NEWS
In order to ensure the safety of young coniferous stands and carry out necessary measures to enhance their protection against illegal cutting in the pre-New Year period, on November 2, 2016 the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan held an auction to sell the right to make a contract for the sale of New Year fir trees (pines). 16.5 thousand conifers and 43 tons of coniferous shoots totaling 285.4 thousand rubles have been placed on auction.
The mobile patrolling teams from forestry workers have been arranged. The parcels of forested area were patrolled together with officers of territorial bodies of the Ministry of Interior of Russia for the Republic of Tatarstan. Totally, in December 2016 the forest inspectors and foresters have conducted 1116 raids, of which 18 violations on illegal cutting of fir trees and other conifers have been revealed. For the period 20 trees have been cut. The total amount of damages is 48.3 thousand rubles.
During the period of December 30, 2016 to January 9, 2017 the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan and subordinated institutions has arranged the duty of responsible officials:
- implementation of the set of counter-terrorism measures and general security provision of administrative buildings of institutions;
- access control arrangement and checking of vehicles driven into the territory of the institutions are intensified. The parking of unauthorized vehicles on the territories of institutions is prohibited; the special attention is paid to the abandoned vehicles on the territory of institutions;
- additional briefings to the staff of institutions and security services are given to comply with tighten security;
- interaction with the duty shift services of law enforcement
According to the results of supervisory activities, 5 cases of illegal cutting of coniferous young stand have been found on the territory of forest reserve. In respect of 1 case of illegal cutting the materials have been forwarded to law enforcement agencies, 4 cases are considered under administrative procedure.
Let us recall the amount of fines and damage for the illegal cutting of coniferous trees for New Year trees.
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.
Moreover, on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan it is prohibited to harvest Silver fir for New Year trees.
The Spruce operation will last through to December 31, 2016 inclusive.
2016 has been declared in Russia as a “Year of Reforestation” and the reforestation works were paid the special attention. In 2016 the reforestation works on in the territory of the Russian Federation were carried out on a total area of 781.1 thousand hectares, which is 102.2% of the plan, including leased parcels of forest area - on the area of 636 thousand hectares. The artificial reforestation was carried out on the area of 178.4 hectares, the combined reforestation – on the area of 17.3 thousand hectares.
The greatest scope of reforestation work was carried out in the Irkutsk Region on the area of 121 hectares, in the Arkhangelsk Region – 62.7 thousand hectares, in the Khabarovsk Region – 51.7 thousand hectares, in the Vologda Region – 50.3 thousand hectares, in the Krasnoyarsk Region – 46.8 thousand hectares, in the Komi Republic – 33.8 thousand hectares, in the Perm Region – 31.9 thousand hectares, in the Kirov Region – 29, 8 thousand hectares, in the Republic of Buryatia – 27.1 thousand hectares, and in the Amur Region – 22.6 thousand hectares.
Top ten constituents of the Russian Federation to implement the reforestation works in full are the Lipetsk Region, the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Moscow Region, Bashkortostan, the Sakhalin Region, the Tver Region, the Tambov Region, the Leningrad Region, the Novosibirsk Region and the Republic of Karelia.
Ten worst constituents of the Russian Federation failed to implement the reforestation works in full are the Primorye Territory – 56.7% of the plan were fulfilled, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) - 59.3%, the Murmansk Region - 61.3%, the Sverdlovsk Region - 63 , 4%, the Republic of Kalmykia - 65.3%, the Chita Region - 69.6%, the Ryazan Region - 78.6%, the Kurgan Region - 81.0%, the Tyumen Region - 87.4% and the Republic of Altai - 89.0%.
One of the key reasons for non-implementation of reforestation plans was lagging of the scope of reforestation works behind the logging volumes, primarily due to the small and medium logging companies. Their equipment allows them to carry out logging only in the most favorable winter period, on the frozen ground, and in spring and summer they cannot perform reforestation works by their own. Moreover, each year the violation of forest reproduction technology is recorded on 35% of rental space.
The Federal Forestry Agency has carried out in full the reforestation activities provided for by the plan of activities for 2016 “Year of Reforestation”, including the spring campaign “The All-Russian Day of Tree Planting” and the autumn campaign “Live, the forest!”, All-Russian Research and Practice Conference to Discuss the Topical Reforestation Issues and the All-Russian campaign “Forest Begins with a Seed”.
Also, the All-Russian contest “The best student work on reforestation and afforestation”, the All-Russian contest “The best forest nursery” and the campaign “Green oak-grove” on the territory of the state war-historical and natural museum-reserve “The Kulikovo Field”.
In the framework of the spring campaign “The All-Russian Day of Tree Planting” more than 18 thousand hectares of plants, including on the land of forest reserve – 9.4 thousand hectares, were established, more than 51 million saplings were planted by 3.5 million people.
During the autumn campaign “Live, the forest!” more than 6 thousand hectares of plants, including on the lands of forest reserve – 1.5 hectares and on the lands of other categories – 4.5 hectares (parks, garden squares, commemorative planting and walkways) were established, more than 25 million saplings were planted by about 1 million people. The most public events were held on the territory of the Belgorod Region (179 thousand people), the Moscow Region (174 thousand people), and the Kemerovo Region (100 thousand people).
The main problem of reforestation in Russia is the lack of volume and quality of work on forest reproduction. During 2014-2016 the Russian timber sector steadily increases the volumes of timber harvesting, while the dynamics of reforestation does not match the dynamics of the timber harvesting. In Russia, annually the clear cuts are carried out on the area of about 1 million hectares, 80% of them in the parcels of forested area offered for lease.
“Currently, the Russian Government decided that reforestation must be at least equal to the drop out of forests. One of the basic postulates for all participants of forestry should be the formula “hectare for hectare”, contemplating the compensation of dropped out forest areas by planting the equal area previously not covered by forest. It was decided that the forest cover should be the key criterion for evaluating the activity of forest management authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation and relevant federal forestry agencies. The main success rate of their work should be the increase in the forest cover in Russia. Already in 2017 it is planned to increase reforestation volumes up to 1 million hectares that is to a volume of dropped out forests,” says the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.
On the occasion of the 85th anniversary of forestry of Aznakaevsky District, in the building of the Aznakaevskoye Forestry the historical museum was opened. In celebration of the landmark event the representatives of administration, forestry veterans, their children and the workers of forestry and forest establishment have been invited. After the official part, the meeting took place where the Head-Forester Kashapov Ilnaz, the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee Khannanov Ramis, the Honored Forester of Tatarstan Galimov Alfir, the Forester of the Chatyrtauskoye District Forestry Khaydarov Airat and veterans addressed. The initiator of the museum opening was made the Head - Forester Kashapov Ilnaz. The Forester of the Chatyrtauskoye District Forestry Khaydarov Airat gathered information and prepared the room as a whole. The museum exposition contains many photographic materials, books, archive documents, and the tools with which the honored foresters Tatarstan worked. The experts of Aznakaevskoye Forestry made an invaluable contribution to the history of forestry and the preservation of cultural memory of Aznakaevsky District
The specialists of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan took part in a teleconference organized by the Department of Forestry for the Volga Federal District.
The meeting was held in a videoconference format where participants discussed measures for forest protection and conservation in 2016 and tasks for 2017.
During the wildfire season 2016, 11.02 thousand wildfires have been recorded on the territory of the Russian Federation, of which 10.09 thousand fires – on the territory of the forest reserve which is 1.2 thousand wildfires less than in 2015. The total area covered by fire in 2016 amounted to 2.4 million hectares which is below the average five-year rates by 1.5 times.
On the territory of the forest reserve the area covered by fire amounted to 2.2 million hectares, while in 2015 the fire covered 2.6 million hectares. In 2016, the damage caused by forest fires was reduced by 3.8 times, and according to preliminary data is 15 billion rubles.
The most difficult wildfire situation was in the Irkutsk Region where 1220 fires on the area of 668.8 thousand hectares were suppressed, and in the Trans-Baikal Territory – 619 fires on the area of 276.8 thousand hectares.
In the ranking of firefighting success the first place rightly takes the Krasnoyarsk Region. Despite the wildfire situation extremely difficult in respect of weather conditions, when for more than 60 days there were no significant precipitations, while there is the largest number of wildfires in Russia, 1462 fires have been suppressed, the Krasnoyarsk Region is fourth by area covered by fire – 214.2 thousand hectares. In addition, the region was able to cope with wildfires using its own resources, with no help of the Federal Reserve.
The wildfire showings have been improved compared to the average five-year data in the following regions:
Republic of Altai – 10 fires on the area of 34 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 93 times);
Republic of Tyva- 76 fires on the area of 3 080 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 21 times);
Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) – 157 fires on the area of 14 879 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 38 times);
Tyumen Region – 94 fires on the area of 354 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 11 times);
Omsk Region – 129 fires on the area of 924 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 30 times);
Rostov Region – 2 fires on the area of 1 hectare (area covered by fire has decreased 637 times);
Kurgan Region – 247 fires on the area of 523 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 9 times);
Republic of Khakassia – 29 fires on the area of 462 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 10 times);
Samara Region – 21 fire on the area of 12 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 6 times);
Penza Region – 18 fires on the area of 11 hectares (area covered by fire has decreased 9 times);
In 11 constituents of the Russian Federation no wildfires have been recorded – in the Belgorod Region, the Kursk Region, the Lipetsk Region, the Orel Region, the Ryazan Region, the Tula Region, the Astrakhan Region, the Republic of Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia, Ingushetia and Tatarstan. In 10 regions the area covered by fire was less than 10 hectares – in the Kaliningrad Region, the Voronezh Region, the Kaluga Region, the Smolensk Region, the Rostov Region, the Stavropol Region, the Republic of Adygea, Mordovia, Udmurtia and Chuvashia.
The Belgorod Region, the Kursk Region, the Chechen Republic, the Republic of Tatarstan where for the last 3 years have been not a fire and the Tula Region on the territory of which the area less than 1 ha was burnt should be expressly indicated.
“Today the powers to protect forests from fires are fully delegated to the regions, and of course, it is the area of governors’ responsibility. Unfortunately, in many regions – in the Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Buryatia – it became a bad tradition to bring the situation up to the emergency. It is also necessary to take a note of the practice to introduce unreasonable emergency regime. For example, in 2016 in the Republic of Buryatia the emergency regime remained in force 104 days, and not always there were good grounds for this,” said the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.
The campaign under this name was held in the Secondary School No.2, Menzelinsk, as part of the environmental protection and enhancement of forest resources. The schoolchildren of 5B class made fir trees out of materials on hand and decorated an exhibition. The schoolchildren of 8A class together with teachers Rakhmatullina G.M., Ziyazieva R.R. prepared and held a literary evening devoted to this campaign. The children recited poetry, sang songs and showed a master class on making fir trees. The representative of Menzelinskoye Forestry Ilnur Azgatovich addressed the event. He told the students about the types of work carried out by the forestry for the conservation of coniferous trees, thanked all the children for their work and noted that the role of each person is very valuable and important in good deeds.
Initially, in Arkatovo Village of Pestrechinsky District there was a spring where the locals come for taking water for household needs. Later, ill people of different faiths began to come to the spring asking for healing. In 2001 it was decided to erect the baptismal chapel near the spring to administer the Baptism of Christ to adults and children of seven and over. The chapel was built using the money of philanthropists and the donations of people. In holidays the sacred processions took place at the spring. This year in August, the chapel was burnt.
The new baptistery chapel was restored with the funds provided by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The charity givers helped to restore the chapel, and people made their donations. The chapel was built by the employees of Laishevskoye Forestry with the active participation of the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan Almas Nazirov.
The baptismal chapel was consecrated on December 19 and officially opened on December 22, 2016. The Rural Dean of the First District of Kazan Father Alexey, the rector Father Mikhail, the employees of the Ministry of Forestry Republic of Tatarstan, representatives of the administration of the Pestrechinsky Municipal District of Tatarstan took part in the event.
On December 27 a teleconference organized by the Department of Forestry in the Volga Federal District will be held. In a videoconference the forest relations experts will discuss the following issues:
- Implementation of measures to protect forests in 2016 and tasks for 2017. On the development of master plans for wildfire extinguishing on the territory of the constituents of Russia.
- Implementation of measures to protect forests in 2016, the planning of measures to eliminate the pest foci in 2017. Implementation of the Federal Law No. 455- FZ “On Amendments to the Forest Code of the Russian Federation in Terms of Improving the Regulation of the Forest Protection from Pests” dated 30.12.2015.