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BROC Report 6

BROC Report 6

Checking the current practice of forest use in the lower part of Bikin river basin and evaluating strategic plans of logging companies to enter the last intact forests of the middle and upper Bikin watershed

REGION: Primorsky

DISTRICT: Pozharsky

DATES OF RIDES: March 13th - 15th, 2003

PARTICIPANTS:

Artur Romanenko (BROC)
Roman Fadeev (BROC)
Serguei Markov (Forest Inspection)
Yurii Trush (Environmental Protection Society)
Margarita Tzvetkova (Pervotzvet (Cedar))
Arina Sevostyanova (Pervotzvet (Cedar))

Summary The chief of the local forest service (leskhoz) Vladimir Nasonov disagrees with the local militia and the state inspecting group Cedar regarding many points of their behavior. Cedar rarely has enough incentives to sue registered loggers for illegal operations. Nasonov suggested that a computer-based data monitoring system would decrease the volume of illegal logging. According to Nasonov, governmental authorities at all levels have incentives to keep illegal logging alive, since they receive important revenues from these activities in the form of customs fees. The Chief of the local forest service also alleged that Chinese wholesalers in Burlit (Khabarovsky region) and Pozharsky are buying logs without documents. He further pointed out that the inspecting group of this leskhoz has no authority to control anything beyond regional borders.

Purpose

Riders planned to talk to Nasonov about problems with illegal logging. Then they planned to compare his views and ideas with those of NGO activists in order to compare the model of illegal activities here with those in Khabarovsky Krai. An essential aim was to remind foresters that their key goal is not the promotion of legal logging, but the protection of the most valuable forests and tree species from any unsustainable logging.

Introduction

The largest legal logging companies in the district include Terneilesstroy (director Leonid Ivlev) and Luchegorskles (director Eduard Grabovsky). Terneilesstroy has a sawmill on the Bikin River with a capacity of 17,000 cubic meters a year. Luchegorskles is one of the most regular fine payers in the area. The legal annual limit for logging in this leskhoz is 260,000 cubic metres. Officially the forestry district has reported an annual harvest of 200,000 cubic metres. That seems reasonable, but does not include unreported timber at all. Allegedly the amount of unreported harvesting is substantial.

Riding camp along the Bikin River, Photo © BROC

Findings

In Luchegorsk, the administrative center of Pozharsky District, riders learned that local activists are most concerned by the operations of the company Bikin, registered in the town of Bikin in Khabarovsky Region. There were some indications that the company is owned by a Chinese person while officially managed by a Russian called Golubev. The company has a long history of forest law violations and of being stopped by forest inspectors. However, due to unclear registration it is difficult to initiate a process of administrative sanctions or a lawsuit against the company for forest law violations. Riders will investigate this issue further on future rides in Khabarovsky region.

In the town of Verhnii Pereval, where the headquarters of the company Luchegorskles is located, riders found that the main illegal operations are aimed at harvesting ash, oak and lime. Most of the lime used to be brought by loggers from Khabarovsky region where it could be obtained legally. The timber was transported via the new road between Khabarovsk and Nakhodka, which was constructed on unpopulated forest areas of the Bikin-Khor river watershed. Nowadays, timber stolen from the Verhne-Perevalnensky leskhoz area is being taken to Khor timber depots in Khabarovsky region. Other timber, logged around Sobolinoye, is taken via the border of Pozharsky and Krasnoarmeisky districts and via Izmailikha. Together with timber taken from the area of Izmailikhinsky leskhoz, all of this illegal timber is transported to Dalnerechensk. This remote area of the municipal border is the most criminalized area, with a complete absence of control.

The director of the leskhoz, Mr. Nasonov, suggested the introduction of computer based control systems, tracking timber from the logging site to the customs point in order to ensure that exported volumes don't exceed the allowable cut. The system is currently being piloted by the Loggers' Association. However, their target is different from what environmentalists are trying to achieve: instead of wanting a reduction in the scale of logging in favour of NTFPs and the tourist industry, the Association's target seems to be to bring all harvesting under their control; be it legal or illegal.

Recommendations

  • To organize permanent joint NGO-state monitoring of timber flows over the border with Khabarovsky region.
  • To support and participate in all official and non-governmental efforts to control all activities on the protected areas of the middle and upper Bikin river watershed.
  • To organize and strengthen media campaigns in favour of preserving the last pristine forests of the Bikin area as a world heritage site and indigenous land.