THE DETERMINATION OF PINE TIMBER PLACE OF ORIGIN BY USING DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL METHOD

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to propose a step-by-step algorithm for solving the problem of determining the place of growth of felled wood on example of Scots Pine (Pinus silvestris L.), the most common forest-forming species of wood in the Republic of Belarus and the most common object of environmental violations, including violations of forest legislation. It is noted that this problem is being successfully solved within the framework of the forensic botanical examination due to its technical, scientific, methodological and other capabilities. Moreover, taking into account the complexity of obtaining information about the place of origin of pine timber, the most accurate and affordable tool is used - the  dendrochronological method, which allows obtaining fairly accurate results based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of dendrological features of identified expert objects. The outlined modern approaches to solve the problem
within the framework of the forensic botanical examination are reasoned and objective, and the obtained data can be used as reference or indicative information in dendrological expert studies. Being an important scientific and methodological tool for experts involved in forensic botanical examinations, the article has not only theoretical, but primarily also practical focus, expressed in the form of examples that help the expert to more thoroughly study the presented information in order to use it while conducting such examinations trough dendrological analysis. The methodological basis of the study was the dialectical-materialistic approach, which contributed to the awareness of processes and phenomena within the framework of the object of study, in their development and interconnection. During the study, to solve the set tasks, general and special methods were complexly used, in particular: systematic and structural - to reveal the essence of the studied categories and legal phenomena and their elemental-component composition; scientific abstraction – aiming to form a position regarding the assessment of theoretical, legal and organizational foundations; the dogmatic method contributed to the refinement of the conceptual and categorical apparatus of research; modeling - formulation of conclusions; statistical - to a generalization of the results.
Keywords: wood; Scots Pine; forensic botanical examination; habitat; illegal felling.