The history of human activities in the forests of the north-west taiga zone of Russia is considered. Specific ways of taiga land developing for farming purposes by slash-and-burn, selective fellings and clearcutting are described using vast data from archives and the literature. Dynamics of the forested area has been analysed, and the conclusion was made that the parameter had been relatively stable owing to successful natural reforestation. Unique data from the forest inventory of the early XIX century were analysed in detail. It was shown that the degree to which the forest cover structure changes in the course of anthropogenic successions depends on the landscape features. The overall ratio of areas under forest communities of different composition has changed in favour of spruce and deciduous species. The area of mid-taiga pine forests has declined by a third or more.