Resolution No. 674 of the Cabinet of Ministers “On measures for the improvement of lease relations related to forest fund land.”

The Cabinet of Ministers, with a view of creating nurseries for growing seedlings in forestry enterprises, entitles the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change to determine long-term lease of planting grounds. Forestry organizations that are regular users of forest fund land are responsible for preparing proposals for putting up unused forest fund land for electronic online auction and state registration of lease contracts for forest fund land. Illegal cutting of trees and shrubs, as well as grazing of livestock, shall be prohibited on leased forest land. The main tasks of the Forestry Agency under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change when leasing forest land are: (a) ensuring legality, equality, openness and transparency when organizing the lease of land plots of the state forest fund; (b) monitoring of leased land of the state forest fund; (c) strict compliance with the requirements for leasing forest land through an electronic online auction; and (d) formation and maintenance of a database on land plots of the state forest fund transferred for lease. The following forest land are not leased: (a) prohibited areas of forests along the banks of rivers, lakes, reservoirs and other waterbodies; (b) prohibited areas of forests protecting the spawning grounds of valuable fish; (c) forests protecting against erosion; (d) forest areas bordering railways and roads; (e) forests of special value; (f) forests of state biosphere reserves; (g) forests of interstate protected natural areas; (h) forests of scientific or historical significance; (i) land of scientific experimental stations; (j) reserves, protected areas of national natural parks; (k) land used for the needs of a forestry organization (irrigated lands, nurseries, forest land, land with plantings of medicinal plants); and (k) areas occupied by rare and endangered species of trees and other plants.