Text 1. FORESTS AND FOREST RESOURCES

The Russian Federation has a vast territory covered with forests. It possesses more than a third of all the world forest resources. All northern regions of Russia are covered with large forests. Coniferous forests with pine, spruce, larch, cedar and fir dominate. A conifer is a tree with needlelike leaves that bears seeds in cones. About 80 per cent of our forest is coniferous. Deciduous trees grow mostly in the central part. Oak, beech, birch, poplar, aspen are the most common species.

The wood of coniferous trees is called softwood, whereas deciduous trees provide hardwood.

It is difficult to explain what a forest is. It is usually defined as a plant association, mainly of trees or other woody vegetation, occupying an area of land. A forest is also characterized by certain vegetation under the tree and specific animal life. The term ‘forest’ is often applied to an economic unit of operating area too. So a forest is a complex biological, ecological and economic system.

A forest of trees of a similar age and composition is called ‘a stand’. The species composition of a forest is one of the most important features. The stand may be composed of a single species making a pure stand or of several associated species, which form a mixed forest. Stands are also classified according to age classes of which they are composed.

Forests have an economic importance. Forests give us wood and other valuable raw materials. Timber is one of the most important materials used in all branches of our industry. In many cases it replaces iron. Various things made of wood are in everyday use, e.g. furniture, paper, pencils, matches and so on.

Forests are a very important natural resource. It is a renewable resource but it is also destructible. Given skilful management, it can yield annual crops of wood in perpetuity, but if the rate of exploitation is allowed to become too high, destruction of the resource may follow.

Russia is among the leaders in the world in timber harvesting and sustainable development of forest resources is essential. Sustainable forest management means following ecologically sound practices that maintain the forest ecosystems’ integrity, productivity, resilience and biodiversity. That involves sustaining a wide range of ecological processes through which plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, water and air interact.

Forests are vital to the biosphere. They maintain the chemical balance of soil, air and water, stabilize the climate, recycle nutrients, break down pollutants, clean the air and water.

Forestry in our country is a large and independent industry, a significant branch of our national economy. But it is also the art, science, and practice of studying and managing forests and related natural resources. Modern forestry concerns itself with assisting forests to provide timber as raw material for the forest industry. It provides wildlife habitat, recreation and employment for people. The foresters have to keep account of forests and reforestation, they generally regulate and control state forest reserves. Aerial photography and GI technologies are widely employed to provide data for the forestry and forest industry.

Much work is being done in the field of fire prevention, in pest and disease control. Our seed selection stations are doing much too. There are more than 10,000 tree nurseries, which supply foresters with billions of trees annually. Many scientists are working on new ideas for the improvement of forest management.

Vocabulary notes

a conifer— хвойное дерево;

coniferous forests — хвойные леса;

deciduous — лиственный, листопадный;

common species (Pl species) — распространенный, обычный вид;

wood—древесина;

timber (Am. lumber) — строевой лес; пиломатериалы;

plant association—сообщество растений;

specific animal life—особый животный мир;

of similar age—одинакового возраста;

stand—древостой; лесопосадка, лесонасаждение;

pure stand—чистый древостой;