the sale of timber resources of the region."
Along with increasing the forest cover of the region's territory to 36% by 2015, it was decided to bring the share of protected forest areas to 25% within 10 years.
The session of the regional council also adopted an appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the acceleration of the adoption of normative legal acts relating to forestry, as well as the adoption of a new Forest Code of Ukraine and the introduction of an export duty on the export of round timber.