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Forest Bulletin
Issue 8-9, Nov. 1998

Abandoned island


V. Zakharov

Fire-sites nearby Pervomayskoye village
Fire-sites nearby Pervomayskoye village.
Photo by A. Morozov
To say that there are problems in Sakhalin forests is to say nothing. One begins to understand it even after several days being there. We managed to take part in field expedition on the main forest territories of the island in July 1998.

What we have seen and heard during the expedition does not agree with optimistic declaration of some authorities of forest complex and silvaculture.

Recently the forests have been bringing a substantial part of income. Now forest complex is leading a wretched existence. The economic crisis is not the only cause. It's possible that the psychology of temporary living is behind of most of problems of the island. The majority of the population has came from the continent; many of them have relatives or houses there. They came there willingly or by order, to restore national agriculture or industry or to earn money. Many of them have lived there for a long time, born children, but the deep thought that you may leave the place at any time will define the lifestyle and actions. It is very likely that phenomenon of “temporal living” of “Sakhalinlesprom” former authorities is the cause of the enterprise failure. Masliy, the director, knew that he could change the job if something were going to be wrong. He lived lespromkhozes that were far gone in debts, he had lost the time for anti-crisis measures, and now Masliy administer the whole Russian forest complex in the rank of deputy minister of economy. And many people want to get away, but often they have not money even for the ticket to continent.

Thanks to intensive work of past years today there is practically no forest fitting for normal work of harvesters. Now they are harvesting the rest of the former “taiga green sea”. Bulldozers and trailers are getting higher and higher on tuffet slopes.

All the local people we spoke to admit that the rivers have become lower and there are less fish in them. Every lespromkhos worker and understands the cuttings upstream and in the water catchment area can cause the lowing. The soil from logways is washed away, the water becomes opaque and easier to warm. The conditions of spawning are disturbed. But the most serious effect is that spring flood period have became shorter. As it becoming more strong the fry is drown to the sea too early. Temporal watercourses shrink in the summer and fry that have come into it will never come to sea. Everyone sees it clearly but continues working as if nothing happens.

There is a paradox in the situation. The workers of lespromkhozes and forest companies have no salary for years and can survive only because of their vegetable gardens and forest and rivers products. Their main food is potatoes and fish (humpback salmon, chum salmon, and brook trout). Still hoping to receive their earned money, they go on working and destroying fragile nature that is still feeding them. Another danger for the forests is fires. In this extremely dry year the volume of burned wood during several months have become compatible to yearly harvested wood volume of the whole island.

Fire-sites near the source of the Chamga river
Fire-sites near the source of the Chamga river.
Photo by V. Zakharov
In June the people living in Smirnykhovsky, Tymovsky, and other rayons could not see the sun because of smoke mask. That was a forest fire.

The river Chamgu that used to be one of the most beautiful places of the island now runs through the abatis of burned trees.

One who has not seen a burned forest could hardly imagine the whole tragedy of it. Everywhere around you can see only dead tree stems that recently were trees and were inhabited. In the dead silence you sometimes hear crows, looking for dead mice and chipmunks. Even the wind is silent because there are no leafage. The ash is hot after several days have passed.

And again there is a paradox. The fires are more frequent on the cuttings, and then goes to uncutted forest. After burning hundreds or thousands hectares people are going along building bridges and roads. Thanks to that poachers are getting deeper in taiga, leaving unchoked fires and cigarettes.

When you are coming close to forest fire area first you see a smoke over green tops of firs and spruces. Then you hear cracking and crashing of falling trees and feel the heat of fire. You can also see wild animals because they are afraid of fire more then of people. Only strong rain can stop the fire but there were no rains on Sakhalin for four months. Only the forest fire control brigades are confronting the welter. A tanker plane BE-12 could be helpful but it has been laying up without gas and permission from authorities for too long. The firemen are to risk their lives because the airplanes Il-76 of Ministry of Emergency Situations proved to be not effective.

Leskhozes given a very bad time try to get money every possible way. Thought they are to manage forest as government structure in reality they turned to be commercial structures. The timber that is sold to Japan could be from lespromkhozes or from leskhoz “sanitary” fellings which are practically major fellings. The result of such attitude to Sakhalin forests can cause the depletion of it like wide-ranging postwar harvesting caused today crisis.

These slopes burn once in a few years. The forest doesn't restore here any more
These slopes burn once in a few years. The forest doesn't restore here any more.
Photo by V. Zakharov
There is some positive news from the region. The Department of forest industry makes some attempts to overcome the crisis. There are some projects to make new wood shops, to run the production and to interest the investors. One can already see the results. But people prefer to value the activity of authorities by living standard and their aim is just to survive. That's why they are so indifferent to so obvious to stranger flagrant destroying of nature.

The only cause that has been mentioned both at the logging blocks and in the office of vice-governor is the absence of a real manager. Neither former Sakhalinlesprom, nor government authorities doesn't managing the forest complex. We hope that the projects will be realized. And that people will call Sakhalin their Home. Let's see.


By the 1st of October 298 fires have occurred since the beginning of the season. 35 760 hectares of forest and 16 959 of non-forest areas were burned. In the end of October the Federal Service of Forestry informed that in 1998 there were 28.4 hectares burned on the Sakhalin.


What is the Forest Bulletin?

Editorial: Vladimir Zakharov, Olga Zakharova
Internet-version: Forest.RU


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