Plants Act (No. 205-Z of 2003).

The document consists of 16 Sections that contain 79 Articles. This Act establishes legal basis for protection, conservation, reproduction, maintenance and removal of plant species, and also planting of trees and gardens, protection of areas of growing of plant species, raising up their environmental, water protection, protective, sanitary and hygienic, recreational and other functions for the purpose of creation of favourable environment. Chapter 4 specifies that plant species growing within the boundaries of a plot of land and (or) water bodies except for those which removal from natural habitats is authorized are subject to plant protection. All plant species to which are applicable use restrictions and bans in accordance with the present Act and other legislative acts shall be subject to plant protection. Use restrictions and ban on use are applicable to wild plants for the purpose of their protection as environmental monument; conservation of rare or typical landscape; conservation of wild-growing rare, endangered or protected plants and trees, any plant growing on the territory of protected areas. Special arrangements for the regulation of spreading and number of wild-growing plants of some categories (quarantine, poisonous, prohibited crops) shall be adopted for the purpose of conservation of plant species and environment. Picking up, collection, procurement and trade of wild-growing plant species recorded in the Red Book or protected under international agreements concluded by the Republic of Belarus or recorded in the register of prohibited crops is prohibited except for cases envisaged by the present Act. The protection of flora is ensured by regulating the export from the Republic of Belarus of wild plants belonging to species included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus and their parts, as well as the import into the Republic of Belarus and export from the Republic of Belarus of CITES specimens. The use of wild flora species may be carried out in the following ways: (a) harvesting of tree sap; collection, procurement (purchase) of wild plants (including moss, lichens and mushrooms) and (or) their parts (berries, nuts, cones, other fruits, buds, leaves, flowers, bark, roots; (b) haymaking; grazing; use of flora species for cultural, health, tourism, other recreational and (or) sports purposes; and (c) use of flora species for scientific research and educational and experimental purposes.