Order No. 83 of the Federal Forest Service validating criteria for the classification of the forests of group III as reserve forests. Country/Territory Russian Federation Document type Regulation Date 1997 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Forestry, Water Keyword Protection forest Classification/declassification Forest management/forest conservation Freshwater resources management Water conservation zone Geographical area Arctic, Asia and the Pacific, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), Eastern Europe, Europe, Europe and Central Asia, North Pacific, North-West Pacific Abstract Selection of reserve forests shall be carried out exclusively out of the forest stock of group III. Selected reserve forest shall serve as the source timber extraction for local needs and shall carry out water protection, water regulation, soil protection, climate improvement, sanitary and hygienic and ecological functions ensuring conditions for traditional way of life of the indigenous scanty population and ethnic communities. Reserve forests shall include all forests situated within mountainous areas and valleys that are excluded from exploitation for the nearest 15-20 years. Forests situated on the territories inhabited by the indigenous scanty population and ethnic communities shall be classified as reserve forests. Full text Russian Website www.vcom.ru