The article is devoted to the study and analysis of the use of forests, including for agriculture. The use of forests is the central institution of forest law, the concept of “use of forests” is one of the main concepts in the Forest Code of the Russian Federation. The legislator refused to use the terms” forest management law”,” forest management”, which were used in the Forest Code of the Russian Federation in 1997.The meaning of the concept of” forest use “and its relationship with the concept of” forest management”, which is traditionally used in the science of forest law, is defined. From a scientific point of view, the term “forest use” coincides in its meaning with the term “forest management”.