Why you can not visit the forest with a ban, and what threatens for leaving garbage

A bottle thrown in the forest or its fragments can lead to a fire. How to find violators of fire safety rules and what can punish summer residents, the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti” told young engineers for forest protection of the Minsk forestry Daria Solovyova and Maxim Badaev.

One way

Love for the forest D. Solovyova, a native of the Mogilev region, instilled grandparents. After the 11th grade, the girl did not hesitate and entered the Belarusian State Technological University. For her, the most interesting subjects were forest biology of animals and birds, as well as dendrology, when students studied species of trees and shrubs, memorized their Latin names.

M. Badaev also studied at BSTU, but his path to the profession turned out to be more winding. Initially, the young man entered the day department, but then switched to correspondence and at the same time found a job in the factory.

- He worked there for four years and chose the forest without hesitation, he said. I can say with confidence that it is more interesting to work here. At the factory, you marked a pass on the pass - and you spend eight hours in almost the same place, performing the same actions. And here, my office is a forest.

- Young professionals come every year. In 2026 – 11 people with higher, secondary special and vocational education. There are also a lot of people who want to target. Schoolchildren and their parents realized how important it is to know in advance where and in what conditions to work after graduation, said Tatyana Botyan, Deputy Director of the Minsk Forestry for Ideological Work.

Nature asks for help

Most of the trouble in the forest is brought by people, experts admit. Of course, fires, bark beetles, invasive plants seeking to seize territory, no one canceled. But the main problem of young engineers called garbage, which throws summer residents and villagers.

- They leave waste in the forest, and then they are offended when we punish it with a ruble, Badaev said. But because of the bottle thrown here and even from its fragments, a fire can start: glass plays the role of a lens, and dry vegetation lights up. Therefore, garbage should be disposed of in designated places.

- Unfortunately, waste is often left by summer residents. There are fewer problem areas around the villages, the interlocutor added. Perhaps it is better to remove household waste. Or maybe people who have been in the village for years understand the situation better and try not to throw waste where they live.

The amount of material punishment for discarded garbage depends on the area of the landfill. Calculation is simple: for 1 square meter of polluted forest will have to pay 45 rubles (1 base value). There is administrative liability in the form of a fine.

Important punishment

When there is information about the introduction of a ban or restriction on visiting forests, many people think: “The territory is large, we will not be caught.”.

- Wrong opinion, — said D. Solovyova. When visiting is restricted or prohibited, we install camera traps. Most often at the entrances. And, if cars or motorcycles violate the ban, the technique records their numbers, which are easy to find the owners. It is better not to take risks during such times.

- Today, it is easy to find violators, Badaev said. The main thing for us is not punishment, but preventive work. We're not trying to hurt mushrooms. But it is important that they understand that the ban on visiting forests is introduced not just for a reason, but to ensure the safety of people. If a person entered the thicket, and there was an emergency, it will be difficult for him to get out on his own.

Finding fires to employees of the institution helps the system "Forest Guard", which sees dust or smoke clouds.

- Special video cameras are installed on the territory of Belarus, which work under certain conditions, the source explained. And the duty officer in the forestry can see on the monitor how the situation is in this place. If he understands that it is dust that rose around the ploughing tractor, then no action is necessary. If there are doubts, a special team is sent to check.

Get on board

Forestry began the season of planting trees.

- Three years are given to restore the forest after the windfall, Badaev said. - We clean the wood and the windpipe constantly. And in spring and autumn we plant young trees where the forest cannot renew itself. Nature can regulate many things on its own, but sometimes it needs help. What types of trees are planted more often? Spruce, pine, oak. Depending on the type of soil, maple and birch can supplement the list. Yes, the same oaks grow slowly, but planting leads to the future - we update the forests so that the green outfit of the country pleases the eye for a long time.

Photo by Sergei Mitsevich and Denis Kulagi