In the summer of this year, experts of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of Russia found serious violations of forest legislation in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Now environmentalists are fighting for the conservation of the unique forests of the North-West Caucasus.

WWF-Russia is working to stop illegal logging in the Caucasus. In 2017, the Fund was actively involved in the monitoring of legality of logging in the Krasnodar region. In 2018, we decided to assess the situation with the legality of sanitary logging in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. In April, an analysis of the official documents justifying sanitary logging was carried out, as part of which numerous errors were found that caused significant concerns about the validity of the purpose of logging.

Logging in 78 quarter

Logging road in 78 quarter with soil removal up to 6 m

Terraced skidding trail of 62 quarter

(с) WWF-Russia

Therefore, in June, the WWF-Russia conducted field work on the analysis of the legality of sanitary measures in the Arkhyz district forestry of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. The audit revealed numerous signs of violations of forest legislation. Almost all of the surveyed sites showed inconsistency of information from the documents to the real situation. Almost everywhere for logging appointed healthy trees, while like sanitary measures should be cutting down only sick, weakened or damaged trees.

On the territory of several sites found terraced skidding trail on steep slopes, which are prohibited by current legislation, as lead to degradation of mountain landscapes and the emergence of mudflows.

Logging residues 16 and 17 in the areas 78 of the quarter

Stump of healthy fir tree cut down under the guise of sanitary logging

Ecological trail near the logging sites

Healthy trees that are appointed in the sanitary logging

(с) WWF-Russia

In the 78th quarter a logging road with a length of about two kilometers, made with the help of heavy machinery, was found. In some places, the height of the removed soil reaches 6 meters, which leads to the activation of erosion processes. Such actions actually deprive the territory of the "forest" status. It should be noted that this road in some places crosses nature trail "Arkhyz amazing and unique", created in Karachay-Cherkessia with the participation of "RusHydro" and the Centre of additional education of the Cherkessk in the valley of the Orlyonok river, as a scientific and educational value, through landscape and rich biological diversity.

Sanitary cuttings in some cases are assigned on the territory of protected areas by regional importance, because Arkhyz district forestry is located within the natural reserve "Arkhyz" and is in close to the international recreation center "Arkhyz", which is very popular. Violation of environmental legislation in this area can lead to deterioration of the recreational attractiveness of the region.

Still intact Arkhyz forest's areas, adjacent to which are already underway felling

Lily Kesselring from the Red book near the logging areas. The flower disappears in the Caucasus because of the development of territories.

Thus, in the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic there is a situation when under the guise of sanitary and health measures the harvesting of healthy (business) wood is carried out, which harms the environmental safety of the Republic. This requires the intervention of authorized representatives of the authorities.

WWF sent a report to the Ministry of natural resources of Russia with a request to verify the legality and validity of the appointment of sanitary measures and violations of the law in their conduct.

For additional information please contact

Mikhail Klimenko

Press Officer

+ 7(989)277-16-01

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Elena Cherkasova

Project Coordinator