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FAR EAST: RUSSIA IS LOOSING ITS NATURE, TRADE MARKETS AND FACE
September 18 a conference "Commercial Forestry in the Russian Far East:
Opportunities for Sustainable Trade, Conservation, and Community
Development" took place in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Far East of Russia). The
basic idea of the conference was to make up an alive dialogue, exchange
of opinions between the manufacturers, public, scientists and
representatives of state structures on problems of wood branch on Far
East.
Organizers (state, scientific, public organizations) consider, that such
exchange of opinions and opportunity of cooperation are especially urgent
now as there is almost no state control in this area. Most likely, that this
absence of control benefits to someone. The most corrupted industries in
Russia are considered to be Fishery and Forestry , the fact is already
admitted at the federal level. Russian Far East, where criminal has become a
part of an ordinary life, stands out. It's a source of income for the ones &
extra problems for the others.
Persistent violation of legislation in this & other domains is a sore
point in the Far East especially last dozen of years.
Until recently Japanese Concerns bought up there wood there basically on
wood chips, for paper manufacturing. Their enterprises could grind old
eucalyptus of Australia as well as, tropical forests (rainforests) of
SOUTHEAST Asia, and Far Eastern Taiga. Now, due to the efforts of public
nature conservation organizations, Japanese consumers become more and more
"ecologically responsible"; thus, market had to be responsible, either.
"Consumer in Japan wants to buy a "ecological" wood, but Russian wood is
hardly to be named so, - Hiroaki Kakidzava of Institute of Global
Ecological Researches says. - Well, almost because it is not clear, where
exactly it comes from. And this new "ecological" niche could be superseded
by other companies of Scandinavian and American origin".
Far East Wood is crossing the border on the quiet
Last year China has forbidden logging throughout the whole country.
According to the experts the country has enough of processing capacities to
let on various wood production of ALL taiga behind Ural Mountains within one
year. After an interdiction on domestic logging these enterprises have
suddenly moved closer to Russian borders at once. Even on legal transitions
wood materials transfer (almost exclusively wood) has increased last year
THOUSAND percents. Taking into account weak border and customs control, the
picture comes out to be in black colors.
Most of wood going through border is a result of illegal cutting: forests
are being destroyed without any permission - either by local population or
one-day criminal firms.
One of the experts upon forestry problems of Far East, Alexander Sheingauz
(the Institute of economic researches of Far Eastern Department of Russian
Academy of Science), says that cutting, especially on Far East, is not
possible to call "legal" as in any case they are made with infringements.
David Gordon (Pacific environmental resource center - PERC), that the way
out is to force the control of both Russian and Chinese sides. Thus, Russian
government at first should officially admit the problem. Japanese public
experts still can not calm down concerning last visit of Japanese premiere
to Russia. They then managed to include in the resolution of the meeting a
point on illegal cutting in Russia. The answer, given to premiere, sounded
in style of "We don't have sex in the USSR", which means there are few
illegal cutting - all in all about 1 %. Actually, by various estimations,
illegal cutting on Far East make from 25 up to 50 % out of all, it has
become already whole industry, with its own workers, security and system of
delivery.
Certainly, industrialists (who's manufactures are in China due to labor
cheapness) act for market regulation of a question - that is, if the
consumer (customer) does not want to buy, he doesn't have to; moreover this
wood is not certified, so there no need to set a strict control. (All this
will result in increasing of raw wood trade for damping prices.)
However - alas, boundless Asian market differs from European, and till
consumers (customer) there become aware of ecological part of the process,
we'll have desert behind Urals. On the other hand, to watch the origin of
wood in such a situation is practically impossible for it's crossing the
border without appropriate restrictions it becomes legal on the other side.
It can be official cooperation in this field, Gordon suggests, which is
necessary, for example, while concurrence of restrictions on export and
import rules on both sides. Chinese side, though does not officially admit
correlation between internal cutting interdiction and increasing amounts of
illegal timber in Russia, but it's ready to cooperate in customs control.
However, as soon as Russian officials (authorities) will come to
understanding, that budget loses pretty sums of money on it, probably, an
attempt to do something will be undertaken (as in a case with Fishery). It
is a well-known fact, that the sore point of forest regions is local
population survival. Wood is basic income source on Far East for the people.
But it will be destroyed; Soviet system has already left hundreds of forest
settlements dying out & around which accessible woo has coming to an end.
Once it seemed, that it is possible to cut forests almost endlessly;
ruefully famous myth of great wood reserves of Russia is still actively
supported by representatives of Forest Department of Ministry of Nature
Resources.
Conversations upon annually calculated clear-cut area (an amount of wood
might be cut per year), which is not being cut down, have been risen from
time to time, but problem stays on. This "calculated clear-cut" is a rather
abstract idea, which is taking into account neither wood accessibility, nor
its structure, and it completely ignores poaching. It turns out, that wood
just exists formally. Therefore, Sheingauz suggests calculating not total of
the wood, but what is accessible. This is reasonable, though, probably, far
too revolutionary for conservative wood branch, which generally is still
living according to Soviet concepts. However, the new system of calculation
is already being used in some logging enterprises.
Far East - lumber and salmon
Another mistake coming from the Soviet times is the idea of wood as a set
of logs, growing on-root. Forest authorities just about to find out what is
sustainable forest management, which is no doubt a progress.
Forest is not only wood. There's a concept of non-timber forest products.
Mushrooms, berries, honey processing can bring awesome income, but actually
on Sakhalin one of the main non-timber products is salmon.
For information: Siberian and RFE timber market for China: criminal and
official technologies, volumes and trends in 2000
http://www.forest.ru/eng/publications/wildeast
Survey of Illegal Forest Felling Activities in Russia (forms and methods of
illegal cuttings) http://www.forest.ru/eng/publications/illegal
FIRST LOGGING MORATORIUM BORN IN RUSSIA
At Sakhalin conference we witnessed a sensation turning out by Terneiles
company which announced a two-year moratorium on logging of Ussury taiga in
Samarga River basin in Primorskiy Kray (Far East). The site around which
arguments have being continued for more than a year now.
At the end of 80s Samarga people succeeded in defense of their forests
from invasion of Cuban loggers, which tried to occupy neigboring Sukpay
area. Then Samarga hot spot got included in the system of nature protected
areas. The decision about reservation of the area was officially
incorporated in the Program of conservation of biodiversity of
Sikhote-Alin'. But then as it often happens in Russia responsible bodies
found out that they were losing a source of quick money and Samarga was
suggested for tender and it was allowed to cut it.
The story is veiled in obscurity - commented Anatoly Lebedev, Bureau for
Regional Public Campaigns. It is still unclear how Terneiles got the
license and why indigenes people - Udyge for a long time didn't have any
information (as it required by the law) about the plans to provide forest
management (destruction in other words) in their place of living.
Sikhote-Alin' has already been under attack just recently when Malaysian
company leased a part of it - Sukpai for logging, this site was also planned
for reservation as a unique nature and also a part of traditional place of
living for indigenes people.
Samarga was supposed to be sold for 8 million roubles, (which is almost
nothing for 650 thousand hectares of forests) which is an equivalent to less
than 300,000 US dollars. No environment impact assessment has been provided,
no one cared about the legal procedures.
But situation with consumers has been slowly changing even in Asian
markets. Russian company Terneiles is one that is trying to get green
image. Surprisingly it looks now not just like a greenwash but a real
practice. Terneiles turns out to be one of the first Russian companies
willing to certify it production according to Forest Stewardship Council
standards (but unfortunately it suggests other areas for that, not
Sikhote-Alin'). But still Terneiles is a first company announced moratorium
for logging due to ecological and social reasons.
Future of the area now depends on they way of regional development that
will be chosen. If Terneiles is allowed to provide clear-cuts Sikhote Alin'
will face a usual situation for the region - everything logged around,
local people have nothing to live on. And of course Amur tiger that is also
living there will be dying without home. Another option for the site is to
become a demonstrative area of traditional nature use and non-timber
products could play a big role in it. Assessment provided by local
specialists showed that those products could be sold in Russia and abroad if
they are packed nicer and advertised. And it will be enough for local people
to survive.
Now Terneiles is going to become a first certified forest company in the
region. But meeting FSC standards means to stop all the logging activities
in undisturbed areas and Samarga is one of such areas. And to accept a
priority of local people to take decisions about the way of management of
the territory. So if Udyge people say "no" to Terneiles company will have to
go away or to forget about FSC certificate and disgrace itself.
RUSSIAN BLUE-STREAM PROJECT UPDATE
PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FOR SEA AND FORESTS
In the Black Sea water area as well as on the both territories of Russia
and Turkey a gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey is on the point of being
realized. According to the project they have planned to build a pipeline for
gas export from Russia to Turkey on the bottom of the Black Sea, at the
depth of 2115 meters. The public environmental organizations of the South of
Russia were against this project from the very beginning of its initiation,
as it constitutes a great danger for environment.
Black Sea is so unique site and it should not be used as a testing area
for the dubious experiments. The construction of the overland section of the
pipeline via the Russian territory causes great damages to the environment
as well, for its considerable section is built in the mountain forest zone
of the Krasnodar Territory and has a serious impact on the wild nature
world. The very damage to the environment is caused by the construction of
the overland section of the pipeline in the coastal zone. The unique
ecosystems and recreation capacity of the seaside are also suffered damage
from placing there the largest compressor plant "Beregovaya" together with
its other objects and construction of the initial section of the maritime
section of the pipeline, not mentioning the construction of the gas pipeline
itself. The compressor plant "Beregovaya" is a large industrial object
having high both noise and pollution rates. At that it shall be located 2 km
from the settlement of Teshebs and health resort of Inal.
The construction of the initial section of the maritime section of the gas
pipeline supposes a great number of dredging operations, which will cause
great damage to the sea biota. At that the Russian Legislation is severely
violated on the part of the "Gazprom" and the state bodies of the Russian
Federation, supporting this project. The coastal territory as well as the
water area, via which the construction of the Russia-Turkey pipeline is
planned to pass, has the status of natural protected areas. The initial
section of the maritime section of the gas pipeline shall be built in the
water area having the status of the first zone of the sanitary protection
district of the resort of Gelendzhik. This status does not permit to realize
there any economic activities. However the preparation operations for the
construction of the maritime section of the pipeline are at their height.
The coastal section of the pipeline is planned to be constructed on the
territory, belonging to the unique nature monument "Arkhipo-Osipovka forest
of Crimean pine", which is under the protection regulations similar to these
of forest reserve. This protected area conserves the unique ecosystem of
coastal flora having no analogues in Russia. No economic activities are
admissible here. Nevertheless, Russian State organizations have come to the
agreement about the gas pipeline construction here. In the spring of this
year the construction operations began there. Large sections of the unique
flora have been already cut down contrary to the law.
The appeals of the environmental public organizations concerning these
violations of the law are completely neglected. Practice of disregard of the
public opinion is major characteristic at the realization of this project.
As the opinion of the public environmental organizations concerned about
this problem, that of the population living in the settlements located in
the impact area of the pipeline is neglected too.
But greens are not going to give up. They plan to bring a case against the
Government and prove that its decree was completely illegal.
Socio-Ecological Union started a big campaign against pipeline
construction in the place. And construction works were stopped. But than it
was officially decided to change the status of the protected area and to
legalize the construction.
Socio-Ecological Union in September sent out a letter to all bodies the
project will influence including Government of Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia and
other countries around Black Sea demanding an immediate stop for "Blue
Stream" pipeline maritime section construction within the boundaries of
Russian economic area. The construction MUST BE postponed until the
problems connected with the violation of the law on the stage of project's
designing & realization are solved.
PINES FOR PENAL COLONY BOSSES
Trees felling in Siberia - is what Russian prisoners always were engaged
in. They work for the state doing a job that is hardly would be done by some
other people. They do it not safe for themselves; they don't care about
environment. They just don't want to be beaten by an inspector.
Right now "people in overalls" are cutting in natural protected area in
Irkutsk Region. They cut in the state sanctuary "Tukolon'" covered by pines
and inhabited by wild ungulates. It is the only place near the Southern part
of BAM (famous part of Trans-Siberian railway called Baikal-Amur Main Line)
where big massive of pines still remains. Al most all the forest in the
place where eliminated during Soviet times and it was also burnt out. Only a
small part was left untouched and most valuable pieces were put under
protection.
Destruction of nature is being done with a view to provide "reconstructive
logging aimed at improvement of feeding and protection conditions for
ungulates".
Local authorities and prosecutor just ignore all the violations, as they
don't want problems for themselves because forest industry especially in
Siberia has always been almost a criminal deal. So no one wants to interact.
For further information:
Victor Kuznetsov, Baikal Eco-Wave, viktor@baikalwave.eu.org
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