NEWS

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.

Almas Nazirov is in the Republic of Turkey on the delegation of Tatarstan. As part of the visit, the Turkish-Tatarstan business forum with the participation of the Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Turkey Nihat Zeybekci and entrepreneurship will be held.

In the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan a lecture on corruption control for its own staff and for the employees of subordinate institutions was given. The Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan E.N. Bedertdinov took part in the event. The forestry specialists were presented a video about corruption offenses, and then they proceeded to hearing of reports.

The Head of the Sector for Public Service and Personnel, G.A. Shamsutdinova, told about the key measures for prevention of corruption, restrictions, prohibitions, requirements to conduct in office and prevention of corruption offenses related to the state civil service, and highlighted the key insights on forestry sector. The Head of Legal Department, M.V. Zaitseva, the Head of the State Control and Supervision Department N.M. Tazmeev, the Head of the Department for Conservation and Protection of Forest Reserve N.I. Mirsiyapov, in their reports raised questions concerning the elimination of corruption component in the performance of official duties.

In general, in the course of lecture the purposes, basic principles, objectives of the Federal Law No.273-FZ “On Combating Corruption” dated 25.12.2008 were revealed. It was a lively, interesting conversation, filled with the certain examples, analytical findings and explanation.

The following people were invited to the event:

- The Deputy Chairman of the Public Council at the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, I.N. Zaripov;

- The Deputy Head of the Section for the Federal State Forest Supervision, the Federal State Fire Control in Forests and the Civil Defence of the Department of Forestry in the Volga Federal District. D.I. Zaripov.

- The Director of Kazan branch of Roslesinforg, A.Ya. Yusupov.

As part of the Spartakiad 2016, on December 10, 2016 the basketball games were played among civil servants of the Republic of Tatarstan. The games were held in Basket-Hall sports complex. The opposing team of the Ministry was the team of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ministry of Construction, Architecture and Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Tatarstan. The team of the Ministry was represented by the Assistant Minister Rail Gumarov, the Head of the Department of Property Management, Technical Development and Occupational Safety Niyaz Imamiev, the Head of the Lease Relations Department Timur Galiev, the Head of the Conservation and Protection Section Nail Mirsiyapov, the Principal Specialist of the Lease Relations Department Ramil Ildarkhanov, the Principal Consultant of the Department of Property Management, Technical Development and Occupational Safety Ramil Nurmukhametov, the 1st category Senior Specialist of the Biodiversity Department Rinat Gabidullin.

On December 14, 2016 in the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan the meeting devoted to the International Anticorruption Day will be held. At the meeting the most urgent issues such as the civil service restrictions, including the receipt of gifts, the performance of other paid activity, and avoidance of conflict of interest will be considered. The implementation of the Federal Law No.№415-FZ dated 28.12.2013 and the Federal Law No. 455-FZ dated 29.12.2014 will be considered as well.

The individuals, officials and legal entities responsible for the illegal cutting of coniferous trees as the New Year trees must compensate damage caused to the forestry and be held administratively liable in accordance with the Article 8.28 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation No. 195-FZ dated December 30, 2001.

Subject to the Paragraph 1 (Illegal cutting, damage to or digging of trees, shrubs or vines) the following administrative fines are imposed:

          - On individuals – from 3.0 to 4.0 thousand rubles;

          - On officials – from 20.0 to 40.0 thousand rubles;

          - On legal entities – from 200.0 to 300.0 thousand rubles.

Subject to the Paragraph 2 (the same actions but committed with the use of mechanisms, motor vehicles, self-propelled vehicles and other equipment, if these actions do not contain a criminal offense) the following administrative fines are imposed:

          - On individuals – from 4.0 to 5.0 thousand rubles;

          - On officials – from 40.0 to 50.0 thousand rubles;

          - On legal entities – from 300.0 to 500.0 thousand rubles.

Subject to the Paragraph 3 (acquisition, storage, transportation or sale of knowingly illegally logged timber, if these actions do not contain essential elements of a criminal offense) the following administrative fines are imposed:

          - On individuals – 5.0 thousand rubles;

          - On officials – 50.0 thousand rubles;

          - On legal entities – from 400.0 to 700.0 thousand rubles.

In addition to the administrative fine the illegally cut tree is seized (confiscated) for sale through the Federal Property Management Agency, for sale through the auction.

In order to preserve coniferous young trees in the New Year period and to take the necessary measures to strengthen their protection from illegal cutting, on December 1 the forestry specialists raise awareness on conservation and careful attitude to forest, on prevention the destruction of coniferous young trees in the pre-New Year period, as well as on the statutory responsibility for the illegal cutting of and damage to the forest stands.

From 20 to 31 December 2016 the timber industry workers will intensify the patrolling of forest areas having a predominance of coniferous plantations. On the basis of the revealed violations of the forest legislation the foresters will take prompt measures for initiation of proceedings and administrative offence report drawing up. In cases when the damage to forestry in the amount of 5 thousand rubles and more is caused, the materials will be forwarded to the investigating authorities to initiate criminal proceedings.

As part of the Health Day on December 10, 2016 in Lubyansky Forest Engineering College a friendly hockey match Lubyany-Krasnaya Polyana was held. By a score of 11-4 the Lubyany residents won. Our congratulations to the winners!

On December 10, 2016 on the pond of the Lubyany Village an event devoted to the winter season opening, the “Health Day”, was held. The students of Lubyansky Forest Engineering College and the schoolchildren of Lubyanskaya Secondary School took an active part in the event. The event was organized with the support of the head of the Lubyany Village Fahraziev R.F., the head of the Lubyanskaya mosque, administration of Lubyansky Forest Engineering College, school, and Atlant youth club. It was a real celebration of sport, peace, friendship and positive emotions. The college students gave a concert, and guests of the event – the pupils of the Olympus Ice Palace of Kukmor Village – showed the beautiful performances on ice. All participants were awarded the valuable prizes. The audience fed off the energy of healthy lifestyle.

The Head of Kichke-Tan Nature Sanctuary, the honored ecologist of the Republic of Tatarstan Akhly Faizullin became the winner of the republican competitions “Ecoleader” and “Man and Nature” in the “Citizens” category. The Third Class Diploma and certificate were given by the Volgian interregional Environmental Prosecutor Veniamin Selifanov at the ceremony of awarding the winners on 8 December 2016. For the record, earlier, Akhly Faizullin was awarded a diploma of the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan “For distinction in the campaign “Spawning 2016”.

The Second Class Diploma in the “Educational institutions” category was handed out to the Director of Kichketanskaya Secondary School Nazilya Zinnatova.