Russia’s Segezha Forest Industry Group has started work on the project to develop seed plantation centres that will grow containerized tree seedlings (CTSs). CTSs have a number of advantages. The seedlings are grown in special containers filled with soil; 100% of these seedlings adapt well after planting, are convenient in transportation; their roots are never damaged, so they adapt quickly and start growing. Source: Timberbiz
Segezha Group acquired the rights to use and develop the first seed plantation and breeding centre in an auction announced by the Forestry Department of Kostroma Region (Russia) in November 2019.
The seed plantation complex was unfinished and the work on it was suspended in 2012. The The Segezha Group assessed the cost of reconstruction and completion of construction, as well as investments into developing the facility.
The company needs at least 1.5 million containerized tree seedlings of certain types of trees to be grown in the Kostroma Region every year, given that wood harvesting activities are on the rise due to the need to secure shipments of raw materials for its new plywood mill.
The planting materials are also needed in other regions of the company’s operation.
By 2023 the company expects to produce the first four million seedlings. The first seed plantation and breeding centres will grow two million seedlings of common pine, and two million seedlings of European spruce every year.
In the future plans are to increase the number of seedlings grown at the nursery to 6–8 million. These seedlings will be used in the reforestation program (to balance the logging areas and restored forest areas), as well as will be sold within the region due to the deficit of planting material.
According to data provided by the Russian Committee for Forest Industry, starting on 1 January 2022 companies renting forest sections in Russia will need to transfer to 100% use of containerized tree seedlings (CTSs) in their reforestation and compensation programs.
The issue of modernizing the greenhouses and seed plantation and breeding centres in order to increase the volume of grown CTS planting material was discussed in the September 2019 meeting of the working group of the State Council of Russia on Ecology and Natural Resources. The working group has recommended the development of a targeted state program of creating seed plantation and breeding centres in Russia.
