Deforestation as an environmental problem. The consequences of deforestation and ways to solve it. Deforestation is a pressing environmental problem Name of movements against deforestation

Deforestation is the process of destroying trees, vines or shrubs. Mainly produced for the purpose of obtaining large quantity wood, and in some cases - for the renewal and improvement of forests, as well as to increase its productivity. Uncontrolled logging the forest becomes common cause deforestation, that is, the process of gradually converting an area occupied by forest into land such as wasteland or pasture. There are several types of forest felling: complete, sanitary, maintenance and main use fellings.

Is it possible to determine real speed 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 through their roots groundwater. 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 the diversity of flora and fauna. 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 dangerous consequences of deforestation are increased

Behind last quarter century, the destruction of forests in the world has slowed, but the Amazon forests, which produce almost half of the oxygen that humanity breathes, continue to be cut down.

“The decline of the Amazon forest is approaching the point of no return. If deforestation in the lungs of our planet exceeds 20%, then the process can no longer be reversed,” quotes scientists from Euronews.

Photo source: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/wwf-lungs-before-its-too-late/

By 2018, the area of ​​the Amazon forest had decreased by 17% over the past 50 years.

"If the climate in the Amazon basin changes due to deforestation or global warming, then more than half of the Amazon forest will become desert savanna," says Carlos Nobre, who received the award in 2007 Nobel Prize world as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Watch a video about the disappearance of forests in Radonia (Brazil).

Millions of hectares of forest disappear every year

Ensuring food security and rational use Forests are central to the Sustainable Development Goals. But the forests are disappearing.

The Earth's population is growing all the time, and along with it, the demand for resources is growing - wood, fiber, fuel, food, feed and medicine. According to UN experts, by 2050 the demand for wood will triple - to 10 billion cubic meters. will require increased agricultural production, which will lead to the conversion of forest areas to arable land and will be a major driver of deforestation, especially in tropical and low-income countries.

Causes of deforestation

The Food and Agriculture Organization's State of the World's Forests (SOFO) 2016 report shows that it is possible to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen food security while halting and even reversing deforestation. Integrated land use planning is key to ensuring a balance between various types land management, supported by the right policy instruments for the development of sustainable forestry and agriculture. Source: FAO

Forest loss can also occur as a result of human activity, and as a result of natural processes, but our influence is much more significant than, for example, natural disasters. Today man has unprecedented technical capabilities allowing changes in land use on a huge scale. The causes of deforestation can be distinguished as:

direct human actions that have a direct impact on deforestation, examples:

• expansion of agricultural production (if we talk about the whole world, then according to FAO estimates (pdf), immediate cause 80% of deforestation is the expansion of agricultural production areas);
• urban growth;
• infrastructure development;
• mining, etc.

so and deep:

• population growth(Since 1970, the world's population has doubled, while per capita food consumption has also increased, from an average of 2,370 kcal per person per day in the late 1970s to 2,770 kcal per person per day in 2012 - and There have been changes in diets towards increased consumption of livestock products and vegetable oils);
• agricultural development(profitability increases due to tax incentives, development of transport arteries, development of new markets, for example, biofuel, improvement of technology, currency devaluation leading to increased demand for exports);
• high levels of poverty, inefficient agricultural production systems(in search of income, people turn their attention to forests)
• Uncertainty and precarious land tenure(the value of future forest products decreases compared to income from agricultural products in the near term);
• mismanagement(imperfect planning and monitoring, insufficient involvement of the local population and stakeholders, corruption, lack of a regulatory framework, insufficient investment in research and education), etc.

For what reasons are forests disappearing (seven countries in South America 1990–2005)

Source: FAO, 2016. State of the World's Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land use challenges and opportunities. Rome.

In countries Latin America Export-oriented commercial agricultural production accounts for 70% of forest loss (2000-2010). Since 1990

Forest destruction is accelerating. The green lungs of the planet are being cut down to seize land for other purposes. According to some estimates, we lose 7.3 million hectares of forest every year, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama.

INjust some facts

• About half of the world's rainforests have already been lost

• Forests currently cover about 30% of the world's land mass

• Deforestation increases annual global carbon dioxide emissions by 6-12%

• Every minute a forest the size of 36 football fields disappears on Earth.

Where are we losing forests?

Deforestation occurs all over the world, but tropical forests suffer the most. NASA predicts that if the current rate of deforestation continues, tropical forests could disappear completely within 100 years. Countries affected include Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Congo and other parts of Africa, and some areas of Eastern Europe. The most great danger threatens Indonesia. Since the last century, the state has lost at least 15.79 million hectares of forest land, according to the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute.

And although deforestation has increased over the past 50 years, the problems go back deep into history. For example, 90% of the native forests of the continental United States have been destroyed since the 1600s. The World Resources Institute notes that indigenous forests remain to a greater extent in Canada, Alaska, Russia and the Northwest Amazon.

Causes of forest disappearance

There are many such reasons. As stated in the WWF report, half of the trees illegally removed from the forest are used as fuel.

Other reasons:

• To free up lands for housing construction and urbanization

• Extraction of wood for processing into products such as paper, furniture and building materials

• To highlight marketable ingredients such as palm oil

• To free up space for raising livestock

In most cases, forests are burned or cut down. These methods lead to the land remaining barren.

Forestry experts call clear-cutting an "ecological trauma unmatched in nature except, perhaps, by a large volcanic eruption."

Forest burning can be done using fast or slow techniques. The ashes of burnt trees provide food for plants for some time. When the soil becomes depleted and the vegetation disappears, farmers simply move to another plot and the process begins again.

Deforestation and climate change

Deforestation is recognized as one of the factors contributing to global warming. Problem #1: Losing forests impacts the global carbon cycle. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gases. The accumulation of large amounts of greenhouse gases causes climate change. Unfortunately, oxygen, being the second most abundant gas in our atmosphere, does not absorb thermal infrared radiation as well as greenhouse gases. On the one hand, green spaces help combat greenhouse gases. On the other hand, according to Greenpeace, 300 billion tons of carbon are released into the environment every year precisely because of the burning of wood as fuel.

Carbon is not the only greenhouse gas associated with deforestation. water vapor also falls into this category. Impact of deforestation on water vapor exchange and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and earth's surface is the biggest problem in the climate system today.

Deforestation has reduced global vapor flows from the earth by 4%, according to a study published by the US National Academy of Sciences. Even such a small change in steam flows can disrupt natural weather and change existing climate models.

Some more consequences of deforestation

A forest is a complex ecosystem that affects almost every species of life on the planet. Removing forests from this chain is tantamount to destroying the ecological balance both in the region and throughout the world.

INspecies extinction: National Geographic says that 70% of the world's plants and animals live in forests, and cutting them down leads to habitat loss. The local population, which collects wild plants, also experiences negative consequences. plant food and hunting.

Water cycle: The trees are playing important role in the water cycle. They absorb precipitation and release water vapor into the atmosphere. Trees reduce pollution, according to North Carolina State University environment, retaining polluting runoff. In the Amazon, more than half of the water in the ecosystem comes through plants, reports the National Geographic Society.

E Rosa soil: Tree roots are like an anchor. Without forests, soil is easily washed away or blown away, which negatively affects vegetation. Scientists estimate that a third of the world's arable land has been lost to deforestation since 1960. On the spot former forests crops such as coffee, soybeans and palm trees are planted. Planting these species leads to further soil erosion due to the small root systems of these crops. The situation with Haiti and the Dominican Republic is clear. Both countries share the same island, but Haiti has much less forest cover. As a result, Haiti is experiencing problems such as soil erosion, floods and landslides.

Anti-deforestation

Many people think that to solve the problem you need to plant more trees. Planting can mitigate the damage caused by deforestation, but it will not completely solve the situation.

In addition to reforestation, other tactics are being used. This is humanity's transition to a plant-based diet, which will reduce the need for land that is cleared for livestock farming.

Scientists have long been talking about the harmful effects of technological progress on nature. Climate change, melting ice, decline in quality drinking water have a very negative impact on people's lives. Environmentalists around the world have long sounded the alarm about pollution and destruction of nature. One of the most important is deforestation. Forest problems are visible especially in civilized countries. Environmentalists believe that deforestation leads to many negative consequences for the Earth and humans. Without forests there will be no life on Earth, this needs to be understood by those on whom their preservation depends. However, wood has long been a commodity that is expensive. And that is why the problem of forest destruction is so difficult to solve. Perhaps people simply don’t realize that their entire lives depend on this ecosystem. Although everyone has long revered the forest, often giving it magical functions. He was a breadwinner and personified the life-giving power of nature. They loved him, they treated the trees with care, and they responded to our ancestors in the same way.

Forests of the planet

In all countries, in every corner of the world, massive deforestation is taking place. The problem with the forest is that with the destruction of trees, many more species of plants and animals die. Violated in nature. 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. Besides the trees great importance in its existence have bushes, herbaceous plants, lichens, insects, animals and even microorganisms. Despite massive deforestation, forests still occupy about 30% of the land area. This is more than 4 billion hectares of land. More than half of them are tropical forests. However, the northern, especially coniferous, massifs also play a great role in the ecology of the planet. The countries richest in greenery in the world are Finland and Canada. Russia contains about 25% of the world's forest reserves. The fewest trees left in Europe. Nowadays forests occupy only a third of its territory, although in ancient times it was completely covered with trees. And, for example, in England there are almost none left; only 6% of the land is given over to parks and forest plantations.

Rainforests

They occupy more than half of the entire green area. Scientists have calculated that about 80% of animal species live there, which could die without their usual ecosystem. However, tropical deforestation is now accelerating. In some regions, such as West Africa or Madagascar, about 90% of the forest has already disappeared. A catastrophic situation has also developed in the countries of South America, where more than 40% of trees have been cut down. The problems of tropical forests are not just a matter for the countries in which they are located. The destruction of such a huge array will lead to environmental disaster. After all, it is difficult to assess the role that forests play in the life of humanity. Therefore, scientists around the world are sounding the alarm.

Meaning of forest

Using forests for the benefit of people

Green spaces are important for humans not only because they regulate the water cycle and provide all living things with oxygen. About a hundred fruit and berry trees and shrubs, as well as nuts, and more than 200 species of edible and medicinal herbs and mushrooms grow in the forest. Many animals are hunted there, such as sable, marten, squirrel or black grouse. But most of all, man needs wood. This is why deforestation occurs. The problem with forests is that without trees the entire ecosystem dies. So why does a person need wood?

Deforestation

Forest problems arise when this happens uncontrollably, often illegally. After all, forests have been cut down for a long time. And over the 10 thousand years of human existence, about two-thirds of all trees have already disappeared from the face of the Earth. Forests began to be cut down especially a lot in the Middle Ages, when more and more space was needed for construction and farmland. And now every year about 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed, and almost half of them are places where no one has ever set foot before. Why are forests cut down?

• to free up space for construction (after all, the growing population of the Earth requires the construction of new cities);
• as in ancient times, the forest is cut down during slash-and-burn agriculture, making way for arable land;
• the development of livestock farming requires more and more space for pastures;
• forests often interfere with the extraction of minerals so necessary for technological progress;
• and finally, wood is now a very valuable commodity used in many industries.

What kind of forest can be cut down?

The disappearance of forests has long attracted the attention of scientists. Different states They are trying to somehow regulate this process. All forest areas were divided into three groups:

Types of deforestation

In most countries, forest problems concern many scientists and government representatives. Therefore on legislative level There is limited cutting there. However, the fact is that it is often carried out illegally. And although this is considered poaching and is punishable by heavy fines or imprisonment, mass destruction forests are growing for profit. For example, almost 80% of deforestation in Russia is carried out illegally. Moreover, the wood is mainly sold abroad. What official types of logging exist?

What damage does deforestation cause?

The environmental problem of the disappearance of the so-called “lungs” of the planet is already worrying many. Most people believe that this threatens to reduce oxygen supplies. This is true, but this is not the main problem. The scale that deforestation has now reached is astounding. Satellite photos of former forest areas help to visualize the situation. What can this lead to:

• the forest ecosystem is destroyed, many representatives of flora and fauna disappear;
• a decrease in the amount of wood and plant diversity leads to a deterioration in the quality of life of most people;
• the amount of carbon dioxide increases, which leads to the formation of the greenhouse effect;
• trees no longer protect the soil (washing out 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.

Researchers estimate that deforestation causes damage to the global economy worth up to $5 trillion a year.

How are forests removed?

How does deforestation happen? A photo of the area where recent logging took place is an unsightly sight: a bare area, almost devoid of vegetation, tree stumps, patches of fire pits and stripes of bare soil. How does this happen? The name “cutting down” has been preserved from the times when trees were felled with an axe. Nowadays they use chainsaws for this. After the tree has fallen to the ground, the branches are cut off and burned. The bare trunk is taken away almost immediately. And they move it to the place of transportation by dragging it to a tractor. Therefore, a strip of bare land remains with torn out vegetation and destroyed undergrowth. In this way, young growth that could revive the forest is destroyed. At this place, the ecological balance is completely disrupted and other conditions for vegetation are created.

What happens after cutting down

In open space, completely different conditions are created. Therefore it grows new forest only where the deforestation area is not very large. What prevents young plants from growing stronger:

• The light level changes. Those undergrowth plants that are accustomed to living in the shade die.
• Another temperature regime. Without tree protection, sharper temperature fluctuations and frequent night frosts occur. This also leads to the death of many plants.
• An increase in soil moisture can lead to waterlogging. And the wind blowing moisture from the leaves of young shoots does not allow them to develop normally.
• The dying of roots and the decomposition of the forest floor release many nitrogenous compounds that enrich the soil. However, those plants that need just such minerals feel better on it. Raspberries or fireweed grow fastest in clearings; birch or willow shoots develop well. Therefore, restoration deciduous forests goes quickly if a person does not interfere with this process. And here coniferous trees after cutting down they grow very poorly, since they reproduce by seeds for which there are no normal development conditions. Such Negative consequences has deforestation. The solution to the problem - what is it?

Solving deforestation

Environmentalists offer many ways to preserve forests. Here are just a few of them:

• the transition from paper to electronic media, waste paper collection and separate waste collection will reduce the use of wood for paper production;
• creation of forest farms on which crops with the shortest maturation periods will be grown;
• a ban on logging in environmental protection zones and tougher penalties for this;
• increasing the state duty on the export of wood abroad to make it unprofitable.

The disappearance of forests does not yet concern the average person. However, many problems are associated with this. When all people understand that it is forests that provide them with a normal existence, perhaps they will treat trees more carefully. Each person can contribute to the revival of the planet's forests by planting at least one tree.

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 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 unsustainable financial position enterprises in the industry, poorly developed road and industrial infrastructure, 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 World Health Fund estimates wildlife 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 valuable species trees in the Far East are 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. Most 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 struggle among law enforcement 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 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, 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 logging last decade There was a rise in groundwater in the Vyatka River, shallowing of small rivers, and swamping 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 protective areas 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 sale of a dozen investment projects, which envisaged the creation of wood processing enterprises and the provision of 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 areas and must use them for their economic needs, instead they 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, small-scale logging is often hired through informal channels. individual citizens for poaching. 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 unemployment rate in forested areas; many people leave the region to work on a rotational basis, while others are trying 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 recently they have begun to restore order: for example, on the border with Tatarstan, where the export of round timber in large quantities used to flourish, strict control and checkpoints have been 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 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 indicate that big business necessarily strives enlist the support of the authorities. IN in some cases government officials may speak 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 local residents the police went out, established a major 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);

“Over the past 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 legal framework, improved technical methods. 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 are 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, based on exchange trading in the timber market Kirov region became a leader among Russian regions. After the introduction of auctions, the price for cubic meter The price of timber increased 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 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 political will at different levels of government.

- 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. The existing system of 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 level 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, in strategic plan 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 in long term perspective. Forest Bulletin 4/2013.

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