ON THE ISSUE OF FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE VOLGA REGION OF THE LATE XIX – EARLY XX CENTURY (based on the materials of the journal «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik»)

Abstract

Among various written sources on the study of forest history, the materials of the periodical press are of undoubted value. One of the well-known periodical forestry publications was «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik», published in 1899–1917. The purpose of the study is to consider the most important aspects in the development of forestry in the Middle Volga region of the late XIX – early XX centuries, reflected in the pages of this journal. Materials and methods. The work carried out is based on the study of the materials of «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik», stored in the fund of the Russian National Library. The journal was the first timber industry periodical in Russia. The research is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity and consistency using ideographic, historical-genetic and comparative-historical methods. Research results. «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik» was published almost weekly during 19 years. 52 issues were published each year. This journal contains important data on the state of forests, organization of forest management, reforestation of felled areas and the fight against forest fires. «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik» provides information on the production of oak riveting and other timber in the Sura region, sending them to the domestic market and abroad. A significant amount of information is devoted to the use of forests in the Middle Volga region mainly by the government department through the sale of forest plots from regular auctions for harvesting by continuous or selective cutting. «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik» also contains a huge layer of material reflecting the development of timber industry entrepreneurship in the Middle Volga region by individuals or commercial and industrial firms. Much attention is paid on the pages of the journal to the review of domestic forest markets, including the All-Russian Kozmodemyansk forest fair. Conclusions. Thus, «Lesopromyshlennyi Vestnik» reflects certain aspects related to the development of forestry in the Middle Volga region of the late XIX – early XX centuries, including forestry entrepreneurship of the local population and nonresident timber producers who actively participated in the development of forest resources in the region under study.