The forests of the Crimea must be in the forest reserve of Russia

On December 12, 2016 in the Russian news agency TASS a press conference of the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik was held. Of particular interest among the journalists was the issue relating to the timber industry of the Crimea. The Head of the Federal Forestry Agency drew attention to the specifics of the nature and forestry of the republic referring in detail on some examples.

Currently, in all constituents of the Russian Federation the federal forestry legislation operates. However, there are the circumstances under which after the Crimea joined Russia the regional forestry legislation is currently in force in the republic. This fact, in turn, complicates many of the processes of legal regulation of the forest sector.

One of the main problems the Crimean foresters faced with is that the main forest species the Crimean pine or Pallas pine (lat. Pinus nigra subsp. Pallasiana) is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Accordingly, any cutting of the species is completely prohibited. At the same time the Crimean pine, as well as other trees can be damaged by pests, due to the regular dry weather the shriveled clusters are formed. These factors, coupled with the intense human pressure, lead to a significant increase in fire hazard class.

To prevent wildfires in forests a comprehensive set of forestry-based measures such as thinning, rubbish removal, sanitary cutting and other measures aimed at reducing the fire danger in the stands is taken. In the current situation, none of these actions can be performed.

“As of today, the Republic of Crimea is the Russian region where the forest area is quite sizable. I make clear – it is mountain forest, about 300 thousand hectares. There are a lot of valuable forest species of woody plants, there are the endangered species. The Crimean pine (Pallas pine) is also a quite serious problem, because being in the Red Book, this type of wood cannot be cut. It dries and dies and to reduce the fire danger the part of the forest stand should be removed,” said the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.

Last year, several wildfires related to human activities have been recorded on the peninsula. With increasing recreational pressure the forests of the region should be the focus of much protection and attention.

The conversion of forests from regional ownership to the federal one will drastically reduce the possibility of development of forests as major construction is prohibited on state forest areas.

“It seems to me that the comprehensive solution would be to transfer the forests from the republican ownership of the Republic of Crimea to the federal ownership – to the lands of forest reserve. For the moment, the Republic of Crimea does not arrive at such a decision. I believe that it would essentially strengthen the capacity of our influence on that the situation there remained under control. This year we entered into an agreement with the Republic of Crimea on proactive maneuvering using the resourses of Avialesookhrana. I think that when the powers to forest protection and conservation is delegated to us, we, together with colleagues from the Crimea could better care for the preservation and enhancement of the Crimean forests,” said the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.