Belarus' forest cover continues to grow and already makes 40.2%

The forest cover of Belarus continues to grow and is already 40.2 percent – as informed by Anastasia Gurina, from the Forestry Ministry, sb.by reports

According to the Forestry Ministry representative, more than 1 hectare of forested lands accounts for every Belarusian citizen at present. “Our country is one of the ten most forested countries in Europe, and this indicator has almost doubled over the past 60 years – to reach more than a 100-year high: 40.2 percent,” Ms. Gurina stressed. “According to the Forestry Ministry data, the land area of the forest fund is 8.7 million hectares, which is 89 percent of the total forest area of the republic.”

Coniferous species account for about 60 percent of Belarusian forests, soft-wooded – 37 percent, hard-wooded – 4 percent, and shrubs occupy less than one percent of the total area.

“We must understand that forests do not grow by themselves; they are the result of the painstaking work of our specialists. In 2023, new forests were planted on an area of 36.2 thousand hectares – which was virtually equal to the area of the largest city in Belarus (Minsk covers the territory of 35 thousand hectares). An increasing number of trees are being planted annually, and this enables us to maintain a positive trend regarding deforestation. Special attention is paid to forests damaged by drying out and exposure to adverse natural factors,” Ms. Gurina added.