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News Alert
February 2004
Protected forests in Russia now vulnerable with
passing of new Forest Code
Recently, the Russian government has instigated changes that could acutely
and irretrievably fragment and destroy the nature reserves and severely
weaken forest protection. The new Forest Code and changes within management
structures favor exploitation of resources, particularly forests, protected
in zapovedniks and parks.
The following is a chronology of events of the past few months:
- In December
(Order Number 1107, December 15, 2003) directors of zapovedniks were
ordered to create the new post of “Deputy Director for Forestry.” This
move is egregious on several fronts, primarily because any commercial
forestry activities are prohibited in zapovedniks. Essentially the
regulation allows the Forest Service to have its own representative
inside areas
where no timber harvesting should be occurring.
- In February (Order No. 77, of Feb 2, 2004) the Minister transferred
the Department of the State Service for Environmental Protection into
the
Forest Service. This move appears to open the door for legalized timber
harvesting on the territories of protected areas. Also significant
is the fact that this reorganization will offer another opportunity
for
the Ministry to divest itself of “inexpedient” staff, in
full accordance with the Russian Labor Code.
- President Putin signed amendments
to the Forest Code into law on December 10, 2003, allowing the status
of Group I (protected) forests to be changed,
essentially opening them up to the possibility of harvesting and
utilization. The amendments also make regional-level protected areas
accessible to
development.
- The Ministry of Trade and Economic Development is now preparing
an entirely new version of the Federal Forest Code. If passed, this
version would
create significant setbacks for protection and management of forests
and forested ecosystems in Russia. Specifically, the proposed version
of the code would: (i) allow for privatization of regional protected
areas; (ii) limit public access to forests; (iii) permit privatization
of Group III forests, a category of forest reserved for future use,
as well as privatization of protected lands such as forest belts along
highways
and railroads, urban forests, and others; (iv) not encourage accountability
for reforestation activities; and (v) create a highly fragmented
governmental structure for forest management (three federal agencies
and one in each
of the regions).
- Currently motions are underway to change the Federal
Land Code as well.
Russia has a long history of forest protection, beginning
in the 18th century with the protection of the finest oak trees to supply
Peter the
Great’s new navy with sturdy masts. Throughout the 20th century,
Russia set aside approximately 22 percent of its forested lands as Group
I Forests – forest ecosystems with special protected status because
they harbor old growth forests or cover sensitive areas such as riparian
zones and steep slopes. Yet, recent changes threaten to derail two centuries
of conservation. At stake in Russia are the planet’s largest system
of strictly protected areas – zapovedniks, an expansive network
of national parks, and large tracts of protected forests.
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