Published by Russian NGOs Forest Club
and Socio-Ecological Union Informational Coordination Center
N 41 (august 1999)
New nature reserve in the Far East
On July 7 the Sakhalin governor issued decree establishing
Vostochny reserve. Work for the protection of large undisturbed forest
massive lasted for seven years. The forest is located at the Central
Sakhalin, bordering Okhotsk sea and protecting two spawning rivers -
Pursh - Pursh and Vengeri. The reserve area is 65386 forested hectares
and 6780 hectares of Okhotsk sea littoral zone. Vostochnyn reserve is
a complex protected area of regional level established to restore and
protect unique natural landscapes and ecosystems within seed-fish
rivers Pursh-Pursh and Vengeri basins.
Due to the ecological and cultural value of Vostochnyi it got the
status of protected area for the unlimited period of time.
First time in Sakhalin conservation history NGO participation in
the protection activities is officially stated in such a decree.
Conservation guidelines defined for the reserve contain some advanced
ideas of forest protection. For instance there is a ban on harvesting
the trees, restrictions of thinning and so called renewing logging
which is most harmful one. Sanitary logging is also restricted and can
't be done without a special permission of the regional ecological
committee and the administration of "Vostochnyi". It is allowed to use
several kinds of nontimber resources but it shall be done in
sustainable manner. It is different from previous traditional way of
nature protection in this kind of reserves (zakaznik). People were not
allowed to collect mushrooms, berries etc in such places, but all
kinds of loggings were legalized. They are looking for an additional
funding for Vostochny reserve. They have already helped the reserve to
raise money from the regional Ecological Fund.
Sakhalin Watch is planning to keep contributing to the process of
Voctochny development.
Contacts: watch@sakhalin.ru
President of Adygeya is wiping out everything for the sake of the
road construction project.
On June 1999 Chairman of the State Ecological Committee issued an
order by which he is binding the director of the Caucasus nature
reserve to fire Vladimir Cherpakov the director of Adygeya branch of
the reserve.
This decision was taken without any concordance with nature reserve
department of the Committee. It's clear for everybody in the republic
that Cherpakov is paying with his position for his negative attitude
to the construction of the road through the Caucasus nature reserve
which will destroy unique nature complex.
It is undoubtedly that the President of Adygeya is trying to push
the road project at any price. There is no any legal reason to fire
Cherpakov. This decision breaks at least Russian labor legislation.
Now Cherpakov is sick staying at home. When he is back at the
office he is likely to be forced to stop his activities.
Relict cherkess orchards defenders might be accused of criminal
action
In 32th issue of "Forest Update" we wrote about the termination of
the illegal logging of old growth pears in Aibga orchard in Krasnodar
krai (Russia). Two ecological activists -
inspector of forest service and his friend attempted to stop loggers.
One of the activists was injured when he tried to take chain-saw from
them. It was the only option to end the illegal activities and to
save unique pears which local people live from.
Barbarian harvesting is stopped now at the price of health of the
activists. But it seems like it didn't satisfy these loggers who didn'
t care about any rules and regulations - in July they initiated case
against them.
In fact the action should be brought against the director of
"Agrodom" company who started logging without environment assessment
and without permission from the local forest service branch.
Issued by:
