‘The new woods-management system states that all of those based in Sverdlovsk Region will have to become unitary state enterprises by the end of 2007,’ says Head of Sverdlovsk Region Forestry Konstantin Kryuchkov.

Mr. Kryuchkov believes this will allow the state to keep at least 4,500 vacancies in the region’s rural areas. These unitary enterprises might be able to provide municipal bodies and state entities with wood and firewood for their own use. The regional woods-management system will be made up of 35 forestry units with 10 to 12 people working in each of them. Two people will be employed in the capacity of state forestry guards. These new forestry units will act as regional and interregional authorities responsible for 200 to 210 smaller units. This means the region will have a total of 300 to 310 civil servants in the field.