Ecological problems: deforestation. Illegal logging of Russian forests: the scale of the problem and what to do about it? Causes of deforestation

It's hard to overestimate. It's not for nothing that there are trees. They as a whole constitute a single ecosystem that affects life various types, on the soil, atmosphere, water regime. Many people have no idea what kind of disaster deforestation will lead to if it is not stopped.

The problem of deforestation

IN this moment the problem of cutting down trees is relevant for all continents of the earth, but this problem is most acute in countries Western Europe, South America, Asia. Intensive destruction of forests leads to the problem of deforestation. An area cleared of trees turns into a poor landscape and becomes unsuitable for life.

To understand how close the disaster is, you should pay attention to a number of facts:

• more than half have already been destroyed, and it will take a hundred years to restore them;
• now only 30% of the land is occupied by forests;
• Regular cutting down of trees leads to an increase in carbon monoxide in the atmosphere by 6-12%;
• Every minute, an area of ​​forest that is the size of several football fields disappears.

Causes of deforestation

Common reasons for cutting down trees include:

• wood has a high value as construction material and raw materials for paper, cardboard, manufacturing of household items;
• forests are often destroyed in order to expand new agricultural land;
• for laying communications and roads

In addition, a large number of trees suffer as a result, which constantly occur due to improper handling of fire. They also occur during the dry season.

Illegal deforestation

Quite often, cutting down trees occurs illegally. Many countries around the world lack institutions and people who can control the process of deforestation. In turn, entrepreneurs in this area sometimes commit violations, annually increasing the volume of deforestation. It is also believed that wood supplied by poachers who do not have a permit to operate also enters the market. There is an opinion that the introduction of a high duty on timber would significantly reduce the sale of timber abroad and, accordingly, would reduce the number of trees cut down.

Deforestation in Russia

Russia is one of the leading wood producers. Together with Canada, these two countries contribute about 34% of the total material exported to the world market. The most active areas where trees are cut down are in Siberia and the Far East. As for illegal logging, everything is resolved by paying fines. However, this does not contribute in any way to the restoration of the forest ecosystem.

The main result of cutting down trees is deforestation, which has many consequences:

• climate change;
• environmental pollution;
• ecosystem change;
• destruction of a large number of plants;
• animals are forced to leave their usual habitats;
• deterioration of the atmosphere;
• deterioration in nature;
• destruction of the soil, which will lead to;
• emergence of environmental refugees.

Permit for deforestation

Companies that cut down trees must obtain a special permit for this activity. To do this, you need to submit an application, a plan of the area where the felling is taking place, a description of the types of trees that will be cut down, as well as a number of papers for coordination with various services. In general, obtaining such permission is difficult. However, this does not completely rule out the illegality of deforestation. It is recommended that this procedure be tightened while the planet's forests can still be saved.

Sample permit for deforestation

What will happen to the planet if all the trees are cut down?

Deforestation is deforestation on the planet on a huge scale, often leading to deterioration in soil quality. Forests still cover about 30% of the world's land mass, but areas of forest the size of Panama are destroyed every year. At the current rate of deforestation, the world's rain forests will disappear within a hundred years.

Deforestation is made for many reasons, but most of them have to do with money or people's need to provide for their families. The largest driver of forest destruction is Agriculture. Farmers cut down forests to get more space for sowing crops or grazing livestock. Very often, small farmers clear just a few acres of forest each to feed their family, but do so by slashing and burning the forest, a process called “slash-and-burn agriculture.”

The logging industries that supply the world with wood and paper products also cut down countless trees every year. Loggers, some of them illegal, also build roads to reach more remote areas of the forest - and this leads to further deforestation. In addition, forests are still being cut down as a result of urban growth.

However, not all deforestation is intentional - some occurs due to a combination of human and natural factors, such as Forest fires and overgrazing, which prevent young trees from growing.

Negative consequences

Destruction of forests has many negative consequences on the environment. The most severe consequence is the loss of habitat for millions of species. 70% of all animals and plants on Earth live in forests, and most cannot survive when their home is destroyed by logging.

Deforestation is also directly related to climate change. Forest soil is moist, but without the protection from sunlight that tree canopies usually provide, it dries out quickly. Trees also help maintain the water cycle by returning water vapor to the atmosphere. However, without trees, many formerly forested lands are quickly turning into barren deserts. Tree cutting leads to the disappearance of part of the forest crown, which blocks during the day Sun rays and keeps it warm at night. When the canopy opens, day and night temperatures change dramatically, negatively impacting plants and animals.

Trees also play an important role in absorption greenhouse gases that lead to global warming. How less forests, those large quantity greenhouse gases will enter the atmosphere, and the faster and more serious the consequences of global warming will be.

Solutions to the problem

The most quick solution deforestation is the cessation of logging. Although in last years The rate of logging has decreased slightly; financial realities will not allow us to completely abandon logging.

A more feasible solution is good forest management to ensure there are no clearcuts and forest environment will remain untouched. Logging must necessarily be accompanied by the planting of a sufficient number of young trees that will replace old stands that have been cut down. The number of new forest plantations is increasing every year, but their total number still constitutes a tiny part of the entire forested area of ​​the planet.

Deforestation is the process of destroying trees, vines or shrubs. It is mainly produced in order to obtain large quantities of wood, and in some cases - to renew and improve the forest, as well as to increase its productivity. Uncontrolled deforestation is a common cause of deforestation, which is the process of gradually converting forested areas into land such as wasteland or grassland. There are several types of forest felling: complete, sanitary, maintenance and main use fellings.

Is it possible to determine the real rate of deforestation?

This is quite difficult to do. The calculation of such data is carried out by the UN Agriculture and Food Company, which, as a rule, relies on official data received from the relevant ministries of the countries. Another organization, the World Bank in Peru, indicates that in Bolivia, eighty percent of harvesting is illegal, and in Colombia - about forty-two. Deforestation in Brazil and the Amazon is happening much faster than scientists thought. The rate of logging varies greatly by region. It is now highest in developing countries that are in tropical zone(Nigeria, Brazilian state of Rondonia, Mexico, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Guinea, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, China, Ivory Coast, Laos, Ghana and others).

How does deforestation affect the atmosphere?

Gradual deforestation contributes to the formation of more warm climate. Deforestation, which is located in the tropical zone, is responsible for approximately twenty percent of greenhouse gases. During their life, plants (trees, shrubs, grass) remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Burning and rotting trees release stored carbon into the atmosphere. To avoid this process, wood must be made into durable products and forests must be replanted.

How does deforestation affect the water cycle?

Trees feed on groundwater through their roots. In this case, the water rises to the leaves and evaporates. Deforestation makes this process impossible, leading to a drier climate. Deforestation, among other things, negatively affects the ability of the soil to retain precipitation, as well as the penetration of moisture deep into the continents.

How does deforestation affect the soil?

Gradual deforestation reduces soil adhesion. This, in turn, can lead to landslides and flooding.

How does deforestation affect wildlife?

The main negative effect of logging is a decrease in animal diversity and flora. In this case, the greatest damage is caused to tropical forests.

The problem of deforestation

Deforestation is a pressing problem that requires attention in many countries. Uncontrolled deforestation affects climatic, environmental and socio-economic characteristics, and also significantly reduces the quality of life. Gradual deforestation leads to a decrease in timber reserves and a decrease in biodiversity. Many scientists believe that the most dire consequences of deforestation are increased

Together with the post-Soviet degradation of forestry and« optimization» forestry infrastructure, annual forest fires have intensified. But the problem of illegal logging is no less catastrophic.

Below we publish a report with the results of our own research by CEPR experts.They conducted an in-depth expert survey in two “forest” regions of the country- in the Kirov region and the Republic of Karelia. At the same time, the situation with illegal logging is similar in other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including in the regions of Siberia and the Far East. Moreover, illegal logging in Russian regions is “impossible without the support of the authorities,” or at least its individual representatives. Experts estimate damage from illegal logging at tens of millions of rubles annually. INThe CEPR study involved people whose professional activity directly or indirectly related to the forestry industry.

The logging industry is one of the most important sectors of the Russian economy. According to UN statistics, half of the territory of our country is covered with forests, and total area Russia's forests (851 million hectares) make up one fifth of the forest area of ​​planet Earth. Two thirds of these forests are suitable for use in the timber industry.

Russia is one of the largest producers and exporters of wood - fifth place in the world, second place in Europe .

According to the Federal Customs Service, the share of exports of timber and pulp and paper products to non-CIS countries in 2016 was 3.3%, and to the CIS countries - 4.4%. According to the UN database UN Comtrade, the share of exports of wood, charcoal, and wood products in 2015 was 1.8%. According to experts, the cost forest resources Russia exceeds the cost of resources such as oil and gas.

In 2015, according to the UN, the volume of official logging in Russia amounted to 206 million cubic meters. meters, that is, 5.5% of global volumes, this is the fifth place among countries in the world. However, despite the huge resource potential, the efficiency of the Russian timber industry is extremely low. According to estimates from a representative of the Union of Timber Manufacturers and Timber Exporters of Russia, the Russian timber industry is characterized by a low technical level of production, a technological lag behind global trends, low profitability and an unstable financial position of industry enterprises, poorly developed road and production infrastructure, and a low level of forestry engineering. That's why the timber industry in Russia is low-income- according to experts, the producer’s income from one cubic meter of wood is several times less than the average on the international logging market.

A separate serious problem for the Russian timber industry is illegal logging and subsequent sale of illegally obtained timber. According to World Health Fund estimates wildlife Russia and World Bank up to 20% of wood harvested in the Russian Federation is of illegal origin. If, for example, we rely on the previously indicated data that Russia produced 206 million cubic meters in 2015. meters of wood, then the volume of illegal forest products, according to these expert estimates, will be 40–50 million cubic meters. meters of wood.

Damage to the budget is estimated at approximately 13–30 billion rubles annually(data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), in 2013, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Sergei Donskoy called the figure 10 billion rubles annually. Experts believe that illegal logging is most common in export-oriented regions, rich in forest resources, especially in the regions of Siberia. In 2013, non-profit international organization The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has published an investigation into a scheme to legalize illegally harvested timber and then sell it to China. Environmentalists' assessments of the scale of illegal timber production are very serious: for example, they believe that 50% to 75% of oak exported to China is of illegal origin. There are other independent expert assessments.

Thus, the head of the Forestry Program of the World Wildlife Fund, Elena Kulikova, claims that every fourth wooden product in Russia is of “dubious origin”. Director of the Amur branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Russia, Yuri Darman, emphasizes that two thirds of the volume of valuable tree species in the Far East is harvested illegally.

The damage from illegal logging is not only the country's economy, but also nature. Scientists from the World Resources Institute, the Maryland Institute and representatives from Google studied several hundred thousand satellite photographs of the Earth's surface and calculated exactly how much forests are destroyed in every country in the world every year. Russia was in first place - in the period from 2011 to 2013, an average of 4.3 million hectares of forest disappeared annually in our country. This figure can be compared with Canada, which was in second place with a result half as much - 2.4 million hectares annually. Scientists have also calculated that if all logging is stopped immediately, it will take at least 100 years to restore the forest in Russia.

At the same time, according to Rosstat, in recent years there has been no tendency towards an increase in the scale of reforestation (and this is taking into account the fact that 2016 was declared the Year of Reforestation):

Center for Economic and political reforms spent own research into the problem of illegal logging. We conducted an in-depth expert survey in two “forest” regions of the country - in the Kirov region and in the Republic of Karelia. At the same time, the situation with illegal logging is similar in other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including in the regions of Siberia and the Far East.

Our study involved people whose professional activities are directly or indirectly related to the forestry industry. Let us present the main results.

HOW URGENT IS THE PROBLEM AND WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS OF THE SITUATION?

The experts interviewed confirmed: there really is a problem, and it is extremely pressing. The majority of respondents in both regions note that the problem has existed for a long time - it arose back in perestroika times, after the start of privatization processes.

Respondents' opinions on whether the scale of this phenomenon is growing or not differed. The majority of respondents from Karelia are still inclined to believe that illegal logging has occurred relatively less frequently in recent years, especially when compared with the 1990s, although they emphasize that it is difficult to give accurate estimates of the dynamics. In the Kirov region, assessments vary: some experts insist that the scale of the phenomenon has only been growing in recent years, others refer to official data on a decrease in the scale of illegal logging, as well as to the gradual results of the fight against poacher logging (in particular, the importance of adopting the Forestry Code is emphasized in 2006), the accumulation of experience in methods of this fight among law enforcement agencies and foresters. One of the experts from the Kirov region says that in recent years it has been possible to attract and punish larger number violators.

Experts also make the following interesting observation: those involved in illegal logging learned to better circumvent the laws. The scale of the problem remains large and difficult to pinpoint, but the methods used by perpetrators have become more sophisticated.

One of the respondents reported on the experience of reducing the scale of the problem in one of the districts of the Republic of Karelia due to the fact that most of the area of ​​the district is leased, and the tenants take on the function of protecting the territory, and they perform this function effectively. Tenants control the logging carried out by contractors, preventing illegal logging, as well as the logging process. According to the expert, the absence of large-scale deforestation in this area is confirmed by images from space taken as part of monitoring in 2015–2016.

However, the majority of respondents noted that one of the types of illegal logging is not poacher logging, but actions of official tenants or subtenants of plots, who often go beyond the boundaries of their plots, and also use other illegal schemes for cutting down and selling forests. Moreover, most experts from the Kirov region believe that it is the official tenants who are behind the most large-scale illegal logging (see the section “HOW DOES IT WORK?”).

SCALE OF ILLEGAL LOGGING

First of all, experts appreciated how many cubic meters of forest in their region are cut down annually. Most experts could not give exact figures: however, they agree that the recorded cases and the figures announced at the official level do not cover all illegal logging. In addition, in fact, no one systematically monitors or counts the above-mentioned cases of violations of the boundaries of the leased areas. According to experts, small-scale poaching in the vast majority of cases is not taken into account, much less generalized.

One of the experts from the Kirov region gave his rough calculations, suggesting that the real numbers could be even higher. According to his calculations, approximately 50 thousand cubic meters of wood are cut down in the region per year. A representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Republic of Karelia cites a figure of about 10.8 thousand cubic meters of wood for 2016.

When assessing the annual financial damage experts also encountered objective difficulties: some emphasized that it is necessary to count not only the amount for which the forest was cut down, but also include unpaid taxes and illegally obtained profits.

Some interviewees provided a range of assessments. Thus, a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Republic of Karelia estimated the financial damage from illegal logging in the region in 2016 at 80 million rubles. Experts from the Kirov region announced different figures: 70 million rubles, 140 million; one of the respondents emphasized that taking into account unpaid taxes and illegally obtained profits, this amount could be many times higher.

However, more often experts limited themselves to general assessments(For example, « million dollar damage» ) and provided examples of specific, recently identified cases illustrating the scale of illegal logging and timber trading activities. Examples:

“Consider, if a month ago a violation was discovered in the Uninsky district, about 4 thousand cubic meters were cut down illegally, and there are up to 7 such illegals in the region...»

“Recently there was a case in Pitkäranta - the head of the urban settlement lowered 100 carriages of commercial timber to the left” (respondent from Karelia);

“They periodically voice it after some trials, that the damage for any specific case is estimated in millions, and the general figures are under lock and key. Let's say there was information that in December last year a forest on an area of ​​1 hectare was cut down. According to official published data, the damage amounted to more than two million rubles. There are such individual stories and data, but the overall damage is unknown.” (respondent from the Kirov region);

“There is evidence from noisy processes that the damage amounts to millions. I can imagine the total amount of damage in the region as a whole... I know that many “black lumberjacks” operate in the Sovetsky district, there are even some legal disputes, but I also know that all this ends in favor of those who have money »

ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE

Experts almost unanimously recognized that illegal logging has an extremely negative impact on ecological situation, And The problem is broader than wood depletion.

Deforestation inevitably affects a wide range of environmental problems. Due to illegal logging, which is inevitably indiscriminate and even barbaric, the flora and fauna suffer - flora and fauna become poorer, soil erosion occurs, and other undesirable consequences occur. For example, experts from the Kirov region say that due to deforestation over the last decade there has been an increase groundwater in the Vyatka River, shallowing of small rivers, waterlogging of soils. According to one of the respondents from the region, the situation in this regard is especially unfavorable in the Vernekamsky, Luzsky, Nagorsky and Luninsky districts of the region.

A separate problem is the untimely removal of wood, as well as the garbage that remains after cutting down. In a situation with illegal logging clutter problem forests is especially acute: loggers everywhere leave behind some of the felled wood. According to experts, when pirate logging occurs, sawn wood is often taken out, and the rest is not disposed of, but simply remains in the forest and litters it. Then it dries out and causes fires and air pollution. One of the experts from the Kirov region identified a number of areas in which this problem is most serious: Urzhumsky, Uninsky, Nagorsky, Podosinovsky districts.

As a rule, large tenants who run schemes for cutting down and selling forests do not care at all about forest restoration. It is necessary that these processes be in the same chain, and insufficient attention to reforestation creates serious long-term risks.

Experts reported that Illegal logging is also carried out in especially protected areas of forests, for example, along water bodies. Thus, experts from Karelia spoke about deforestation in specially protected areas, mentioning, in particular, the Ladoga region. Some experts believe that “black loggers” tend to cut down forests in protected zones, since the quality of the wood there may be higher.

It is also reported about felling of valuable tree species. One of the experts from the Kirov region listed the areas of the region where the damage from cutting down valuable forest is especially severe: Lebyazhsky, Podosinovsky, Luzsky, Afanasyevsky, Shabalinsky, Malmyzhsky, Darovsky, Kilmezsky districts. Another respondent spoke about the cutting down of valuable tree species in the green zone in the Kirovo-Chepetsk region.

Also, according to one of the respondents from Karelia, residents of the region complain about deforestation along the roads, but in this case we are more often talking about formally legal deforestation by tenants.

HOW IT WORKS?

First of all, you need to take into account that, as mentioned above, very often they play one or another role in illegal logging large investors renting large areas forests in the region.

Investment projects involve preferential, profitable terms for renting forest areas. Large investment companies actively use this, they even received an informal nickname « forest lords» . Once they lease a large plot, they often sublease the plots at inflated prices, without caring about the control and obligations assumed during the lease. A common option that they use is to hire contractors to cut down forests, and then sell this forest to them or sell it through them. The contractor is hired under one contract, and then the cut wood is sold to him under another. Large investors themselves, as a rule, remain in the shadows; all negotiations and relationships with foresters are built by the subtenant.

In order to operate the industries created in accordance with the investment project, part of the felled forest is still used for these productions (according to the expert, the subtenant is given a list in advance of what they must deliver to the sites of the investment enterprises). The rest of the forest is sold to the side.

According to one of the experts from the Kirov region, « only a third[of the large investors who received lease plots for investment projects] legally fulfills their obligations, two-thirds resell the forest to black dealers. They cut it down and sell it through their own channels.” . Another expert gives a more pessimistic assessment, saying that there are less than 10% of investors who fulfill their obligations.

One of the respondents cited as an example the situation that took place in the Kirov region. A large investor leased large areas of forest for the implementation of a dozen investment projects, which involved the creation of wood processing enterprises and providing jobs for residents of the region. However, in fact, less than half of the projects were implemented. Most of the projects remained “on paper”. According to the expert, the investor’s main activity was subleasing the forest at an inflated price, without holding auctions. In fact, the region lost good forest plots without receiving the effect of implementing the initially prescribed projects, and the investment company received super profits.

Participate in illegal logging and forestry, which have formal rights to cut down for their own needs and sanitary processing and often use these rights to cut down forest for sale, but they need to additionally organize export and marketing. Also often agricultural enterprises who have forest plots and must use them for their economic needs, instead additionally trade in timber.

It was also noted above that often tenants go beyond the allocated territory. For example, one of the experts gave an example when an entrepreneur received official permission to cut down a forest near security zone, however, he deliberately outlined the scope of work for the loggers wider than permitted, and part of the forest was cut down in the protected zone.

A respondent from Karelia described another scheme: buying up benefits, making it possible to obtain timber for construction. Benefit buyers get the opportunity to cut down one large area of ​​forest. After such a transaction, beneficiaries are in fact deprived of the opportunity to build a house or dacha.

An expert from Karelia says that in the border zone it is common practice of exporting felled forest abroad on timber trucks at night and that there are special corridors. Often, export documents are issued in this case to joint ventures. Experts also say that cars usually drive in front of the timber truck, checking the path and making sure that they will not encounter law enforcement officers.

Finally, for small-scale logging, individuals are often hired through informal channels to carry out poaching logging. Experts say that they are the ones who are most often caught, punished, and it is due to them that the percentage of crimes solved in reporting increases.

Forest districts may also be subject to sanctions, but, according to some respondents, in this case “they catch those who don’t share” . According to experts, the most dangerous and practically unpunished chain in practice is associated with large companies.

Part of the felled forest is exported as round timber, and part is used for processing at sawmills. Wood processing is carried out on a much smaller scale, preferring to sell round timber. A respondent from the Kirov region reported that existing enterprises, engaged in wood processing, mainly work on old equipment; to update them, huge funds are needed, which could only be available from « forest lords» , who, in turn, are not interested in such investments while they have the opportunity to make large profits in an easier way.

Experts admit: enterprises created by “forest lords” as part of the implementation of investment projects with benefits are not capable of generating any comparable profits. Therefore, companies choose illegal logging, tax evasion and export of timber to markets.

Experts give different estimates of the rates of return from legal and illegal logging; most estimate the difference between them to be minimal 2.5–3 times.

The forest comes true to other regions and abroad: for example, experts from the Kirov region talk about supplies to Tatarstan and large supplies to China. It is noteworthy that one of the experts notes that in official reports the volume of wood supplies to China from the region is underestimated; in reality, more is exported there. He also mentioned that many Chinese work in the region's logging operations.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE SCHEME AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE AUTHORITIES?

According to experts, a variety of actors are involved in illegal logging: large companies, local tenants, forestries. Often involved in felling local residents, many of whom are unemployed (for example, in Karelia the unemployment rate according to Rosstat as of January 2017 is significantly higher than in the Russian Federation as a whole, and the highest among the regions of the Northwestern Federal District in particular - 9%, in the Russian Federation as a whole - 5.4%, in general for the Northwestern Federal District - 4.3%).

Poacher logging on a relatively small scale is a phenomenon of a separate order. Thus, a respondent from the Kirov region spoke about the situation with small-scale poaching in the region. There is a high level of unemployment in forested areas; many leave the region to work on a rotational basis, while others try to make money by engaging in illegal logging. People unite in small groups, often register an individual entrepreneur for one person, set up small sawmills and cut down forests using poaching methods. The expert notes that in Lately They began to restore order: for example, on the border with Tatarstan, where the export of round timber in large quantities previously flourished, strict control and checkpoints were established, and poaching is carried out in these places on a much smaller scale than one or two years ago.

Illegal logging is most often directly involved local entrepreneurs. Visitors are involved in the schemes through connections with local entrepreneurs; Often visitors turn out to be returning locals. On a serious scale, those who have a timber industry or great experience work in this area. Respondents from Karelia also indicate that in their region entrepreneurs from St. Petersburg are actively involved in this activity.

Most experts agree: without the support of authorities or at least individual representatives of authorities more or less large-scale illegal logging operations would be impossible. Experts point out that big business necessarily strives enlist the support of the authorities. In some cases, government officials may act initiators or active participants in the process. In the Kirov region, respondents mentioned that representatives of authorities at the regional government level could be involved in the schemes (we were talking about former members of the regional government). However, according to experts, even if government officials do not actively participate in specific schemes, they at least systematically turn a blind eye to them, the principle of mutual responsibility often works.

In general, experts refer to specific experience confirming the connection between entrepreneurs involved in illegal logging and the authorities:

“There was a case in the Urzhum region, when, on a signal from local residents, the police went out, established a large-scale theft of timber, even took it to court, but then everything stopped. It turned out that the locals were cutting down timber for an entrepreneur from another region, and he was selling the timber to Tatarstan. The fact of the theft and the amount of loss in the millions were established, but no one was punished.” (respondent from the Kirov region);

“Everyone understands perfectly well. This logging is going on in the municipalities - don’t they see it? But there are documents, a call from above: don’t touch, don’t go in there, we all know. That's all. And the topic is closed" (respondent from Karelia);

“There are documents that excuse the cutters from punishment. They catch small fish, which sometimes chop without documents, hoping for chance.” (respondent from the Kirov region);

"Behind last year About two hundred criminal cases were opened, but in only a third of these cases illegal cutters were punished; again, among them were not the main organizers, but intermediaries. Is this possible without the support of the authorities?” (respondent from the Kirov region).

FIGHTING ILLEGAL LOGGING

The fight against illegal logging has a long history - since the 1990s, a regulatory framework has been gradually formed and improved technical methods. Today, even space technology- photographs of the territory are taken from space.

However, experts note that the fight is mainly carried out point-by-point: law enforcement agencies respond to specific reports of violations received from citizens, conduct an inspection raid, and punish violators.

For example, a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Republic of Karelia emphasized the importance of the following methods: patrolling the territory by forest rangers, promptly responding to messages from citizens by calling the forest protection hotline in the region; He, in particular, spoke about the successes of the fight against illegal logging in the Ladoga region. A representative of one of the forestry departments of the republic also emphasizes such measures as patrols and constant raids together with the police.

At the same time, as mentioned above, such measures are usually aimed exclusively at combating small-scale poaching, and not with much larger-scale deforestation, which involves medium and large entrepreneurs and which is a much more serious problem requiring systemic measures.

If we turn to the statistics on the consideration of cases under Art. 260 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Illegal felling of forest plantations” in the court of first instance in Russia as a whole, we will see that, for example, for the period 2011-2014. the number of cases has increased:

But even if the statistics on catching “black loggers” show an increase in indicators, you need to understand that this is happening mainly due to individual small violators. According to experts, it is precisely such actions that law enforcement agencies receive complaints about directly, but citizens, if they know about big market operators, are silent.

Experts from the Kirov region spoke about attempts by the new regional authorities to apply systemic measures to combat illegal logging. According to those interviewed, a course was taken to control the system of distribution of forest resources and to lease plots only through an auction. The work of exchange electronic trading platforms has been organized for exchange trading in the timber market Kirov region became a leader among Russian regions. After the introduction of auctions, the price per cubic meter of timber rose significantly at auction, which greatly reduced the chances of entrepreneurs to successfully implement popular schemes for the resale of timber. There was also an example of the seizure of a plot of land from an investor-tenant who engaged in dishonest activities as part of the implementation of an investment project. According to experts, all these steps were taken in in the right direction, but so far they are not enough. In addition, the problem of resistance arose new policy regulation of the issue by local authorities in the regions.

WHAT TO DO?

- The root of the problem is corruption. It is impossible to solve the problem with targeted measures and catching minor violators or performers who are at the very bottom of the “hierarchy”. Now the system actually works to persecute small poachers while simultaneously creating convenient conditions for carrying out various schemes for mass deforestation and sale of timber by large entrepreneurs.

Moreover, schemes for illegal logging often directly involve those who are called upon to combat this phenomenon - forestry departments and law enforcement agencies. Large-scale systemic changes are needed, which cannot be achieved without the political will to different levels authorities.

- Necessaryput the work of large investment companies under real control. Failure to comply with the terms of the agreement should entail the deprivation of all benefits received under it. Existing system encouraging investment projects in practice serves not development goals, but the plunder of regional forest resources. Now large companies have almost unlimited access to the forest. The possibility of increasing timber tariffs for these companies and conducting sales only through auctions should be considered.

- In the same time small and medium-sized enterprises need benefits (primarily tax ones), which will make it more profitable for them to work legally rather than go into the shadows. Reasonably structured benefits for such enterprises could provide an incentive to stop participating in illegal schemes.

- Government bodies at all levels should be interested in establishing independent control over the industry. Everything must be tracked and recorded in open sources: from work on plots to transactions for the sale of timber, and first of all, the activities of large companies should be taken under control. All information should be as organized, accessible and transparent as possible.

Involvement in illegal logging large number people is a consequence of the negative socio-economic situation in the regions, low incomes and - most importantly - high unemployment. Targeted prosecutions and punishments of individual violators mainly only lead to people looking for new ways to circumvent the law and law enforcement agencies. It is necessary to create jobs, develop infrastructure, work to improve the standard of living of the population, give the territories the opportunity to develop, stimulate them to make it profitable for them to earn taxes and restore order. Only such measures, affecting the socio-economic environment as a whole, can radically change the situation with small-scale poaching.

- Russian economy needs a shift in emphasis from resource extraction to manufacturing. This is an extremely important task for the forestry industry. Thus, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 2014, in the structure of Russian exports of wood and wood products, 69% were lumber and unprocessed timber, and wood carpentry - only 2%.

Now there is a stream of timber exported from the country, and a significant part of the forest is cut down in a barbaric, chaotic and illegal manner. Thus, the country is not just selling Natural resources abroad - it also does not receive a significant part of the income from these sales, the timber is simply stolen, and at active participation states. The primary task is to combat illegal logging. However, from a strategic perspective, an equally important task is the transition from exporting raw materials abroad to processing wood within the country. It can only be accomplished through government incentives, since at present there are no conditions in the market under which it would be profitable for entrepreneurs to invest in the retraining of enterprises.

NOTES

According to the World's Richest Countries portal.

See G. P. Panichev. Strategy for the development of the forestry complex for the long term. Forest Bulletin 4/2013.

According to the Gcourts portal, which accumulates data on court decisions in the Russian Federation.

Forests play a very important role in the life of our planet. Without them, life would be practically impossible. But what exactly are the functions of green areas? What happens if forests die?

Plot for Hollywood

A happy American family living in a small cozy house with a garden somewhere near east coast The United States suddenly discovers that it has become unusually hot during the day and unusually cold at night.

The garden is slowly being invaded by ever-increasing hordes of insects.

Finally, one morning, with clear skies and warm weather, a nearby river suddenly overflows its banks, and soon the entire area is flooded with water.

Fortunately, we are not threatened with a complete sudden disappearance of forests, but extremely unfavorable events, even catastrophic ones, will occur even if a small part of them dies. And the process has already started. To understand what is happening, we need to remember what the role of forests is in the Earth’s ecosystem.

Hungry years

Deforestation occurs both due to natural causes and as a result of human activities. For Russia, this problem is not yet very relevant - our forests have a greater restoration potential than, say, tropical ones, therefore, in place of the cleared tracts, if the bare areas are not built up and plowed up, new ones most often grow.

The plowing and development of forests in Russia is now also not the most widespread phenomenon, although the threat of clearing a significant amount of natural plantings for development purposes has become more noticeable in recent years “thanks to” new forest legislation.

What happened before? Historians are well aware of the fact that in 1891 an unprecedented famine broke out in Russia, literally shaking the empire. The reason was crop failure caused by severe drought, which primarily affected forest-steppe and steppe areas. And throughout XIX century There have been many such hungry years in our country. Nevertheless, it was the famine of 1891 that served as the impetus for events in a wide variety of spheres of public life.

The disaster of 1891 confronted the Russian government with the need to find out what the causes of these phenomena were. The answer given by the young talented geologist V.V. Dokuchaev, was revolutionary for those times: disastrous droughts occur as a result of environmental degradation of territories caused by deforestation and environmentally hazardous agricultural practices. The largest climatologist of that time, A.I., shared the same opinion. Voeikov.

As a result, a familiar to almost everyone appeared forest belt system in sparsely forested regions of Russia. Unfortunately, in some regions there are still not enough of them, and in the forest zone there are many open unused places where forests once grew. They should be planted again.

Regulation of temperature and hydrological conditions

Back in the 20s of the last century, L.S. Berg noted:

“A lot has been written on the issue of the influence of forests on climate... Undoubtedly, extensive forests should have a certain effect on the temperature of the surrounding areas... how the forest affects the precipitation that has already fallen. Inside the forest itself, the amount of rain reaching the soil is less than in the field, because a significant part of the precipitation remains on the leaves, branches and trunks, and also evaporates. According to observations in Austria, in dense spruce forest Only 61% of precipitation reaches the soil, in beech 65%. Observations in Buzuluksky pine forest Samara province showed that 77% of all precipitation reaches the soil... The importance of forests for the process of snow melting is enormous. Its effect is threefold: firstly, the forest prevents the blowing of snow and thus acts as a keeper of its reserves; then, by shading the soil, the trees prevent the snow from melting quickly. Secondly, by delaying air movement, the forest slows down the exchange of air above the snow. And the latest observations show that snow melts not so much due to the absorption of radiant energy from the sun, but due to contact with significant masses of warm air rushing over the snow. By maintaining snow cover for a long time, the forest regulates the flow of water in rivers in spring and early summer. Forests are of particular importance in countries with long and snowy winters, for example in Russia.”

Thus, already at the beginning of the twentieth century, the most important role of green space as a regulator of temperature and hydrological regimes was well known.

The forest significantly influences the distribution and accumulation of summer and especially winter precipitation. On the one hand, it maintains the groundwater level, reduces surface water runoff, on the other hand, it enhances the processes of plant transpiration, condenses more water vapor, which increases the frequency of summer precipitation.

That is, the role of forests in the water and soil regime of the area is diverse and depends on species composition woody plants, their biological characteristics, geographical distribution.

Dust storms

The death of forests can cause severe erosion processes, which have also been known for a long time and can be talked about for quite a long time. The same Dokuchaev considered deforestation one of the reasons for the occurrence of dust storms. And this is how he described one of the cases of a dust storm in Ukraine in 1892:

“Not only was the thin snow cover completely torn off and carried away from the fields, but also the loose soil, bare of snow and dry as ash, was thrown up by whirlwinds at 18 degrees below zero. Clouds of dark earthen dust filled the frosty air, covering the roads, sweeping over gardens - in some places trees were carried to a height of 1.5 meters - laying down in shafts and mounds on the streets of villages and greatly impeding movement along railways: we even had to tear railway stops away from snowdrifts of black dust mixed with snow.”

During a dust storm in 1928 in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Ukraine (where, by that time, a significant part of the forests had already been destroyed and the steppes were plowed), the wind lifted more than 15 million tons of black soil into the air. Black earth dust was carried by the wind to the west and settled over an area of ​​6 million km2 in the Carpathian region, Romania and Poland. The thickness of the chernozem layer in the steppe regions of Ukraine after this storm decreased by 10–15 cm.

Dust storm in southern Australia

History knows many such examples, and they occur in various regions - in the USA, North Africa(where, as some believe, forests once grew in place of the Sahara), on the Arabian Peninsula, in Central Asia, etc.

Biodiversity

By the beginning of this century, the wording in describing the global importance of forests had changed slightly, although the essence remained the same, and new points were added. For example, the concept of “biodiversity” arose. « Biological diversity", according to international convention, “means the variability of living organisms from all sources, including, but not limited to, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this concept includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystem diversity.”

This convention was adopted by the international community in 1992 as a response to the catastrophic decline in biodiversity on the planet, and above all in tropical forests.

About 70% of all species of living organisms live in forests. Other estimates range from 50 to 90% in tropical rainforests, including 90% of the species of our closest primate relatives. 50 million species of living beings have no other place to live than the rainforest.

Why do we need to preserve biodiversity? There is a purely pragmatic answer to this question. Huge mass biological species, including small ones (insects, mosses, worms) and especially in tropical forests, has been studied very little or has not yet been described at all by scientists. Genetically, each species is unique, and each species may be the carrier of some yet undiscovered beneficial properties for humanity, for example, food or medicinal properties. Thus, more than 25% of all currently known medicinal products were obtained from tropical plants, for example a substance such as taxol. How many of them are not yet known to science and how many could be lost forever along with the species that carry them?

Thus, the extinction of any species can lead to the irreparable loss of an important resource. In addition, each species is of interest to science - it may turn out to be an important link in the evolutionary chain, and its loss will complicate the understanding of evolutionary patterns. That is, any type of living organism is information resource, perhaps not yet used.

Greenhouse effect

The Earth's forest cover is its main productive force, the energy base of the biosphere, the connecting link of all its components and most important factor its stability.

It is important to know

Forest is one of the planetary accumulators of living matter, retaining a number of chemical elements and water in the biosphere, actively interacting with the troposphere and determining the level of oxygen and carbon balance. About 90% of the total phytomass of land is concentrated in forests and only 10% in other ecosystems, mosses, grasses, and shrubs. The total leaf surface of the world's forests is almost 4 times greater than the surface of our entire planet.

Hence the high absorption rates solar radiation and carbon dioxide, oxygen release, transpiration, and other processes that influence the formation of the natural environment. When green areas are destroyed over a large area, the biological cycle of a number of chemical elements accelerates, including carbon, which passes into the atmosphere in the form carbon dioxide. A greenhouse effect occurs.

Live filter

Forests are capable of actively transforming chemical and atmospheric pollution, especially gaseous ones, Moreover, coniferous plantations, as well as some types of deciduous trees (linden, willow, birch) have the greatest oxidizing ability. In addition, the forest has the ability to absorb individual components industrial pollution.

Quality drinking water, stored in reservoirs, largely depends on the forest cover and the condition of plantings in the catchment area. This is especially important if, on agricultural land located near water supplies, large quantities pesticides and fertilizers are used. Pollutants dissolved in water may be partially retained by forest soils.

There is a well-known example of the city of New York, in the vicinity of which in the mid-1990s, deforestation, development, intensification of agriculture and the development of the road network led to a sharp decline in the quality of drinking water. The city authorities were faced with a choice: build new wastewater treatment plants worth $2–6 billion and spend up to $300 million annually on their maintenance, or invest in improving the protective functions of forests and other ecosystems of water protection zones. The choice was made in favor of the second option, including for economic reasons. Significant funds were used to purchase land along rivers and streams to prevent further development, as well as to pay farmers and forest owners for their use of environmentally responsible management practices in water protection zones. This example demonstrates that good management forest ecosystems may turn out to be significantly more cost-effective than purely technical solutions.

Forests are dying

It would seem that we have more than enough reasons for the “whole world” to defend every piece of the forest. But the lessons of past centuries and this century have not yet been learned.

Every year the area of ​​green areas decreases by approximately 13 million hectares. Now natural plantings occupy only about 30% of the land area, despite the fact that in the past they were distributed over much larger territory. Before agriculture and industrial production, the forest area was more than 6 billion hectares. Since prehistoric times, the area under forests has been reduced by about half on average across all continents.

Most of the tracts were cut down to create agricultural land, while another smaller part was occupied by rapidly growing settlements, industrial complexes, roads and other infrastructure. Over the past 40 years, forest area per capita has decreased by more than 50%, from 1.2 hectares to 0.6 hectares per person. Currently, according to FAO (Food and Agronomy Organization of the United Nations), about 3.7 billion hectares are covered by forest.

Most affected by active human activity European forests. In Europe, there are currently virtually no primary (primary) forests left. They have been replaced by fields, gardens and artificial forests.

In China, 3/4 of all arrays were destroyed.

The US has lost 1/3 of all its forests and 85% of its primary forest stands. In particular, in the eastern United States, only a tenth of the plantings that existed there in the 16th–17th centuries have survived.

Only in some places (Siberia, Canada) forests still predominate over treeless areas, and only here there are still large tracts of relatively untouched northern forests.

What to do?

We have already passed half the way to the complete destruction of forests. Will we turn it around? What to do? The most common answer is to plant forests. Many people have heard about the principle “as much as you cut down, plant as much.” This is not entirely true.

• It is necessary to plant forests primarily in those regions where deforestation processes are intense, and in those places where the forest can grow, but for some reason has disappeared and will not recover on its own in the foreseeable future.
• It is necessary not only to plant trees to replace those cut down, but also to cut them down so that the natural potential for forest restoration is preserved. Simply put, in almost every forest that is subject to industrial logging, there is quite viable undergrowth - young trees of the same species that make up the forest canopy. And it is necessary to cut in such a way as not to destroy them and preserve the conditions for their life. This is quite possible with modern technologies. Most The best way felling - while maintaining natural forest dynamics. In this case, the forest almost does not “notice” that it is being cut down, and a minimum of measures and costs for reforestation are required. Unfortunately, the experience of such logging both in Russia and in the world is small.

The answer to many questions is sustainable forest management, without crises, disasters and other shocks.

Sustainable development (as well as sustainable forest management) is development that meets the needs of life current generation people without depriving future generations of this opportunity.

In its work, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) pays a lot of attention to the implementation of sustainable forest management both in Russia and in the world.

But this is a topic for a separate article. Let us only note that currently sustainable forest management the best way correspond to international systems of voluntary forest certification, which are already quite widespread in Russia.

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In conclusion, let’s try to answer the question: what can I personally do to prevent forests from disappearing? Here's what:

1. Save paper.

2. Under no circumstances allow arson in the forest: first of all, do not set fire to dry grass and do not allow others to do this; If you find grass burning, either try to eliminate it yourself, or, if this is not possible, call the fire department.

3. Buy products from responsibly managed forests. In Russia, these are, first of all, certified products.

4. And finally, just go to the forest more often to learn to understand and love it more.

It's better that we never know what will happen if the forests disappear!

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For reference:

Taxol – antitumor drug; Previously, it was obtained only from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, but now they have learned how to obtain it synthetically; in addition, it can be obtained by biotechnological methods.

Phytomass – the total mass of living matter of all plants.

See: Ponomarenko S.V., Ponomarenko E.V. How can we stop the environmental degradation of Russian landscapes? M.: SoES, 1994. 24 p.

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Tree names often have very interesting origin stories. They are often formed from the surname or first name of a famous person.

Not only the tree itself is symbolic, but also its parts - branches, trunk, roots, shoots. We invite you on a fascinating journey into the mythological past of the tree.