Ecologically Oriented Forestry Development in Belarus in the Context of Climate Change

Abstract

This brochure is a result of implementing Activity 3.1.4: Consultancy Services to Develop Strategies and Actions Plans for the Adaptation of the Belarusian Forestry Sector to Climate Change and to Implement the Principles of “Green Economy” under Contract № BFDP/GEF/CQS/16/25-26/17 dated October 23, 2017, within the Belarus Forestry Management Project (TFОA1173 GEF/World Bank). It incorporates conceptual approaches to forest management in Belarus in the context of weather and climate change observed in recent decades. The brochure addresses the ways of combating adverse climate change impacts on the forestry, the challenges of reforestation, afforestation and forest tending techniques in order to adapt them to climate change. The report includes analysis of contribution of the Belarusian forestry to climate change mitigation as concerns atmospheric carbon dioxide absorption by forests and its partial sequestration as phytomass carbon, soil organic carbon and other forest fund components. The “green economy” principles and criteria have been developed for the Belarusian forestry, the ways to promote them in the emerging “green economy” have been proposed. A new concept of sustainable forest management has been formulated, which is based on the climate-oriented strategy of forestry development.