Vol 30, No 1 (2026)

An analysis of the prospects for using ash dump areas to establish carbon farms aimed at long-term carbon sequestration and the production of Scots pine timber is presented. Characteristics of artificial pine stands created on the reclaimed ash dump no. 1 of the Reftinskaya State District Power Plant are provided. The specific features of the reclamation technology and silvicultural measures are described, including the application of a soil cover layer and the organization of early-stage stand tending, which plays a key role in ensuring successful plantation establishment. A layout of permanent sample plots is presented, enabling the acquisition of reliable data on stand growth and timber stock. The dynamics of carbon accumulation in the biomass of pine stands are identified. The total carbon stock formed by pine plantations across the entire ash dump area (11,8 thousand tons) is estimated. It is shown that by the age of 30 years, the above-ground phytomass of pine stands accumulates 107 t/ha of carbon in wood at a timber stock of 290 m³/ha. The mean annual increment of 9,7 m³/ha in ash-dump pine stands significantly exceeds that of natural pine forests in adjacent territories. Specific aspects of wildfire protection for a carbon farm established on an ash dump are examined, and the inadmissibility of creating mineralized firebreaks on such substrates is substantiated. Recommendations to reduce fire hazard are proposed, including grass rolling, obligatory pruning of lower branches, and operational monitoring of the vegetation cover. The study concludes that technogenic landscapes offer high potential for addressing climate policy objectives and for developing forest-based carbon sequestration projects.

Forest fires are a serious problem in the Central Federal District. They are caused by climate change, thunderstorms and anthropogenic factors. The article analyzes the dynamics of the number and areas of forest fires in 2004–2023, analyzes the distribution of forest lands by classes of natural fire danger in the context of the subjects of the Central Federal District of Russia, summarizes the causes of the aggravation of the forest fire situation in recent years and provides general recommendations to reduce its intensity. The results of the study show significant fluctuations in the number and area of forest fires in different periods with an increase in 2006, 2010, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In the period from 2004 to 2023, the Central Federal District accounted for 2,6 % of the area covered by fire and 11,4 % of the number of fires in Russia. The average score of the natural fire hazard class in the district was 3.1. The average annual area of forest fires during the period under review in the Central Federal District is about 280 thousand. The burning capacity of forests in the district as a whole during the period under review was relatively low, in comparison with other federal districts of Russia. In terms of specific gravity, the highest rates since 2004 have been found in the Lipetsk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kaluga, Oryol and Tver regions. The largest area of forested land was covered by fire in 2019 and amounted to about 1 mln ha, while the area of one fire was the maximum in 2010 — 301,5 ha. The average area of one fire in the Central Federal District during the study period is 110,1 ha. The main cause of forest fires in the Central Federal District regions is the anthropogenic factor, which is due to intensive forest management and high population density. Recommendations for reducing fire danger in the central regions of the country are proposed.

The growth processes of the genus Celtis L. juvenile plants are examined depending on the conditions of Mountainous Dagestan. It is established that the complex soil and climatic conditions at different elevations have a significant impact on the variability of seedling morphological traits and their growth performance. It is shown that the climatic and soil conditions at the Tsudakhar experimental base are more favorable for the species of the genus Celtis L. It is indicated that the complex factor in the conditions of the Gunib and Tsudakhar experimental bases significantly affects (at the 99,9 % significance level) the variability of almost all the studied morphological traits of leaves in seedlings of the genera Celtis L. No differences were found in Student’s t-test between the mean values of the leaf shape index traits in the C. caucasica Willd. and the C. planchoniana K. For the C. occidentalis L., the effect of the altitudinal gradient on the variability of the leaf index trait is reliable at the 99 % significance level. The species C. caucasica and C. occidentalis are recommended for forest restoration in the arid conditions of Mountainous Dagestan.

The data on the tannin extraction from the bark of coniferous wood species (pine bark and spruce bark) is presented. Optimal conditions for the production of aqueous tannin extracts from pine bark and spruce bark, which are recommended for use as corrosion inhibitors, have been identified. It is shown that in order to achieve the highest degree of tannin extraction from the bark by means of water, the following factors must be observed, they are the degree of grinding of raw materials is to be 3...5 mm, the temperature is to be 90...95 °C, the hydraulic module is to be 1:10, the extraction time is to be 60...90 minutes. We developed a technique for the quantitative photometric measurement of tannins in aqueous extracts of wood bark based on measuring the optical density of colored products of the tannin interaction with ferric (III) chloride. The specified color reaction of tannins has been studied from the point of view of the possibility of using it for quantitative photometric measurements, namely optimal conditions for its implementation have been determined to obtain a time-stable reaction product; the wavelength range of the maximum absorption of the colored compound (400...440 nm) has been identified; the concentration range for which the dependence of optical density on the concentration of tannins is linear (from 0,02 to 0,4 mg/ml).Compared with the known gravimetric and titrimetric methods for evaluation of tannins, the proposed method does not require the use of poorly available reagents and is less laborious.

The research data on wheeled vehicles having low and ultra-low-pressure tires are considered on the example of the «Baikal» (ZTM 30081-10) snow and swamp-going vehicle. A review of literary sources on the topic is provided. The purpose and objectives of the tests are formulated, the parameters to be measured are defined, and the instruments and equipment for carrying out the measurements are described. The research was conducted to determine maximum speeds on various road and ground surfaces such as asphaltic concrete pavement, ground road and virgin snow. The values of noise levels in the vehicle interior in the driver's head area and vibrations at the driver's seat were obtained. The minimum turning radius achievable by the vehicle has been verified. The parameters determining flotation ability on snow at different tire pressures have been calculated. An assessment of the possibility to overcome water obstacles and movement on open water is given. Recommendations in order to improve the vehicle design are given for a manufacturer.

The paper develops models for formalizing the data of the educational process in the conditions of various initial information. For modeling, the paper uses first type fuzzy sets, interval second type fuzzy sets, and Z-numbers. All the constructed models have been analyzed and recommended for use in solving various practical problems. First type fuzzy sets are recommended to be used to formalize statistical data of the educational process, as well as data obtained from a single expert (examiner). Interval second type fuzzy sets are recommended to be used to formalize statistical and expert data of the educational process with random errors, as well as data obtained from a group of experts. Z-numbers are recommended to be used to formalize the data of the educational process, taking into account their reliability. The numerical examples given in the article, together with theoretical justifications, provide an opportunity to choose a model for further data analysis in order to obtain sustainable final results and control decisions based on them.