list subscribers number is
growing even now in summer, which is pleasant. The Forest Update
English Version N4 will come to you later than in fortnight - in
early September, as I am leaving for two-week vacation, so if
you have something urgent, please contact me until August 13.
Coming fall promises lots of forest activities, forest
meetings and forest news in Russia, so see you all in September,
Sincerely yours, Forest Update English version editor,
Olga Berlova (press@cci.glasnet.ru)
The Leningrad Region
The commission on karelian isthmus uncovers unprecedented
forestry violations
"Wild" loggings done by Russian and foreign timber
companies at Karelian isthmus under the blessing of Leningrad
region forestry officials caused numerous protests from
environmental movement and concerned citizens. Finally, the
Governor of the region agreed to form an interdepartmental
commission for revision of forestry and forest stewardship at
the Karelian isthmus. For the first time NGOs participated in
such high level commission - the Russian NGO's Forest Club
representatives were in the group.
The almost two moth work of the commission revealed
numerous violations, practically all forestry norms and
instructions were abused. The commission working papers show
almost all types of present forestry larceny. Experts say that
these results could be scaled to all Russia.
The introduction of the "Leningrad" kind of so-called
"Scandinavian Technology", which has little in common of the
technologies in Scandinavian countries lead to totally
uncontrolled loggings and no account for trees sold on stand and
timber logged. The true amount of trees logged at certain areas
would exceed 5 times of amount indicated in logging permit. The
50% to 100% overloggings became a rule, and majority of
companies because of invalid account system would not pay for
it.
According to Commission, total oveloggings at Karelian
isthmus are about 140% of amount showed in logging permits.
Besides that, the use of pseudoscandinavian technology lead to
almost total elimination of differences between different forest
groups - and often logging amount in protected zones exceeds
logging in commercial zones.
The Russian official forestry lowest level entities are
leskhozy. Almost every of those examined by commission has
violated forestry rules. For example, almost 30% loggings are
done by other bodies than leskhozy through passing the logging
permit. Practically this means selling trees on stand.
Most of the loggings are export to Finland oriented.
Investigation showed that every timber truck carries from 15% to
20% timber more than indicated in custom declaration, frequently
prefect saw timber is smuggled as paper and pulp balance. The
plans to create protected area network are threatened because
significant part of Karelian isthmus forests are rented by
different timber companies. The subject for rent became even
planned and existing protected territory areas. The Region
Governor V. Gustov promised that all measures will be taken to
correct the situation, but there is a possibility that this all
will end in some kind of "exemplary execution" of couple
low-level officials.
Legislation
Loggers cutting russian forestry legislation
The statement of Russian forestry legislation to be the
one of the most environmental friendly will no longer remain
unchallenged. Russian NGO's Forest Club discovered that in
addition to the new Forest Code Russian Forestry Service in
secrecy is cooking up new instructions and rules. Nevertheless
we managed to get the project of "Rules for selling trees on
stand", which is one of the main forestry documents. Its close
examination revealed very dangerous trend that the forest
service main task is not care for forests but timber extraction.
Here are the most dangerous items: "The problems with
application of commercial forest use rules, maintenance loggings
and resin extraction rules, as well as questions on forest
logging funds concerning width and neighboring terms of
clearcuts, specifics of different tree species logging are
solved by federal forestry body on request from executive power
branches of Russian federation subjects".
This bureaucratical text, however, has a very clear
meaning that regional governments may press Federal forestry
service to get any kind of ease on legislation, including
existing norms violation. The "Rules" also do not foresee any
liability for overlogging, this will lead to both forest
degradation and budget loosing money - the example we can see at
Karelian isthmus. But what the "Rules" do provide is that
logging permits for sanitary clearcuts are issued by leskhozy
depending on economy issues. But this also violates science and
existing Sanitary rules for forests of Russian federation,
clearly stating that sanitary clearcuts are done only based on
investigation of forest condition in cases forest lost its
biological stability because of massive tree damage and not
because of economy needs. In case this becomes accepted the
massive unjustified loggings will be conducted as sanitary. In
fact, this will legally justify now illegal practices.
There is also an attempt made to gain control over
protected territories: one of the articles provides for leskhozy
control over Nature Parks. This document is another attempt to
solve economical problems sacrificing environmental interests,
but we already have negative experience of overloggings done for
economical reasons after W.W.II. Should we repeat mistakes of
the past in much less critical situation?
Protected Area In Danger!
Is the Black Sea coast hostage to the caspian pipeline
consortium?
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) was founded in
order to construct a 1500-km. pipeline for transporting crude
oil from the Tenghiz deposit in Kazakhstan, across Russia, to a
terminal on the Black Sea coast near Novorossiisk. The CPC has
proposed building its terminal in the sea near the Yuzhnaya
Ozereika settlement, and its oil storage facilities on the
territory of Abrausski Zakaznik [special purpose nature
preserve]. The coastal area west of the Zakaznik, as well as the
Zakaznik itself, has been promoted for inclusion within the
planned Utrish Biosphere Reserve (please see the related box).
Eastern Mediterranean relict juniper and pistachio forests, so
scarce in the region, grow here, and the valuable vineyards
whose grapes are used in making the world-renowned Abrau-Durso
wine have brought fame to the site. The sea waters near the
Abrausski Peninsula, harboring numerous rare species of
hydrobionts, constitute the clearest and least polluted or
disturbed section of the Russian Black Sea Coast.
****BOX***************************************************
Work on designing Utrish Biosphere Zapovednik is
currently under way. It would incorporate the Abrausski
Zakaznik, which was established to protect the relict oak,
pistachio and juniper forest habitats of some rare insects and
several rare Mediterranean plant species, most of which exist
only in this area and are included in the Red Book of Russia.
Twenty-nine species of butterfly, several mollusk species, as
well as numerous aquatic invertebrates and terrestrial mammals,
are also sheltered here.
Creation of the Biosphere Zapovednik was defined as
urgent by the State Committee on Environmental Protection; plans
are expected to be completed in 1997. However, the specific
characteristics of the region - the numerous land users,
recreational zones and resorts and consequently complicated land
relations - are delaying progress. The administration of Anapa
(a resort area) has finally gotten permission to establish one
of the Zapovednik's two planned sites in its region; however,
the other site of Utrish Zapovednik, proposed for Novorossiisk
Region, has not been approved by the regional administration so
far.
Rainbow Keepers, a radical NGO, staged a protest action
against the pipeline project on July 2 to 4. On the first day,
more than 1,500 Novorossiisk residents signed a petition against
the proposed construction of the oil terminal. The Rainbow
Keepers also met with the Novorossiisk administration and asked
that they reject the plans for terminal construction near
Yuzhnaya Ozereika settlement and promote creation of the
Novorossiisk section of Utrish Biosphere Zapovednik.
***************************************************************-
Originally established in 1992 by the governments of the
Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Oman Sultanate, the
Consortium has since welcomed several international oil
companies into its circle, according to an agreement signed in
December 1996. The pipelines initial capacity is expected to be
28 million tons of crude oil per year, with a projected capacity
of up to 67 million tons annually by the year 2014. The total
cost of the project is $4 billion, and construction is expected
to go on from 1997 to 1999.
Novorossiisk is the largest oil port in Russia, with
already developed facilities and infrastructure. However, CPC is
not even considering use of the existing facilities, now being
used by the federal company Transneft.“ CPC prefers to build its
own, new terminal in another place that will be totally under
the control of CPC members. One reason for choosing this project
so dangerous for the fragile Black Sea coast is its cost: it's
less expensive for the pipeline-builders because it requires the
shortest distance from the pipeline to the sea.
Potential risks include seismic activity: Novorossiisk
Region has a seismic index of 8.3, and Yuzhnaya Ozereika is an
area of potential tectonic motion. Further, the sea at
Novorossiisk and its environs is characterized by strong
hurricanes that can throw even large vessels onto land. These
factors make accidents far too possible, especially considering
the low level of our technological discipline.
Despite the potential hazards, the Environmental Impact
Assessment, conducted by a special commission, was halted in
May, 1996 at the request of Consortium members, because CPC was
undergoing reorganization of its structure.
The population of Krasnodarski Krai, environmental
organizations and twelve politically diverse public
organizations in the region have opposed the project.
The parts of the CPC project that touch protected areas
and threaten coastal ecosystems contradict the principles of the
"Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of
the Black Sea", signed in Istanbul in October 1996 by the
governments of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, the Russian
Federation, Turkey and Ukraine. For example:
"The marine and coastal areas, and in particular in
wetlands, new conservation areas shall be designated and the
protection of existing conservation areas enhanced. In drafting
their National Biological Diversity Strategies, Black Sea states
shall take into consideration the integrity of the Black Sea
system by, for example, designating conservation areas which are
of regional significance."
The designated conservation area of Abrausski Zakaznik
and the planned Utrish Biosphere Reserve, as well as coastal
ecosystems, deserve serious defense from international
encroachers.
**If you want more information or want to support the actions -
please contact Victoria Kolesnikova ,(press@cci.glasnet.ru).
BALTIC NEWS
Today this is just a news gathered from Baltic press,
but we hope that Baltic states representatives will also join
our informational network and we will have their news and
comments. It is especially important for us in CIS because we
have almost no update of what is going on there with forest
issues.
Latvia
Unique oaks as a gift to Australia it does not need
The Latvian officials decided to restore vessel
"Duyfken" which discovered Australia 400 years ago and give it a
as present to the country during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The
original ship was built of Latvian oaks, and "Duyfken"
restoration was considered as "raising Latvian prestige". Waving
this slogan some Latvian newspapers called peasants to cut oaks
and deliver them for ship construction. Now the last oakwoods
are under threat - experts say that to construct such a vessel
as "Duyfken" will take almost 400 oaks.
The first victim of this culturally valuable initiative
became projected nature reserve at the river Gauya bank in the
Zile forestry area (North-west of Latvia). Company "Silva impex"
cut 19 oaks there, their average age was 200 years. Neighboring
trees were hurt while transporting logs. Witnesses say that once
solid wood now looks like fragmented tree groups. "Silva impex"
cut hollow trees as well, only straight logs were taken away
Experts say that oak wood in the Zile area are unique
for biodiversity - 17 rare plant animal species are found there,
the ancient forest is a perfect habitat because it has hollow
and fallen trees.
Once broadleaf tree forests covered the majority of
Latvia, but most of them were cut for ship construction during
the prince Jacob and Peter the Great times. Now one can see only
leftovers of the past magnificence.
Latvian ornithology society contacted dr. David
Beiker-Gab of "Birds of Australia" and received an answer
stating that there is nothing known in Australia about "Duyfken"
construction: "I contacted the Olympics Organizational Committee
in Sydney and learned that they know nothing about ship
constructions and traveling on it. It has no official connection
to upcoming Olympics."
Information based on "Rigas Balss" newspaper article
Lithuania
All the president's hunters...
Lithuanian Government decided to reserve area of total 7
982 ha for representational hunting. This area is meant for
president's guest hunt. Part of the territory already had that
status, the territories joined to it were previously used for
hunt flock restoration.
Many people in Lithuania doubt the necessity of such
hunt together with so called commercial hunts for foreigners.
But these doubts are overrun by the profits coming of the hunts.
Only last season brought in 1 mln 397 thousand lit, which
approximately is 348 600 USD. The costs for trophies are the
following - the noble deer male costs up to $1100, the wild-boar
price is lower - starting from approximately $250.
The most frequent foreign hunters in Lithuanian forests
are Germans.
Based on Business & Baltica newspaper
Issued by:
To this issue contributed: Victoria Kolesnikova
