22.01.2003 - The budget for year 2003 confirmed by the Board of RMK  29.09

In its meeting, convened on January 16, 2003, The Board of Estonian state forest manager RMK approved the report on the implementation of the RMK budget of 2002 as well as confirmed the budget and courses of action for year 2003. According to the draft budget for 2003, the estimated revenue of

In its meeting, convened on January 16, 2003, The Board of Estonian state forest manager RMK approved the report on the implementation of the RMK budget of 2002 as well as confirmed the budget and courses of action for year 2003.

According to the draft budget for 2003, the estimated revenue of RMK amount to 880 million kroons. This year RMK will transfer 157 million kroons of forest revenues to the government budget, which is 12 million kroons less than last year. In drawing up the budget for this year, the annual diminution of allowed felling by 150,000 cubic meters has been taken into account.

"In connection with the increase of environmental restrictions, the allowable cuts inevitably decrease and therefore the state revenues, as well," said Andres Onemar, the Chairman of the Board of RMK. "Therefore, RMK has to pay more attention to the development of non-wooden products and services, for instance to offering services related to the state forest land and know-how."

According to the courses of action approved by the Board, RMK is obliged to prepare continually the inventory of state-owned forestlands in 2003 as well as implement the reckoning system of forest resources. The aim of RMK is to preserve the extent of financing that has been formed on the basis of everyone’s rights for utilisation of natural resources and to increase the offering of services related to education on nature.

In 2002, RMK paid 169 million kroons of forest revenues tax to the government budget, which is 10% more than in the confirmed budget. Based on unaudited data, the total revenues gained by RMK totalled 944 million kroons last year, i.e. 10% more than planned in the budget. The increased income of RMK last year resulted mainly from the growth of revenues, gained by realization of forest materials and cutting rights of growing forest.

There are 9 members in the supervisory board of RMK: Andres Onemar, Director of the Administration of Protected Areas of Hiiumaa; Heiki Kranich, Minister of Environment; Raivo Sulg, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance; Ahti Kuningas, Head of Economic Policy Department of the Ministry of Economics; Toomas Trapido, Manager of the Estonian Nature Foundation; Mati Polli, Chairman of the Board of AS Sylvester; Vootele Hansen and Arvo Jaakson, members of the Parliament; and Henn Korjus, lecturer of the Forest Management Institute of the Estonian Agricultural University.

RMK is a profit-earning governmental institution, established in accordance to the Forest Act, the main task of which is sustainable and efficient management of state forests: reforestation, cultivation, utilisation of forests and organizing of forest protection. In state forests RMK arranges game maintenance, hunting and nature tourism and is also responsible for ensuring forest usage, arising from universal forest-related rights.

For additional information please refer to:
Andres Onemar
Chairman of the Board of RMK
E-mail andres.onemar@kaitsealad.hiiumaa.ee