Green spaces are removed annually in the city for various reasons.

Article 37 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Plant World" establishes the grounds for the removal of plant world objects, the main ones being:

• during construction – project documentation approved in the manner prescribed by law. In this case, the project documentation must specify the plant world objects subject to removal, transplantation, and the conditions for carrying out compensatory measures. The removal of plant world objects is carried out after the person interested in the removal of plant world objects concludes a civil law contract for compensatory planting with a person in the field of landscaping, or after compensatory payments are made;

• in cases where trees and shrubs obstruct the operation of buildings, structures, and other objects – a permit from the local executive and administrative body. The procedure for issuing permits for the removal of plant world objects is established by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated October 25, 2011 No. 1426 "On Certain Issues of Dealing with Plant World Objects";

• in cases where a tree is dangerous – a conclusion recognizing the tree as dangerous, which is issued by an authorized local executive and administrative body in the field of landscaping;

• when it is necessary to carry out measures to combat invasive plants (trees, shrubs) – an act confirming the presence of a place where trees and shrubs grow, belonging to species whose distribution and numbers are subject to regulation, which is drawn up by the land user in the presence of a representative of the territorial body of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

In certain cases, the removal of plant world objects is allowed without documents. For example, the removal of fallen trees; the removal of plants (except for trees and shrubs) belonging to species whose distribution and numbers are subject to regulation; during the liquidation of an emergency situation and its consequences, and in other cases established by Article 37 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Plant World".

At the same time, the removal of trees and shrubs can ONLY be carried out by landowners or authorized persons (housing and communal services enterprises, district green construction departments, contractors during the implementation of construction projects). Unauthorized removal of trees and shrubs by citizens within the framework of tidying up adjacent territories of apartment buildings, even if they planted them themselves at some point, is a violation of the law!

Illegal removal of woody and shrub vegetation growing in settlements, not part of the forest fund, entails administrative liability provided for by Part 3 of Article 16.17 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. In addition, in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated April 11, 2022 No. 219 "On Tariffs for Determining the Amount of Compensation for Damage Caused to the Environment and the Procedure for its Calculation", the illegal removal of trees and shrubs is a fact of causing damage to the environment, which is subject to compensation in the manner prescribed by law.