RMK to start clearing up border area Yesterday 29.10

Today, 29 October, RMK began deforestation works on the Estonian side of the land on the Estonian-Russian border line. Deforestation works began in Parmu Village, Misso Rural Municipality, in Võru County.
According to Aigar Kallas, Chairman of the Management Board of RMK, the forest managers of RMK have inspected the border area that needs to be deforested, and the volume and nature of the work that lies ahead is clear. “On Monday, our contractual partners from the Police and Border Guard Board started marking the border area, meaning our foresters are now able to start their work," Kallas said. ”The deforestation works will last until the spring of next year, as in some places work cannot commence until the ground has properly frozen.”

During the deforestation works, RMK will cut down the forest and underwood in the border area, mill stumps and organise the transport of the timber cleared. The area to be deforested is state-owned land in the total length of about 80 kilometres; the size of the land that needs clearing is almost 270 hectares.

According to the estimates of RMK, this area will yield 16,500 cubic metres of timber. The estimated cost of the work will be EUR 700,000, which will be covered from the revenue earned from the timber to be sold. The work will be performed by the cooperation partners of RMK; no separate procurement was announced, as the volume of the work falls within the limits of the framework contracts signed earlier with cooperation partners.

The duty to clear up the border area was imposed on RMK with the Decision of the Government of the Republic of 25 September 2014. During September and October, RMK has, in cooperation with the Police and Border Guard Board, performed an inventory of the area to be deforested, entered the data collected in the Estonian Forest Registry and submitted a forest notification for surveyed stand compartments; and upon receipt of a permitting note from the Environmental Board on the notification, cutting works may begin.

Additional information:

Aigar Kallas, Chairman of the Management Board of RMK
telephone: 528 1299
e-mail: aigar.kallas@rmk.ee

Raivo Võlli, Region Manager of the South-East of RMK
telephone: 504 5786, 676 7586
e-mail: raivo.volli@rmk.ee