Grade

A forest is a complex ecosystem that unites plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms and... drinking water, .

Thousands of years ago, almost the entire Earth was covered with forests. They spread to North America and occupied a significant share Western Europe. Vast areas of Africa, South America and Asia were dense forests. But with the growth in the number of people and their active development of land for economic needs, the process of deforestation and mass deforestation began.

What are the benefits of forests?

People use forests for many purposes: food, medicine, raw materials for the paper industry.

Wood, pine needles and tree bark serve as raw materials for many branches of the chemical industry. About half of the extracted wood is used for fuel needs, and a third is used for construction.

A quarter of all medicines used come from plants tropical forests. Thanks to photosynthesis, forests give us oxygen to breathe while absorbing carbon dioxide.

Trees protect the air from toxic gases, soot and other pollutants and noise. Phytoncides produced by most coniferous plants, destroy pathogenic microorganisms.

Forests are habitats for many animals - they are real storehouses of biological diversity. They participate in creating a favorable microclimate for agricultural plants.

Forest areas protect the soil from erosion processes, preventing surface runoff of precipitation. The forest is like a sponge, which first accumulates and then releases water to streams and rivers, regulates the flow of water from the mountains to the plains, and prevents floods.

The deepest river in the world is the Amazon, and the forests included in its basin are considered the lungs of the Earth.

Damage from deforestation

Despite the fact that forests are a renewable resource, the rate of their deforestation is too high - they simply cannot keep up with us.

Millions of hectares of deciduous and coniferous forests are destroyed every year. Tropical forests, home to more than 50% of Earth's species, once covered 14% of the planet but now cover only 6%.

India's forest area has shrunk from 22% to 10% over the last half century. The coniferous forests of the central regions of Russia, forest tracts in Far East and in Siberia, and swamps appear at the site of clearings. Valuable pine and cedar forests are being cut down.

The disappearance of forests is... Deforestation of the planet leads to sharp temperature changes, changes in the amount of precipitation and wind speeds.

Burning forests causes carbon monoxide pollution in the air, releasing more than it absorbs. Also, deforestation releases carbon into the air that accumulates in the soil under the trees. This contributes about a quarter to the process of creating the greenhouse effect on Earth.

Many areas left without forest as a result of deforestation or fires become deserts, since the loss of trees leads to the fact that the thin fertile layer of soil is easily washed away by precipitation.

Desertification causes a huge number of environmental refugees - ethnic groups for whom the forest was the main or only source of subsistence. Many inhabitants of forest areas disappear along with their homes.

Plants of irreplaceable species used to obtain medicines, as well as many biological resources valuable to humanity, are being destroyed. More than a million species living in tropical forests are at risk of extinction.

Soil erosion that develops after cutting down leads to floods, since nothing can stop the flow of water. Floods are caused by level disturbances groundwater, since the roots of the trees that feed on them die.

For example, as a result of extensive deforestation at the foot of the Himalayas, Bangladesh began to suffer from large floods every four years.

Previously, floods occurred no more than twice every hundred years. For example, diamond mining in Yakutia became possible only after cutting down and flooding a significant amount of forest.

Why and how are forests cut down?

Forests are cut down for mining, timber, clearing areas for pastures, and for agricultural land.

And as the cheapest raw material, it is used in almost all other products. And this is killing tropical forests, and depriving many animals of their homes.

Forests are divided into three groups:

1. Forest areas prohibited from logging, playing, are nature reserves.
2. Forests of limited exploitation, located in densely populated areas, are subject to strict control over their timely restoration.
3. The so-called production forests. They are cut down completely and then reseeded.

There are several types of logging in forestry:

Main cabin- This is the harvesting of the so-called mature forest for timber. They can be selective, gradual and continuous. When clear-cutting, all trees are destroyed, with the exception of the seed plants. With gradual cutting, the cutting process is carried out in several steps. With the selective type, only individual trees are removed according to a certain principle, and the overall area remains covered with forest.

Plant care cutting. This type involves cutting down plants that are not practical to leave. They destroy plants of poorer quality, while simultaneously thinning and clearing the forest, improving its lighting and supply nutrients the remaining more valuable trees. This makes it possible to increase forest productivity, its water-regulating properties and aesthetic qualities. Wood from such fellings is used as technological raw material.

Complex. These are reorganization fellings, reforestation and reconstructive fellings. They are carried out in cases where the forest has lost its beneficial properties in order to restore them, Negative influence environmental impact is excluded with this type of logging. Felling has a beneficial effect on brightening the area and eliminates root competition for more valuable tree species.

Sanitary. Such cutting is carried out to improve the health of the forest and increase its biological resistance. This type includes landscape cuttings carried out to create forest park landscapes, and cuttings to create fire breaks.

The most powerful intervention is carried out clear cuttings. Cutting down trees has negative consequences when more trees are destroyed than grow in a year, which causes depletion of forest resources. In turn, undercutting can cause forest aging and disease of old trees.

Deforestation can be carried out without harm to the environment if the principle of continuous forest management, based on a balance of deforestation and reforestation, is observed. The selective logging method has the least environmental damage.

It is preferable to cut down forests in winter, when snow cover protects the soil and young trees from damage.

How to eliminate this damage?

In order to stop the process of forest destruction, norms for the wise use of forest resources should be developed. It is necessary to adhere to the following directions:

1. conservation of forest landscapes and its biological diversity;
2. maintaining uniform forest management without depleting forest resources;
3. training the population in the skills of caring for the forest;
4. strengthening control at the state level over the conservation and use of forest resources;
5. creation of forest accounting and monitoring systems;
6. improvement of forest legislation,

Replanting trees often does not cover the damage caused by cutting down. IN South America, South Africa and Southeast Asia, forest areas continue to decline inexorably.

In order to reduce damage from logging, it is necessary:

• Increase areas for planting new forests
• Expand existing protected areas and forest reserves and create new ones.
• Implement effective measures to prevent forest fires. Carry out measures, including preventive ones, to combat diseases and pests.

• Conduct selection of tree species that are resistant to environmental stress.
• Protect forests from mining activities.
• Fight against poachers. Use effective and least harmful logging techniques.

• Minimize wood waste and develop ways to use it.
• Introduce methods of secondary wood processing.
• Encourage ecotourism.

What can anyone do to save the forest?

1. use paper products rationally and economically; buy recycled products, including paper. (It is marked with the recycled sign)
2. green the area around your home
3. replace trees cut down for firewood with new seedlings
4. draw public attention to the problem of forest destruction.

Man cannot exist outside of nature, he is part of it. And at the same time, it is difficult to imagine our civilization without the products that the forest provides.

In addition to the material component, there is also a spiritual relationship between the forest and man. Under the influence of the forest, the culture and customs of many ethnic groups are formed, and it also serves as a source of existence for them.

Forest is one of the cheapest sources of natural resources, but every minute 20 hectares of forest areas are destroyed. And humanity should now think about replenishing these natural resources, learn to competently manage forest management and the wonderful ability of forests to renew themselves.

*information is posted for informational purposes; to thank us, share the link to the page with your friends. You can send material interesting to our readers. We will be happy to answer all your questions and suggestions, as well as hear criticism and suggestions at [email protected]

The Russian economy is a raw material economy. One of the main resources that our country supplies abroad is wood. In addition to export, wood is also actively used within the country as a building material, fuel, and raw material for furniture factories. Massive deforestation in Russia has been going on for several centuries. The growth of new trees does not compensate for the decrease in forest areas. All this leads to both environmental and economic problems. We will pay special attention to this when buying boards made of larch (larch-doska.rf), or from any other tree, remember - the forest, like all living things, must be protected, and the companies that cut down the forest and sell lumber must be controlled!

How does deforestation happen?

A chainsaw is used to cut down a tree. After the trunk falls to the ground, only the stump remains. Small branches are usually burned. The tree trunk is transported by dragging. Small vegetation in the path of the tractor is destroyed. Young trees that could grow in the future at the felling site break and die. The areas where deforestation took place can no longer recover on their own. Human intervention is required so that a tree can grow here again.

Impact of deforestation on the atmosphere

Trees are capable of absorbing carbon dioxide, the production of which is growing rapidly due to the development of industry in large cities and an increase in the number of transport. According to scientists, the CO2 content in the atmosphere in the next 10 years will be almost 2 times higher than today. This is a very serious number.

The CO2 released tends to create a greenhouse effect that could melt glaciers in the future. Coastal regions will be flooded within the next 50 years if carbon dioxide emissions do not change. In addition, the average air temperature is increasing. In the next decade it will increase by about 2 degrees. This will seriously affect the health of the country's residents, especially those suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

As the average air temperature increases, the range of its fluctuations during the day increases. This leads to heat during the day and frosts at night, which also then leads to the death of plants and a deterioration in people's well-being.

Impact of deforestation on soil conditions

Deforestation has a serious impact on the development of processes such as soil erosion. In places where trees used to grow, the soil was strengthened by their root system. There was a constant exchange of substances between the trees and the soil. The soil in treeless areas does not receive nutrients, which means it loses its fertile properties.

The development of erosion leads to the following consequences:

• Reduced yields, which leads to higher food prices and negatively affects the country’s economy;
• Silting of rivers, and consequently the extinction of fish;
• Siltation of artificial water reservoirs, which disrupts the operation of hydroelectric power stations.

Increase in the number of infectious and viral diseases

The main carriers of infections are insects, whose habitat is the forest layer. After deforestation, trees can no longer hold back the precipitation, insects begin to descend to the ground in search of moisture in standing puddles.

Spread of desertification

Desertification is the process of “dying away” of nature, the absence of the possibility of the existence of living organisms and plants. Dead soil, lack of irrigation, dry air that is impossible to breathe - all this global problems, which are among the most discussed in the world today.

Residents of many forest regions will be forced to change their place of residence after deforestation, but such places will become fewer and fewer. The current state of affairs can lead to a decrease in the country's population density and even gradual extinction.

Fight against deforestation

The Russian government, together with environmentalists, is pursuing a policy aimed at reducing the rate of deforestation and limiting the timber trade. The following projects are being developed:

• Refusal from paper in favor of electronic media. For paper production, waste paper is collected;
• Development of forestry, the purpose of which is to grow and care for trees;
• Increasing fines for deforestation in prohibited areas;
• An increase in duties on wood exports, which will make such a business unattractive.

Deforestation may be invisible to a city resident, but its consequences are not. Natural resources should be protected. Otherwise, nature will respond by stopping taking care of people.

In many regions of Russia, illegal and uncontrolled cutting of trees is carried out systematically. According to World Health Fund estimates wildlife(World Wildlife Fund, WWF) annually Russia is losing about $1 billion due to illegal logging. In the Arkhangelsk region alone, last year inspectors recorded 359 cases of illegal logging, the losses from which amounted to 410,500,000 rubles ($12 million). You can find enough detailed information about changes in forestry that have occurred in last years.

The highest level of illegal logging is observed in the north-west of Russia and the Far East. Increasing restrictions on timber harvesting in China has increased the demand for Russian timber. So the timber from the Far East is shipped to China, where sawmills and their Western customers destroy the valuable hardwoods of which we have less and less. Agency environmental research(The Environmental Investigation Agency, EIA) states that “80% of valuable timber is cut down illegally in the Far East.”

Half of all timber imported from Russia to the EU goes to Finland. Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and Italy are also major importers of wood from Russia.

The systematic destruction of forests causes significant damage to wildlife, destroys the ecosystem, and displaces animals from their original habitats. Intensive logging, according to WWF, threatens the existence of such animals as capercaillie, white-backed woodpecker, Amur tiger And amur leopard. Ash, linden, oak and cedar are disappearing. Also, deforestation is one of the main reasons for the increase in the greenhouse effect.

Despite the scale of the problem, lack of human resources, low salaries of foresters, lack of control directly in the forests and gaps in legislation make it difficult to prevent such criminal acts. Companies, under the guise of cutting down diseased trees, harvest healthy, valuable wood. Some tenants of plots transfer the right to cut to other companies, which harvest more than the permitted volumes, and the tenants then buy the wood from them along with the surplus. Poachers need to be caught by the hand so that law enforcement can bring them to justice. When the trees are removed from the place where they were cut down, it is no longer possible to present anything to the poachers. Sale of timber has become the main source of income for unscrupulous foresters and officials. In addition, many people resort to deforestation due to poverty and unemployment in order to feed their families.

(42,952 views | 1 views today)

Tree growth rate. Growth Chart and Latest Research Whether there is a global warming climate and is it caused by human activity? Soil erosion. Invisible and destructive

Ecology of life. Planet: Deforestation is one of the most important environmental problems. With the destruction of trees, many species of plants and animals die. The ecological balance in nature is disrupted. After all, a forest is not only trees. This is a well-coordinated ecosystem based on the interaction of many representatives of flora and fauna.

When the forest disappears, so does life.

By killing nature, we thereby deprive the lives of millions of living beings. In essence, we are sawing off the branch on which we are sitting. Thankfully he's thick enough! But this doesn't last forever.

Deforestation is one of the most important environmental problems. With the destruction of trees, many species of plants and animals die. The ecological balance in nature is disrupted. After all, a forest is not only trees. This is a well-coordinated ecosystem based on the interaction of many representatives of flora and fauna.

Deforestation leads to many negative consequences for the Earth and people:

• The forest ecosystem is being destroyed, many representatives of flora and fauna are disappearing.
• Reducing the amount of wood and plant diversity leads to a deterioration in the quality of life for most people.
• The amount of carbon dioxide increases, which leads to the formation of the greenhouse effect.
• Trees no longer protect the soil (the washing out of the top layer leads to the formation of ravines, and the lowering of the groundwater level causes the appearance of deserts).
• Soil moisture increases, causing swamps to form.
• Scientists believe that the disappearance of trees on mountain slopes leads to the rapid melting of glaciers.

Tropical forests occupy more than half of the total green area. Scientists have calculated that they serve as a habitat for 90% of all species of animals and plants on earth, which without the usual ecosystem could die. However, tropical deforestation is now accelerating.

Forests are being cut down to make way for plantations and pastures.

Look at the statistics:

• 164,000 square kilometers of tropical forests are destroyed per year.
• In Costa Rica, 71% of cleared forests became grassland. Over the past 20 years, Nepal has lost almost half of its forest, mostly to support livestock.
• 1 hectare of even new pasture can feed only one cow.
• Latin America exported nearly 8 million tons of soybeans in 1991, mostly for livestock feed.
• Between 40 and 50% of all grains are eaten not by people, but by livestock. For soybeans this is 75%. Half of the world's wheat crop is used as livestock feed to support meat and milk consumption.
• It takes 7-14 kg of grain, particularly corn and soybeans, to produce 1 kg of beef. We are talking about hundreds and thousands of hectares of grain crops, mainly in areas of cleared forests, only for meat production. This is not the most effective method production of protein foods. published

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 activities are 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 the total forest area of ​​Russia (851 million hectares) is 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 of Russia's forest resources 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 enormous resource potential, the efficiency of the Russian timber industry is extremely low. According to estimates from a representative of the Union of Timber Industrialists 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 forest 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 estimates by the World Wildlife Fund of Russia and the World Bank up to 20% of wood harvested in 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 the indicated expert assessments, 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):

The Center for Economic and Political Reforms conducted 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 occurs relatively less frequently in recent years, especially when compared with the 1990s, although they emphasize that accurate estimates It's difficult to give 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 struggle among law enforcement and foresters. One expert from the Kirov region says that in recent years it has been possible to attract and punish more 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);

“It is periodically announced after some kind of litigation that damages for some reason are estimated in the millions. specific case, and the general numbers 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 the environmental situation, and The problem is broader than wood depletion.

Deforestation inevitably entails a wide range of environmental problems. Due to illegal logging, which is inevitably indiscriminate and even barbaric, vegetation and animal world- flora and fauna become poorer, soil erosion and other undesirable consequences occur. For example, experts from the Kirov region say that due to logging over the last decade, groundwater in the Vyatka River has risen, small rivers have shallowed, and soils have become swamped. 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 leasing large areas of forest in the region.

Investment projects provide preferential, favorable conditions for leasing 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 who have formal rights to cut down for their needs and sanitization 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 a protected zone, but he deliberately outlined the scope of work for the loggers to be 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 operate on old equipment; in order 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, felling usually involves those who have a forestry education or extensive experience in this field. 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 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 technical methods have been improved. Today, even space technologies are used to identify violators - 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 at a new regional authorities 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; in exchange trading on the timber market, the Kirov region has become 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 have been taken 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 to mass felling 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 political will at different levels of government.

- Necessaryput under real control the work of large investment companies . 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 should be monitored and recorded in open sources: from work on plots to transactions on 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.

The involvement of a large number of people in illegal logging is a consequence of the negative socio-economic situation in the regions, low incomes of the population 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.

- The 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 forest is simply stolen, and with the active participation of the state. 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.