Belarus is unthinkable without woods. Nature has generously endowed our land with lovely pine, oak and spruce forests. One can endlessly admire and enjoy this beautiful treasure, but some, it seems, underestimate its importance. Who is in charge of forest management in our country? Are we educated enough to do it efficiently? Professor Ivan Zharsky, rector of the Belarusian State Technological University, shares his opinion with our readers.
— Professor Zharsky, forests played an exceptional role in the history of Belarus, didn’t they?
— Absolutely. Forests represent one of the main renewable natural resources in Belarus. Forests are major suppliers of oxygen and affect water regime of the area. The value of forests for economic development is enormous. Here is just one example. Out of 89 of life quality indicators according to the UN classification 72 to 75 in one way or another are connected with forests.
— There is a wise saying: little forest — spare, enough forest — take care, no forest — plant it. To which extent is it applicable to our country?
— In case of Belarus, forests are the only resources, if used reasonably, can be considered inexhaustible and thus strategic. About 9.4 million hectares of the Belarusian territory is covered with forests. There is 0.8 hectares of forested land per capita — almost twice as much as in Europe. This, of course, does not mean that we can cut as much wood as we want. Forest management must be careful and wise.
What are today’s most urgent problems in this industry for Belarus? First of all, optimization of the age structure and improvement of species-wise composition of forests. Also, there is an urgent need to develope of bioenergy.
— Mr. Zharsky, your university focuses on training full-fledged forest masters. In what way do you approach this difficult and honorable mission?
— We can proudly say that Belarusian State Technological University throughout its more than 80-year history has been one of the leading educational establishments. The university was awarded of the Republic of Belarus Government Prize for quality for our 2010 achievements.
— The university is located in Minsk, a big city, while its graduates work in a completely different environment, in the forest. How are academic activities balanced with fieldwork?
— We are trying to bring the training of young professionals to the production needs. For example, forestry students have training and apprenticeship at the Negoreloe forestry training center. Our university is multidisciplinary and has different students. However, the overwhelming majority of forestry students come from regional centers, small towns and villages. Their desire to devote their lives to forest is caused by a close contact with nature.
Ivan Zharsky graduated from this university in 1971. It is not by accident that his life is closely related to forest.
“I was born and grew up in a village in Novogrudok district, not far from the legendary Nalibokskaya Pushcha. In summer we used to pick berries and mushrooms in this forest. My grandfather’s brother graduated from the famous St. Petersburg Forestry Institute in 1912 and worked as the chief forester in the Kherson region. Naturally, forestry was among the main topics for discussion in my family,” he says.
— Mr. Zharsky, what does it mean to you to ‘love forest’?
— If one loves and takes care of forest, it means that one loves his or her home country, because forests are the main natural wealth of our nation.
