Author: Ivan Ivanov
A forest declaration is usually understood as a document that is filled out and submitted by the user of forest resources. It contains comprehensive information about the ways of using the forest for the planned period of time.
To confirm the information specified in the forest declaration, a report on the use of forest resources is submitted along with the main document. What is a forest declaration, where and when is it submitted, and how is it filled out?
Regulatory framework
The main document regulating the use of forest resources is the Forest Code of the Russian Federation, in particular Art. 26. Paragraph 1 states that a forest declaration is usually understood as a statement related to the use of forests in accordance with their development project.
Clause 2 states that the document is submitted annually to government agencies. In this case, Art. 81-84 LC RF.
Clause 3 contains information about the form of the document and the procedure for its execution, submission, as well as the requirements for the format.
Rules for filling out the declaration
The declaration must display the following data:
- the exact legal name of the forest user with all his details and contact details, including telephone numbers and email address;
- number and date of the contract on the basis of which the forest plot was purchased or leased;
- the authority that approved the examination of the forest development project that a specific forest user is allowed to use, indicating the date of issue of this permit;
- complete data on forest resources, the volumes of forest that are expected to be cut down, as well as how forest plantations will be used in the coming 12 months.
To justify the last point, the main declaration provides four special annexes in which the data is displayed:
- stands planned for felling for the purpose of harvesting wood or resin;
- actions related to cutting down forest plantations without the purpose of further timber harvesting;
- a plan diagram that indicates the exact location of the area where any type of work is supposed to be performed.
Annex 1
This document should contain the following information:
- specific type of proposed activity - harvesting of resin, wood or non-wood waste;
- category and type to which the forest resources used belong;
- information on what method, clear or selective, the felling is planned (selective is done if it is necessary to clear the forest from broken, dead and damaged trees, as well as if it is necessary to build a point infrastructure facility in the forest for the purposes of forestry maintenance or for other purposes);
- what is the type of farming - deciduous or coniferous and the nature of the prevailing forest plantations for specific cutting areas - pine, oak, spruce, etc.;
- the dimensions of the raw materials planned for procurement with the calculation of the volume of cutting in cubic meters, resin in tons with an accuracy of tenths;
- where exactly the clearing is located and its area in hectares, defined to tenths of a hectare or in square meters.
Appendix 2
This application contains the following information:
- methods of using forest resources other than timber harvesting (food supplies, collection of medicinal herbs, agricultural activities, hunting, growing plants, scientific research, etc.);
- variety of raw materials - berries, mushrooms, plants, trees and their fruits.
In accordance with the latest requirements, the declaration must contain information about the type of trees to be cut down, which allows more detailed information to be reflected on all the work being carried out. For example, the cutting down of trees damaged by the elements or killed, as well as cuttings necessary for maintaining the territory, are indicated. The forest user is now obliged to reflect the full volume of the forest being cut down, whatever the purpose of its use.
Appendix 3
This annex contains a general plan of the entire forest area, which indicates the specific territory where it is planned to carry out any work on the procurement of raw materials.
Who is required to submit it and why?
The submission of this document is ensured by persons who use specific forest areas on an ongoing basis. Relatively recently, this form was submitted once a year, a month before the next period.
The report contained information about the plan for cutting down forest raw materials for 12 months in advance. In March 2020, new requirements were adopted. In accordance with their standards, each user can choose whether to submit information for the entire volume or separately for each cutting area.
The document is valid for one year from the date of use of the plantings. Thanks to its supply, persons exploiting forest resources can use them as efficiently as possible. In this regard, the reporting system has become as flexible and loyal as possible. It allows:
- take into account the feasibility of harvesting a particular volume of timber;
- meet the required period of time;
- take into account seasonal variations;
- choose the optimal type of wood.
The establishment of this order took place within the framework of Order No. 17 of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated January 16, 2015. There have been changes in the document regarding the general procedure for submitting the document and the rules for using the forest. Since 2020, it has also become possible to submit documentation through the MFC and the Unified Portal of Public Services.
Creating a declaration on timber transactions is presented in the instructions below.
Do I need to submit a forest declaration?
The document is submitted by persons who constantly use certain areas of the forest (purchased by them or leased). Initially, the forest declaration was provided once a year (for example, in 2013, 30 days before 2014). Data on planning deforestation for the next year were entered into the form.
However, in 2020 the order has changed somewhat. Now forest users themselves have the right to choose whether to submit a declaration with data on the total annual volume of use of forest resources, or prepare papers separately for each cutting area.
Let us note again that the new rules for filling out and submitting a forest declaration are contained in Order No. 17 of the Ministry of Natural Resources dated January 16, 2020.
Where to submit a forest declaration?
The new rules that we mentioned earlier provide the opportunity to submit a declaration not only to established government regulatory bodies, but also using multifunctional government bodies. Forest users have the opportunity to submit documents electronically (with an electronic signature) through the State Services portal. Previously there was no such possibility.
Important! The deadline for filing a forest declaration is no later than 10 days from the start of forest use. The document is valid for exactly one year (12 months) from the beginning of the use of forest resources.
What does a forest declaration give to those who submit it on time?
A forest user who has submitted a forest declaration on time and in accordance with all requirements has the opportunity to use forest resources more efficiently. In addition to the requirements of the law, this document allows you to correctly calculate in advance the volume of timber harvesting in a certain period of time. At the same time, the seasonality of demand for wood, weather conditions and many smaller, but no less important points for the forest user, are immediately taken into account.
Please note that a forest declaration is a confirmation of the use of a forest area in accordance with the forest development project. On the EcoPromCenter website there is a separate material on the development and approval of a forest development project. We invite you to familiarize yourself with it.
View the forest development project
Deadlines and procedure for submission
Several years ago, this form was submitted annually one month before the reporting year. It described the plan for the year ahead. From 2020, different rules apply.
In accordance with them, the document must be submitted 10 days before the actual use of the forest. The document is valid for one year from the date of commencement of business.
A new approach to organizing forest use is described in Order No. 17 of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources dated December 16, 2015.
Documents for download (free)
- Forest declaration form
- Sample of filling out a forest declaration
What is this reporting?
This is a statement on the exploitation of the forest in accordance with the resource development project, this standard document contains detailed data on the planned consumption of the forest area in a certain period of time.
A declaration with attachments to it is submitted in the form:
- Report on the use of resources of a certain size of a specific area;
- Plan of the territory for the proposed work;
- Indication of the general plan of cutting areas with numbers and quarterly references.
Important: the document is submitted to the local government authorities that provided the territory on a lease basis or under a sales agreement.
Who owns the forests of the Russian Federation and in what order can entrepreneurs use forest resources - watch this video:
Who reports and when?
This documentation is required to be submitted by all citizens who, on the basis of contractual legal relations, sealed by the appropriate document, have the right to use the forest territory for their own purposes.
Previously, it was submitted annually a month before the start of the reporting year, indicating the full volume of raw materials planned for cutting during the entire period.
According to the changes that have occurred since 2020, the declaration must now contain, at the user’s discretion, the entire volume of planned felling for the year or broken down by cutting area, which ensures that the authorities receive the most detailed information.
Important: the document is submitted at least 10 days before the planned events. The amount of resources used must be indicated for the entire period of the reporting year.
Such changes in the temporary submission of the document and the delivery procedure itself make it possible to rationally use natural and own resources, determining the feasibility of cutting down in a given period, having previously studied the demand for raw materials.
The declaration is valid for one year from the date of its submission. Also, the new format for submitting documentation makes it possible for various structures of multifunctional public services to accept it.
You can find out what the mineral extraction tax is and which companies are required to pay it by following the link.
An example of filling out a forest declaration.
Filling rules
In the form, the compiler must indicate the following information and details:
- Person using the forest. Its legal name is displayed in full, as well as personal details and contact information.
- The contract number, as well as the date of its execution for the purchase and sale of a forest plot or its lease operation.
- The full name of the authority that provided approval for the conclusion of the examination related to the development of forest resources.
- The date on which this permission was granted.
- Complete information about the volume of forest that is subject to felling, as well as about specific types of forest plantations planned for use over the next 12 months.
To correctly display information on the last point, special annexes to the main declaration are used. They display data on the plantings being cut down, actions related to cutting down plantings, and plans and diagrams showing the exact location of the site.
Appendix No. 1
It includes the following set of important data:
- the specific direction of the activity being carried out;
- type of resources used;
- the category they belong to;
- method of deforestation, which can be clear-cut or selective;
- volumes of procured raw materials;
- exact location of the felling area;
- area of forest to be used.
Selective felling is used in the case of clearing a forest area of broken or dead trees, as well as in the case of constructing infrastructure facilities that will be used to service forestry.
Appendix No. 2
It contains information about options for using forest resources other than timber harvesting. It could be:
- production of food supplies;
- production of herbs for medicinal purposes;
- conducting hunting activities;
- organization of agricultural work;
- conducting scientific and educational research;
- growing crops.
The document also includes information about the variety of raw materials themselves. For example, it could be bark, stumps, moss, fruits. Additionally, this annex includes information about the type of trees that are cut down. This is necessary to fully display information about the work being carried out.
The forest user also undertakes to provide information about the entire volume of resources used, regardless of the direction of their exploitation.
Appendix No. 3
This document traditionally contains a general plan of the forest area, and also displays the location of the area. It is here that activities related to the procurement of raw materials will be carried out.
Appendix No. 4
This document contains detailed information about all cutting areas. It also includes their numbers, references, and areas. The purpose of providing this information is to streamline the activities of the forest user, since in practice the boundaries of activities are often not respected.
Documentary establishment of area limits will ensure systematization of data, as well as control of their rational use.
The document is completed in two copies. One of them remains directly with the forest user, the other is sent for review to the government agency. This is done electronically or in paper form.
Subsequently, a check of the report is organized to ensure compliance with the project for the development of the forest site. Based on the results of the inspection, the following work is carried out:
- registration in the register;
- issuing a notice to provide additional information (if necessary);
- signing of the form by the head - representative of the legal entity.
The information is available thanks to the Unified Automated Information System, which includes comprehensive information regarding all deforestation. Reporting is a fundamental document. It, in turn, consists of the following elements:
- contract of sale;
- rental agreement;
- declaration paper;
- report on the implementation of actions;
- transaction documentation.
If you present the described documents in a rational sequence, this will allow you to present the whole picture of the movement of raw materials that were procured, starting from cutting down and ending with sale.
Filling out a forest declaration
Let's move on to the main stage - filling. According to paragraph 3 of Order No. 17 of the Ministry of Natural Resources dated January 16, 2020, the document displays the following data:
- Contact details and details of the person who submitted the forest declaration;
- About the document that allows you to use the forest plot (lease agreement or other);
- The authority that approved the examination of the forest development project is indicated (date of issue of the permit);
- About the location of this forest area;
- On the volume of forest resources used;
- About the types of forest use provided for by the document that allows the use of a forest plot.
As a rule, to justify the use of forest resources for the coming year, it is necessary to enter the following data:
- Information about plantings planned for felling for the purpose of timber harvesting;
- Description of deforestation actions without the purpose of further timber harvesting;
- A plan diagram indicating the exact location of the forest area.
Directions for the development of standardization and declaration of forest products
Currently, state policy regarding the use of forests makes it possible to increase the economic parameters of exploitation to the standards accepted in the world.
Its goal is to increase the contribution of the forestry complex to the development of the socio-economic potential of the regions. The government is also developing and putting into practical use mechanisms for economic evaluation of services in the non-financial sector.
Government representatives note that it is necessary to strive to satisfy the needs of the domestic market and ensure the export of goods at a cost favorable to the country.
An important role is played by the development of regulatory measures by the state, in which government agencies will adhere to anti-dumping policies. Economic incentive measures and directions for increasing attractiveness from an investment point of view will also be taken.
Rules and procedure for filling out
The form must display the following information:
- Forest user – full legal name and all its details, including contact information in the form of telephone numbers and email addresses.
- Date and number of the contract for the purchase and sale or provision of a forest plot for lease.
- The full name of the authority that approved the expert assessment of the project for the development of forests permitted for use by a specific forest user. Date of issue of such permission.
- Forest resources - complete information about the volume of forest to be cut down and the types of uses of forest plantations that are planned for use in the next 12 months.
To display the last item, four types of special applications to the main declaring document, which display the following data:
- Plantings planned for cutting down for the purpose of harvesting wood or resin.
- Any actions aimed at cutting down plantings and not implying further timber harvesting as their goal.
- A plan diagram indicating the exact location of a specific area where any type of work will be carried out.
Appendix No. 1
Contains the following information:
- specific type of activity: harvesting of wood, resin or non-wood waste;
- type and category of forest resources used;
- data on the cutting method: continuous or selective. The selective method is assumed when clearing the forest from broken, dead and damaged trees, as well as when constructing point infrastructure facilities in the forest intended for servicing forestry or intended for other purposes;
- type of farm (coniferous or deciduous) and main forest plantings (material) for a specific apiary (oak, pine, spruce, etc.);
- sizes of raw materials planned for harvesting (the indicator of cut wood is calculated in m3, resin is displayed in tons, calculated with mathematical accuracy to the tenth);
- the exact location of the felling site and its area in hectares, indicated to the nearest tenth, or in m2, displayed to the nearest whole.
Appendix No. 2
This contains the following information:
- methods of using forest resources other than timber harvesting (harvesting food supplies, medicinal herbs, hunting activities, agriculture, scientific and educational research, growing various types of plants, etc.);
- the type of raw material itself (moss, bark, stumps, tree fruits, plants, mushrooms and berries).
According to today's requirements, the declaration must additionally contain information about the species of trees to be cut down. This was done in order to more fully display information about the work being carried out: now it is necessary to indicate, for example, the cutting down of dead trees or those damaged by the elements, as well as cuttings carried out for the purpose of maintaining the territory.
Thus, the forest user is obliged to declare the entire volume of cut down forest, regardless of the purpose of its use.
Appendix No. 3
Contains a general plan of a forest area showing the location of a specific area where work will be carried out to procure raw materials.
