Vladimir Putin endorsed initiative of the All-Russia People’s Front to impose liability for credibility of information on forest pathologists

On November 22, 2016, the Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the “Forum of Actions” of the All-Russia People’s Front, endorsed the initiative of the public monitoring group of the All-Russia People’s Front on the problems of ecology and protection of forest aimed at preventing the unjustified sanitary felling on the basis of false Forest Pathology Survey Reports.

 “Effective forest pathology reports are indeed a system problem. Therefore, our proposal is as follows. First. To contemplate the responsibility of those forest pathologists that make false reports on tree diseases, and to formalize in our legislation a standard according to which the sanitary and recreational activities will be carried out only in coordination with the federal authorities (I mean Federal Forestry Agency), which in turn bear the consolidated responsibility for these activities carrying out,” said the coordinator of the regional public monitoring group monitoring t of the All-Russia People’s Front on the problems of ecology and protection of forest in the Irkutsk Region Sergey Apanovich addressing to the Russian President.

In response to the questions of the representative of the All-Russia People’s Front Vladimir Putin emphasized that the problem had not previously come to the attention of the national leadership.

“As for the so-called unscrupulous forest pathologists: in fact, it always dropped off our radar. The simplest thing is to get permission to cut down, if the scientific researches, and in this case, quasi-scientific researches orchestrate this. And I agree with you that we need to provide the liability for improper performance of duties of so-called forest pathologists or for the purposeful real data corruption. This should be exactly thought out and such a responsibility is to be introduced. I agree,” said the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On November 16, 2016 the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No.1158 dated November 12, 2016 approving the “Regulation on the Control over the Reliability of Information on Sanitary and Forest Pathology State of Forests and over Justification of Measures Provided for by the Forest Pathology Survey Reports Approved by the Authorized Government Bodies of the Constituents of the Russian Federation Exercising Forest Relations Powers Delegated to them” was officially published. The main objective of the provisions of the regulatory act is to improve the rule of law and eliminate the possibility of abuse and mistakes when prescribing the sanitary felling in forests.

“When the trees are illegally and cruelly destroyed, the most terrible thing is powerless. It is unfair that the punishment for the delinquents will not bring the ruined crowns to life. That’s how it was until recently. Now, the trees can be to cut down only after 20 days from the respective information is posted on the websites of the regional administrations. The text should contain the report number, the name of the district forestry, quarter, allotment and the specific recommendations of the the expert, including those on sanitary felling.

The newly adopted law No.455-m formalized the participation of the public in monitoring the sanitary felling.  Now, the forest is under the dual control – of the state and the civil society.

If you are doubtful of the legality of sanitary felling, do not be silent. Write electronic messages to the Federal Forestry Agency, to the district Forestry Department. They will take care of it – who cuts and by what right. But, more importantly, the trees will be saved, and the delinquents will be punished,” said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.