«The total forest area in Belarus currently exceeds 9.8 million hectares, of which 8.7 million hectares (or 89%) is managed by the Forestry Ministry. The Forestry Ministry pursues a unified state policy in the use, protection, and conservation of forest resources and forest regeneration. As a result of targeted efforts, the forest fund has been showing positive dynamics. For instance, over the past year the forest area has increased by more than 40,000 hectares. Over the past 60 years, forest cover in Belarus has nearly doubled and now accounts for 40.5% of the country’s total area. An interesting fact is that more than 1ha of forested land accounts for every resident of our country, while the global average is just 0.5ha per person,» Andrei Karas said.
The total standing timber stock is nearly 2 billion cubic meters, with mature and overmature forests accounting for 23%. The average age of forest stands is 58 years, while the average growing stock per hectare of forested land is 237 cubic meters. Coniferous forests account for the largest share (at around 57%), with pine forests predominating. Broadleaved forests account for about 4% (mainly oak forests) while softwood deciduous forests make up 38% (predominantly birch forests).
Every year, Belarus plants new forests on an area of about 27,000 to 30,000 hectares. Since the beginning of 2026, 19,000 hectares of new forests have been planted. «Ensuring the forestry sector has high-quality planting material is the main task of our forest nurseries. Currently, the sector has 77 permanent forest nurseries with a total area of more than 1,300 hectares The country has built and now operates four specialized greenhouse complexes for growing forest planting material. These are not simply nurseries but modern facilities where an average of 350 million standard seedlings are grown annually, including 38 million seedlings with a closed root system,» Andrei Karas said.
The second phase of a specialized greenhouse complex for producing closed‑root‑system planting material of key forest‑forming species is currently under construction at the Ivatsevichy Experimental Forestry Enterprise. The project will enable an additional 2.5 million seedlings with a closed root system to be grown.
In addition, in order to make full use of the allowable cut, ensure timely forestry operations and measures to combat forest pests and fires, the president instructed the authorities to build at least 100km of forest roads in the state forest fund every year. The Forestry Ministry fulfills this instruction annually.
