Forest industry of Russia

The forest complex includes: logging , forestry , chemical and mechanical wood processing. Raw materials for the listed industries are used one and the same. The difference lies in the technology of production and the designation of the products. The volume of finished products is dominated by wood chemical and pulp and paper industries. The number of operating enterprises is dominated by the woodworking industry.

The timber industry of Russia is of great importance in the country's economy. This is due to several factors:

• Huge stocks of raw materials;
• Territorial distribution of forest resources;
• Wide application in various sectors of the economy (transport, construction, industry, municipal and agricultural).

In our country, one-quarter of the world's timber reserves are concentrated. Therefore, Russia's timber industry complex is the largest in the world. The tree species are dominated by the following:

• Coniferous: pine, fir, spruce, larch, cedar;
• Deciduous: beech, maple, ash, oak, birch, linden, aspen.

The forest industry in Russia is based on three forest groups. These include:

• Protected, sheltered, recreational forests. In such zones only "health-improving" tree felling is carried out, which improves the sanitary condition of the forest belt;
• The forests in which selective felling is allowed on the basis of the annual growth;
• Operational areas of the forest. Tree felling can occur there permanently.

During the market transformation of the economy, a crisis occurred in the timber industry. The scientific, technical and industrial potential has been significantly undermined. As a result of the changes there was a decline in production, insufficient use of the cutting area. The volume of investments has significantly decreased. As a result, timber processing enterprises (90% of the total number) were privatized.

In the structure of industrial production in terms of the number of products manufactured, Russia's timber industry ranks seventh, and in terms of exports, it is the fifth largest in the world. The significant role of the forest complex is assigned to the economies of the European North. In the country's export deliveries, the products of the forest complex occupy a leading position. Plywood, sawnwood, cellulose are exported. Such materials have a price below the world average, as they are inferior in quality, processing, marketable and packaging of products of developed countries.

The timber industry is engaged in harvesting, exporting and alloying wood, primary processing and processing (in part) of timber materials. Its main products are "business" wood. Its volume is 80% of the total volume of exported products. Logging is the basic branch of the timber industry complex.

Availability of raw materials determines the location of logging. In connection with this factor, the European North became the leading area for harvesting "business" wood . It gives one-third of the total output of the industry. In the second place was Eastern Siberia. On the third place the Urals became stronger. In addition to these areas, logging is carried out in the Far East, in Western Siberia, in the Northwest.

The main consumer of "business" wood is the woodworking industry. It produces lumber, plywood, sleepers, slabs, building elements, furniture, matches, wooden houses of the standard type.

Summing up, we can say that Russia's forest industry is concentrated in the following economically advantageous regions of our country: in the North, the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Volga-Vyatka region, in the Northwest, and in the Far East. Our country provides itself with lumber, plywood, cardboard, paper and other wood products.