Forest Club model projects and sites

Issue 13, Jan. 2000

Vologda regional NGO “Rescue of small rivers and streams” started development and realization of the program “Oakeries of the Vologda region” in 1995. The organization rented a non-forested site (mainly water-logged ground overgrown with shrubs) for the period of 49 years. The site, which total area was 3,1 ha, was planned for nursery forest. We supposed that the main forest stand would be English oak.

In order to start the plantation, 10 oaks of the same age were planted out in the nursery in autumn 1998. The trees were planted under 15-20-year-old spruces' canopy. Despite of the hot summer of 1999, all oaks stroke roots. The following oaks will be planted under the canopy of pine trees, maples and limes.

At the same time an experiment was conducted in the green area of the town Sokol. 9 oaks of the same age were planted in blocks of 3 trees each in autumn of 1998. The oaks stroke roots well, so we hoped that the experiment would go on successfully.

The main difficulties of the program “Oakeries of the Vologda region” are associated with lack of planting stock. There is only 1 kg of English oak seeds in the Vologda Regional Forest Service and there are only 3 plantations of this species in the western part of the region in Chagodotskiy district. So, I ask all interested people to help to put this program into practice: we need literature, experts' advice and financial resources for the nursery. So, if there is any possibility to help, we will really appreciate it.

In case of successful realization, the program will have a great return, as oaks live 600-1000 years.

Yours faithfully,

R.M. Terekhov

From the Editors: There are a lot of initiatives connected with forest planting in different regions of our country. In many cases, people, who want to plant their forest, garden, park or nursery, face the same problems, which the author of the letter has mentioned. Wishing to support these initiatives, we propose that all people, who want to plant their “own” forest, plan to involve schoolchildren and neighbors, should write to “The Forest Bulletin”. We, in turn, will do our best to encourage reforestation and to help people from different regions to cooperate.