WWF Dvinsky Landscape Initiative
WWF-Russia Dvinsky Landscape Initiative is a plan of sustainable complex development of the territory till 2030, based on the balance of 3 landscape’s values.
The goal is to conserve ecological, social and economic values of Dvinsky landscape by 2030:
- By 2030, 900 000 ha (37,5%) of IFL playing key role for landscape’s econet, are conserved & protected from logging, thus avoiding emission of 247,5 mln tonnes СО2;
- By 2030, 5 key timber companies operating in Dvinsky landscape implemented sustainable intensive forestry over 500 000 ha (12,5%) of their secondary forest leased area, thus enabling long-term sustainable conservation of IFL exluded from logging;
- By 2030, 5 new job opportunities beyond timber harvesting (protected areas visit center, business incubator for NTFP projects, 3 nature trails) are created for local people who’s welfare depends on forests, and 10 local NTFP or eco-tourism initiatives received support, thus providing sustainable livelihood for local communities.
Dvinsky landscape
Unique forest landscape of high ecological, social and economic value is located within the Northern Dvina and Pinega rivers’ basins in Arkhangelsk Region. Landscape area is 9.1 mln ha, 87% of it is a forested area.
- 60% of all landscape forests are HCVs. Half of them are intact forests (2.4 mln ha), inhabited by 112 Red Book plants and animals species, including fast decreasing forest tribe of wild reindeer (up to 250 beasts) that was enlisted in the Russian Red Book in 2020.
- Intact forest located in the central part of the landscape is the last remaining large array of intact middle boreal taiga plains in Europe, growing here for more than 4 000 years; some trees are 400 years old. 660 mln tons of СО2 may be released to the atmosphere if this forest is destructed.
- Logging is the major activity of local business and communities. 2/3 of the landscape territory is leased by 57 local forest companies. New sawmill is under construction – pretending to be the largest one in Russia, requiring even more raw wood.
- Timber harvested in the landscape is exported to 3 continents – Europe, Eurasia, and Australia.
- 1/3 of intact forests in Dvinsky landscape have been lost during past 20 years. By 2050, we could lose them all.
By 2050, all the values of Dvinsky landscape could be irretrievably lost due to landscape degradation because of its intensive exploitation and corresponding unbalanced development.
Dvinsky reserve, established in 2019 after 17 years of advocacy by WWF-Russia and other environmental NGOs, saved the most valuable part of the landscape (still only 3% of the territory) from industrial logging, but that is not enough to conserve all of landscape values.
Initiative Milestones
INCEPTION PHASE – 3 YEARS (2018-20):
- project concept elaborated;
- landscape borders determined;
- environmental & socio-economic field studies in the landscape conducted;
- strategy with its goals & objectives based on research data set;
- road-map for Phase I created.
PHASE I – 5 years (2021-25, budget - 1 500 000 EUR):
- initiative public launch;
- stakeholders engagement;
- 2025 road map implementation;
- road-map for Phase II creation.
PHASE II – 5 years (2026-2030, budget - 3 500 000 EUR):
- 2030 road-map implementation.
WWF-Russia Dvinsky Landscape Initiative OUTCOMES by 2030:
- initiative goals & objectives are achieved – ecological, social and economic values of Dvinsky landscape are conserved;
- background of further sustainable self-development of the landscape is set.
Partners
Inception phase:
- Earthworm Foundation – financial support of environmental & socio-economic field studies in the landscape;
- Titan Group – implementation of sustainable intensive forest management practices in its leased secondary forests located outside the landscape, that will help to reduce the impact on landscape forests;
- ULK Group – implementation of sustainable intensive forest management practices in its leased secondary forests located outside the landscape, that will help to reduce the impact on landscape forests.