The European Russian forests are described within the boreal, hemiboreal and nemoral forest regions; floodplain forests are also characterized. The book presents a classification and description of forest vegetation, soil characteristic and assessments of plant diversity and successional status of forest plant communities. Structure and composition of vegetation in early- and late-successional forests are analyzed with an emphasis on forests in State Nature reserves. Features of the historical land-use, such as slash-and-burn, forest cutting, grazing, influence of fires on forest ecosystems, etc. are discussed for each forest region. The book contains an analysis of the general dynamics of the forest cover during the last two decades based on satellite image processing. The main stages of transformation of forest landscapes in European Russia during the Holocene are briefly reviewed in connection with the development of the production economy of people.

An NRC committee was established to work with a Russian counterpart group in conducting a workshop in Moscow on the effectiveness of Russian environmental NGOs in environmental decision-making and prepared proceedings of this workshop, highlighting the successes and difficulties faced by NGOs in Russia and the United States.

The European Forest Institute (EFI) has five Research and Development priority ar eas: forest sustainability, forestry and possible climate change, structural changes in markets for forest products and services, policy analysis, and forest sector informa tion services and research methodology. In the area of forest sustainability our most important activity has been the project "Growth trends of European forests", the re sults of which are presented in this book. The project was started in August 1993 under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Heinrich Spiecker from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and it is one of the first EFI's research projects after its establishment in 1993. The main purpose of the project was to analyse whether site productivity has changed in European forests during the last decades. While several forest growth studies have been published at local, re gional and national levels, this project has aimed at stimulating a joint effort in iden tifying and quantifying possible growth trends and their spatial and temporal extent at the European level. Debate on forest decline and possible climate change, as well as considerations re lated to the long term supply of wood underline the importance of this project, both from environmental and industrial points of view. Knowledge on possible changes in growth trends is vital for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

Costlow explores the central place the forest came to hold in a century of intense seeking for articulations of national and spiritual identity.

The aim of this study is to describe the distribution and development of forest resources in the European part of Russia. Due to the availability of basic information, this study concentrates on lands under the authority of the Federal Forest Service of Russia.

"Policies for Sustainable Forestry in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine" provides a thorough analysis of the key factors in the transition process affecting the forest sector in the eponymous countries. Moreover, it designs new strategies for sustainable development in these areas. The book attempts to strengthen selected trends in the forest sector in each country so that they may gradually achieve sustainability and create a market economy. The key factors are identified by making use of several different sources: scientific papers, interviews with experts from the three countries and the personal experiences of the co-authors living in the countries. The strategies propose new and interesting options for improving forest management by optimizing forestry within closed production units. Further strategies deal with reorientation of forest planning, transition oriented labor management and acquisition of resources for forestry from state and markets. "Policies for Sustainable Forestry in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine" also gives new insights into the political factors and informal strategies within the forestry sector. It serves as an important addition to existing economic market models and will draw attention to the political process driving the transition. This information is helpful to both experts in economics as well as foresters in the field as it gives them an understanding of the complexity of building up a market economy by transition.

Exploring a topic of vital and ongoing importance, Traditional Forest Knowledge examines the history, current status and trends in the development and application of traditional forest knowledge by local and indigenous communities worldwide. It considers the interplay between traditional beliefs and practices and formal forest science and interrogates the often uneasy relationship between these different knowledge systems. The contents also highlight efforts to conserve and promote traditional forest management practices that balance the environmental, economic and social objectives of forest management. It places these efforts in the context of recent trends towards the devolution of forest management authority in many parts of the world. The book includes regional chapters covering North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Australia-Pacific region. As well as relating the general factors mentioned above to these specific areas, these chapters cover issues of special regional significance, such as the importance of traditional knowledge and practices for food security, economic development and cultural identity. Other chapters examine topics ranging from key policy issues to the significant programs of regional and international organisations, and from research ethics and best practices for scientific study of traditional knowledge to the adaptation of traditional forest knowledge to climate change and globalisation.