A.M.Tsypouk, professor

Petrozavodsk State University, Russia

P.Harstela, professor,

Univeresity of Joensuu

The international scientific project "Taiga - Model forest" has been implemented from year 1997. The technological section of this Project is represented by the Subproject 3 "Economical sustainability and appropriate technology". In the leadership of the Subproject there are Professor Pertti Harstela with the senior researcher Nuutti Kiljunen from the Finnish side, Professor Alexandre Tsypouk with senior researchers Olga Gavrilova and Vladimir Sionev from Russian side.

Usually the main problems of the international co-operation are language, communication, payment and difference in lows.

Officially there are three working languages in Project - Russian, Finnish and English. Practically, English have become as the main language in daily relations and official reports between sides. The good understanding increased by the friendship and non-official relations between Finnish and Russian persons of the Subproject 3.

The problem of the communication have been decided by @-mail. For example, during the period April - October year 1998, there were sent and get about 200 messages on Subproject 3. The most important questions after the mail preliminary discussing have been decided on meetings of the leaders of Subproject 3 at Finland and Russia. Nuutti Kiljunen is often taking part in implementing of the tasks of the Subproject 3 at Russia, but Olga Gavrilova and Vladimir Sionev - at Finland.

There were not the serious problems with payments. The single delay was on the reason of the curious misunderstanding of the invoice, where the payer and the recipient were mixed up. The both sides are finding the ways of the good financing of the Subproject 3.

The difference between the Russian and Finnish forest lows is the most serious problem. For example, Petrosavodsk University as the tenant of the forest site has no rights to do any cutting and silvicultural works in it without the agreement of the Prjazha forest management unit. The inhabitants of small villages in the area of the Model forest have rights to prohibit the logging of wood etc.

All such questions in the Subproject 3 have been decided successfully only by the grand help of the Karelian Forest Committee and one of its leader M-r Iosif Skadorva.

There are some inner problems in the project "Taiga-Model forest". Up date there are now ready Forestry plan. For this reason there are very difficult to plan the road building, choose the sites for various methods of logging and planting trees, to implement the commercial activities. The responsibility for delay of the Forestry plan is on the Russian side of the Subproject 1 "Establishment of the Taiga Model Forest Area" with its leader M-r Grigory Romanov.

With the surmounting obstacles, the participants of the Subproject 3 are implementing the Working plan and tasks according the Contract with Finnish side of Project. Subproject 3 has become as a center of many another works. There is preparation of loggers from the Matrosy people, co-operation with Hame Poytechnic in conducting forest work instructors' training course, the road construction at the Model Forest Area, preparing of the co-operation with "Enso Ltd" on logging wood and others.

The all participants of the Subproject 3 hope, that the international co-operation in the project "Taiga - Model Forest" will be increased for the advantage both Russian and Finnish sides.