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RIMBUNAN HIJAU LOGGING ENTERPRIZE ON THE UPPER SUKPAI (the south of Khabarovsk Krai, the Russian Far East)Current review on November, 1998By FOE-Japan and Bureau for Regional Public Campaigns (BRPC)Rimbunan Hijau logging enterprise on the Upper Sukpai Watershed in Khabarovsk Krai is coming to the finish of project stage now, in late November. And all the talks and discussions around it are highly activated last time in both Primorskiy and Khabarovskiy krais, as far as on the district level in Lazo district of Khabarovskiy Krai and Terneiskiy district of Primorskiy Krai. There are several key points of common attention and analysis of this project, to be highlighted and renewed after APEC meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Russian Prime Minister Evgeniy Primakov's visit to Khabarovsk on November 18 to gather the Association of Economic Cooperation of the Russian Far East and the Transbaikal region. Those key points may be listed as following:
"Rimbunan had been told, that, if they still want to get through Samarga territory with their timber, they has to keep in mind sorrow experience with tender application of Starma-Holding, and not to ask the whole watershed for logging, George Markov said. They have to ask for only permission for cross road as it is. Its important as far as Rimbunan seems the only hope for Sukpai and even for that forests, which have to be protected by their user from fires. It is important, for that forests are of a big value, and federal government does not care of it. We have no equipment to fight fires, except our bulldozers. Air tankers are not working here by the huge size of forest and fires areas. So, we can rely only on serious forest users". "It will be tragedy for Lazo district anyway, if timber flow from Rimbunan's logging enterprise will go to the east, across Samarga, or to the north, to Vanino, Victor Surkov said, Chairman of the Interdistrict Committee for Environmental Protection of Southern Khabarovskii krai, in town Pereyaslavka (Lazo district center). Because it means, that existing and formerly efficient economic model of timber transfer via Oborskaya railroad will be buried forever, together with all its jobs, processing facilities and local infrastructure. The only reasonable way for development in the eastern part of Lazo district is to recreate railroad Obor–Sukpai, closed by technical condition 6 years ago. But, it seems making no economic sense to recreate existing railroad from Sukpai to the west: required investments may be received from cubic meters of timber only, but there is not that much timber up there". "We are looking for any solution, which may give small communities of Samarga watershed any access to sea and market, Vladimir Usoltzev said, mayor of Terneiskiy district in Primorskiy Krai. Currently, we have intentions with the Terneiles Company to develop logging enterprise on the Lower Samarga and Adimi River, next to the border of Khabarovskiy Krai. They plan to create some shipping facilities in just Adimi mouth, and thus to get enough revenue to continue existing road from town Edinka on the sea coast northeast to Udege native town Agzu, on the Middle Samarga. Then we seem not of very much interest to get Sukpai timber through our pristine forests on Samarga, the more if it will be shipped from Khabarovskii Krai, point Nelma, and bring shipping revenues there. Apparently, it seems like possible compromise, if the cross-road and timber will come not to Nelma, but to our shipping point in Adimi, or in Samarga town on the river mouth." A forestry specialist from New Zealand, currently the employee in the Rimbunan's office in Khabarovsk, said clearly on November25 that company is working over the only obvious opportunity to transfer timber¾recreation of Sukpai–Obor railroad, access to trans-Siberian railroad and shipping from Nakhodka, as the closest modern non-freezing sea port in Primorie. If to pick up to Russian regulation of EIA, company has to suggest several options of territorial development of requested territory. And, it is still unclear, what one of these listed will be selected by experts and authorities of both krais, and what natural value will be finally given up for Sukpai's timber access to the sea. We have also to keep in mind, that any forest road brings, to the one hand, access to efficient NTFP harvesting and hunting, and thus to small economics and community development, alternative to industrial destructive logging. Idea of such development is now being promoted by local communities of Samarga and Sukpai areas, existing companies and some regional NGOs. To the other hand, road brings flood of forest thieves, poachers, illegal wholesalers, uncontrolled harvesting, hunting and fishing, and serious fires challenge. The balance may be found only in appropriate road control, although it can not reduce impact, brought by the road to wildlife and north–south migration trails along Sikhote-Alin Range. As the Deputy Mayor of Lazo District Alexander Yatz reported, they were promised by Rimbunan Khabarovsk headquarters' chief Panchenko to start working a year ago, when district authorities prepared people in Sukpai town. But up to now people are waiting, doing nothing, town infrastructure has no revenues from local logging enterprise, given up its rights for logging to tender winner. It seems regular for Russian practice¾to promise people a lot, having no legal guarantee to promise anything before getting through the whole legal procedure, including environmental impact assessment and expertise. Current social situation in town Sukpai and close surrounding is evaluated now as disaster. Three-room apartment in town may be sold by $10–12, and some people started to dismantle their and other apartment's equipment to sell and leave for anywhere. While railroad to get there had been failed 6 years ago and is not in function now, there is no regular bus to get there, although, as Alexander Kulikov reported, logging activities are continuing here, and loggers use the road. No phone communication to Sukpai left as well from the early the 1990s. Whole population reduced from 3500 to 2500. This also means disaster and irrevocable loss for existing timber processing facilities in Sukpai and Khor towns. As soon as Rimbunan won logging tender, it donated $100000 into Lazo district for emergency ambulance service cars and sawmill in Gvasyugi town for Udege community "Jango". Earlier district authorities managed to recreate municipal boilers equipment in Sukpai and Mukhen towns. Existing forests of the Upper Sukpai, which are planned to be logged by Rimbunan in amount of 550000 cubic meters during 49 years had been protected in the early 1990s as Verkhne-Sukpaiskii zakaznik (refuge), and then environmental community succeed to include prospective of strengthening it's status into governmental decree and create Verkhne-Sukpaiskiy zapovednik (nature preserve). But, before its justification had been done by local scientists, Khabarovskiy Krai governor Victor Ishaev managed to attract Rimbunan Hijau corporation to develop industrial logging enterprise on the same territory. To change the ideology from preservation to fast logging, scientists and officials decided publicly to base upon the fires. The official story, confirmed by Boris Voronov, Director of the Institute on Water and Environmental Problems, and Alexander Kulikov, Chief of the World Wide Fund for Wild Nature in Khabarovsk, sounds like that upper Sukpai forests lost their attractiveness and environmental value by destructive fires and gypsy moth impact. This had been confirmed by Alexander Yatz, reported that about 30% of Sukpai forests are lost. But, as Victor Surkov reported, that forests are almost completely live and beautiful, except of small burnt area on the northern part of watershed, and the impact to the forest still has to be specified. Also, there are enough NTFP and wildlife resources for hunting, capable to maintain sufficient local economics¾berries, muss, fur animals, mushrooms. Reportedly, Amur leopard uses to pick up to the Sukpai area from Samarga, which is also confirmed by Kulikov. He also confirmed our feeling after meeting with Larisa Vachaeva, responsible for forest leasing in Department of resource use of Khabarovsk regional administration. Although there are obviously not enough timber on the leased area for Rimbunan now for the whole 49 years and for leased volume, they certainly have some another secret forest plots in reserve to give them up after several years of Rimbunan's activity, as soon as they are demanded. NTFP use and hunting was always basic for local Udege and other communities. As soon as the Sukpai Watershed had been adopted by Khabarovskiy Krai administration as traditional resource use territory for indigenous people, Udege has some priority for NTFP use and hunting there. As Surkov reported, they have their traditional hiking/hunting trails from Sukpai through upper Bikin to Samarga watershed, crossing administrative and legal borders, as far as borders of different statuses. But, since Russian person started to lead Udege community, it turned a problem to follow and protect Udege interests and priorities. When Rimbunan came to Gvasyugi to get OK from Udege community for logging concession, community leader Michael Savchenko signed documents easy without any consulting and meeting with community members. The same seems available now with new leader, Verbintzev. "60% of Sukpai forests are located in any sort of protected zone by Russian regulation", Victor Surkov said. These are water-protecting zones along creeks and rivers, a set of banned species, where it is prohibited to log. The general elevation is around 1300–1500 m, so these are mostly forests of mountain type, which need specifically careful approach in terms of logging. Also, the significant amount of these forests is located on steep slopes greater than 30 degrees, where logging is completely prohibited. So, there are much less timber available for industrial cut, than it was promised to Rimbunan". As Alexander Kulikov reported, the overestimated value of Sukpai forests had been done by Khabarovsk specialists, especially by the order of Governor Ishaev and targeted to attract company to make investments. Practically, nobody has any idea about real condition of those forests now, the more that official forest checking use to be done as seldom as once in 10 years, and never is enough appropriate for economic evaluation. Most of forestry specialists has to be and are aware in Khabarovsk now, that forest fires in this krai this year made this issue the key one for the close future regards forest use and protection. It seems quite less reasonable and polite to focus upon logging, when forest damage by fires equals half of regularly planned for the whole Russia. By George Markov, Primorskiy Krai officials will receive a new official appeal from Rimbunan soon, as soon as Khabarovsk officials will make final decision regards to the pattern of timber transfer road. Responding our question about any sort of public announcement from Rimbunan about their strategy of logging, protection, reforestation, local jobs development, timber transfer and processing, indigenous culture support, about any press conferences etc., staff New Zealander in office said they are not even thinking about it, and are sure its complete local authority's concern. Legal procedure of impact assessment in framework of the Upper Sukpai
logging enterprise is to be completed in December, and expert evaluation
will start by Committee of Environmental Protection. Its destiny will be
totally dependent on the position of Boris Voronov¾how
strong and objective it is, and involvement of specialists like Sveta Shlotgauer.
Also, public campaign IN THE PROCESS of expertise, before conclusion is
signed, will be critical here.
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