In the meeting with the government of Arkhangelsk Region, WWF-Russia, Greenpeace Russia and forest companies have signed an agreement on the borders of Dvinsko-Pinezhsky Reserve and enacted the program of action on its creation.

This is a significant achievement in creation of protected area between the Northern Dvina and the Pinega rivers, which is considered as the last European intact taiga forest landscape. Following several stressful rounds of negotiations on the reserve borders - accommodating environmental, economic and social aspects - all the stakeholders have finally come to a consensus.

“Agreement on the conservation of 300 thousand hectares of unique intact forests is a result of long and tough negotiations, this is a compromise we were trying to reach during several years. This is a significant contribution to conservation of the last remaining intact forests. The history of Dvinsky reserve creation has to go down in the sustainable forest management course books as an example of productive collaboration between environmental NGOs and forest companies on the extremely critical and conflictual issues. WWF-Russia moderated the negotiation process and put in great efforts to sit down all the stakeholders to the negotiating table,” said Evgeny Shvarts, Conservation Director at WWF-Russia.

The agreement was signed by representatives of WWF-Russia and Greenpeace Russia as well as chief executives of forest companies leasing forest area between the Northern Dvina and the Pinega rivers – Titan Group, Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, Lesozavod 25, Ustiansk Timber Group, Dvinlesprom, Vaengsky Forest Industrial Enterprise, Forest Specialists.

“Being socially and environmentally responsible company, we supported reserve creation over several last years. Today we confirm our contribution to its creation with logging moratorium covering 170 thousand hectares of forest. Thus, over a half of the future reserve area will consist of Titan Group, Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill and Lesozavod 25 leased territory,” said Yury Trubin, Chief of Forestry and Public Authorities Relation Department of Titan Group.

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Official ceremony - all stakeholders sign an agreement on the resreve borders

The signed agreement approved the borders of the territory under the current logging and forest roads building ban that will be active until the creation of the protected area.

“The next step is to arrange public hearings in the local communities verging on the future reserve territory, to conduct additional area research and to prepare project draft of the reserve. Then, State Environmental Review of the project and approval by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation will take place, and only after those procedures reserve will be created,” said Alexander Erulik, the Minister of Natural Resources and Timber Industry Complex of the Arkhangelsk Region.

WWF-Russia stresses that excess restrictions should be excluded from the project of the reserve during its drafting. The reserve is created to conserve forest from commercial logging. Hunting and fishing, mushrooms and berries picking as well as eco-tourism should be allowed.

Environmental NGOs and experts consider that crucial situation with the reserve creation is a result of significant depletion of the forest resources of Arkhangelsk Region because of 10 years of unsustainable forest management. Consequently, it’s essential not only to conserve the last remaining intact forest landscapes, but to promote and develop sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically efficient forest management in the industrial forests.

The full video record of the meeting is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN8QUoMf3yI

For additional information please contact

Anna Porokhova

Press Officer

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