Every year the professional holiday of forest workers and the processing industry is celebrated on the third Sunday of September, a day that honors those whose work is linked to the protection, restoration, and rational use of forest resources. This year it fell on September 20. The maintenance of the state forest fund in the Chaus district is carried out by employees of the local forest enterprise, headed by Alexander Podobed, who answered our questions in advance of the holiday.

• Alexander Anatolyevich, what indicators is the enterprise working with this year?
  – This year we have met the main production and financial targets, and strengthened our material and technical base: new equipment has been purchased with our own funds, and two wood‑processing workshops are operating efficiently. We are selling round timber and sawn timber to both domestic and foreign markets. The Chaus forest enterprise is the leader in the first half of 2026 among the forest enterprises of the Mogilev State Forest Production and Management Association.
• What does the organization look like today?
  – The Chaus forest enterprise of the Mogilev State Production Forest Management Association is located in the territories of the Chaus, Mogilev, Dribinsky, Bykhivsky, and Slavgorod districts. The total area of the forest enterprise is more than 67,000 hectares, of which more than 61,000 hectares are forested. The enterprise includes seven forest districts: Chaus, Mokryad, Volkovich, Slastenov, Radoml, Kuzminich, and Lopati.

– Undoubtedly, the key task of the forest enterprise is forest protection. Besides harvesting and processing timber, what directions is the enterprise developing?
– Today we also pay special attention to developing secondary uses: harvesting honey, birch sap, selling blueberries, and fish. We also provide tourist services. Hunting, ecological, and industrial tourism are popular among compatriots and foreign citizens alike. State forest protection works effectively in preventing, detecting, and extinguishing forest fire outbreaks.

It is impossible to achieve serious results without conscientious workers and a united team.

– That is indeed true. Today, 303 people work at the Chaussky forest enterprise. The staff of the forest enterprise is constantly replenished and renewed, serving as a wonderful example of mutual assistance provided by senior colleagues. Thanks to its cohesion and responsibility, the Chaussky forest enterprise remains one of the leading organizations in the Chaussky district. I would especially like to highlight our veterans' organization, chaired by Viktor Vasilyevich Kazakov.

– Each year, the workers of the Chaussky forest enterprise achieve the highest results and are honored at the republican level.

– Among the forest workers, many have been listed on the district Hall of Fame in various years. This year, that is Dmitry Matveyev, the forest enterprise's vehicle driver (forest transport), who is the winner in the individual competition nomination “Best in Profession”.

The institution's staff took second place in the annual competition for the best organization in the Chaussky district for occupational safety and industrial injury prevention in 2025.

According to the results of the Mogilev State Forest Enterprise's work for the first half of 2026, Alexey Vavilyov took second place in the competition for meeting socio‑economic development indicators among operators of small‑class harvesters of the “Vimek” type.

On the eve of the professional holiday, the Premier of the Republic of Belarus announced a thank you to the forest manager of the Chaussky forest district, Leonid Kochegarov.

For more than 20 years, chief ranger Vladislav Bobylev has worked in the forestry sector; this year he was awarded the badge of distinction “20 years of flawless service in the state forestry protection of the Republic of Belarus”.

For diligent and productive work in forestry, the Honorary Letter of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus awarded forest driver Sergey Struchkov of the Chaussky forest district. The letters also honored assistant ranger Elena Zhirkevich of the Mokryadsky forest district, who is the winner of the regional stage of the Republican competition “Best Mentor”. The Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus also announced thanks to forest

Five employees have been awarded prizes by the Mogilev GPLHO, among them the secretary of the reception office Elena Chistyakova, and the operators of the trelever machine Sergei Godunstov and Yuri Kachayev. The General Director's gratitude has been announced to the forester of the Kuzminichsky forestry Andrey Barkov and the forest warden of the Slastenovsky forestry Vladimir Talchuk.

– For any organization, the preparation of personnel is important, what can be said about the popularization of the profession?

– Our enterprise is actively working with the younger generation. On the eve of the celebration, the second preschool forestry was opened in the Chausky district, which operates on the basis of the Gorbovichsky kindergarten.

Participants in the school forestry programs annually take part in the junior competition "Kvitney, moy les!". In 2026, in the regional stage of the competition in the nomination "Ecology of forest animals", the research work of students from the Chausk regional secondary school Varvara Korobkina, Angelina Kozlova (teacher Andrey Pakhomenko) and student from the Gorbovichskaya secondary school Anastasia Magilina (teacher Elena Pakhomenko) took first place (in the republican stage - third place). In the nomination "Sustainable forest management", the research work of students from the secondary school No. 2 in Chausy, Koncavenco Sofia and Tuzhikov Pavel (teacher Natalya Tuzhikova) took second place.

• By tradition, words of congratulations.

– Respected colleagues and veterans! Dear friends! The Day of Forestry Workers symbolizes dedication to the cause, the importance of our role in preserving and increasing forest wealth not only for the present but also for future generations.

I wish everyone prosperity, health, boundless energy, and new labor achievements! May your work always bring satisfaction, and good mood accompany the fulfillment of all plans! Congratulations on the holiday - the Day of Forestry Workers!