The St Petersburg Forest Technical Academy was founded in 1803. It is the birthplace of Forest Biochemistry and remains the global leader in this field.

The Academy's 8 Faculties and 40 Departments employ some 1,500 staff including 82 professors and 325 Associate Professors. It has a student body of over 8,000 and is the world's largest higher education facility focused entirely on Forestry and Forest Management. It is also home to the Russian branch of the International Centre for Forestry and Forest Industries (ICFFI).