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East-West-Newsletter BUND, part 2
Rundbrief Osteuropa BUND, Teil 2

Bund f�r Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland
11. Rundbrief des Arbeitskreises Osteuropa, 15. Juni 1996
Redaktion: Erdmuthe Arnold, Valentin Thurn, David Oberhuber.


Turkmenistan
SILENCE IS NOT CONSENT 

by Bairam Allabaev - In independent (and now even neutral)
Turkmenistan, it is not safe to voice one's discontent with the
present order and the incompetence of the bureaucrats and
employees of the law enforcement agencies. In this former Soviet
republic, where the personality cult has attained its most
colorful incarnation with regard to President Saparmurat
Niyazov, those who are unhappy and those who hold divergent
viewpoints can easily be sent to a psychiatric hospital, be
announced criminal, or be declaimed with a variety of shameful
labels. All of the participants of last year's youth uprising in
the streets of Ashgabad found themselves detained and small
packages of narcotics stuck into their pockets. Such narcotics
possessions proved sufficient grounds for serious indictments
and detentions. Moreover, this mass demonstration was distorted
by the government-controlled media as nothing more than "an act
of hooliganistic drug addicts and alcoholics." These reports
only drew snickers from a population perfectly able to read
between the lines. (...) A resident of Dashkhovuz also recently
paid for his activity and openness. Khudaishukur Kalandarov, an
executive in a construction firm, could not remain silent any
longer in the face of Turkmenistan's lawlessness. He literally
buried the President's and the Regional Attorney's offices in
telegrams documenting the illegality of methods used with regard
to a fellow citizen, Tursun Matyazov, charged with felonies. He
waited for explanations in vain. They threw him into a holding
cell and charged him with committing two felonies, slander and
interfering with the work of a law enforcement agency. Even the
Constitution of Turkmenistan, which Kalandarov cited in his own
defense in the courtroom, was ignored by the judge. It could not
have been otherwise. After all, such important figures as
Regional Attorney Ataev and Regional Governor Motaev were
personally interested in the outcome of the trial against the
indefatigable and awkward Kalandarov. Kalandarov's endless
telegrams to Ashgabad had stuck very painfully in the throats of
these officials. Having pronounced the guilt of Kalandarov and
having sentenced him to 30 months in jail, the court freed him
on the authority of a presidential amnesty decree. With their
conviction, the regional officials achieved their goal, they
officially made an honest and principled man a recognized felon.
No one will listen to or respect a recognized felon. Many
residents of Dashkhovuz who know Kalandarov and what happened to
him were only reaffirmed in their belief that there is no
justice in Turkmenistan; unless you want your back broken, be
quiet. However, silence is not necessarily a sign of consent ...

SAVING THE LEOPARD - SYMBOL OF TURKMENISTAN'S MOUNTAINS

by Victor Lukarevsky, Syunt Khasardagsky Nature Reserve - In
terms of numbers of large predator species, Turkmenistan
probably ranks first among Central Asian countries. Even in the
not-so-distant past, in the 1950s, there were eight species of
large predators, including two brown bear subspecies and two
lynx subspecies. In an instant, two species and two subspecies
disappeared; the Turan tiger, Asian cheetah, Syrian brown bear,
and an absolutely unstudied lynx are now extinct. Of the species
that remain, the leopard is the most endangered; it could also
become extinct by the next decade. Only five years ago, the
leopard population in Turkmenistan numbered between 130-150
individuals and seemed relatively stable and hopeful. Leopards
inhabited all the mountain ranges of the country, and in each
range there were several communities of leopards which
contributed to the stability of the entire population. However,
the social and economic changes in Turkmenistan negatively
effected every part of the leopard's habitat, especially in the
various parks and reserves of the country. Since the leopard is
at the top of the food chain in its habitat, these changes had
an immediate affect on the population. At the present time, the
Asian leopard may be the most endangered large cat in the world.
Our research over the past two years has shown that in many
areas, even in protected areas, leopard has either disappeared
entirely (as in the Kugitang-tau Mountains) or has had its
population cut roughly in half (as in the Syunt Khasardagsky
Nature Reserve). (...) From time immemorial, the leopard has
lived with man in the south of Turkmenistan, and conflicts
between the two have been infrequent, for the most part only
occurring during hunts for common, indeed swarming, ungulate
prey. Yet, in the past five years the mountains, even in the
areas of protected reserves, have become nearly devoid of this
prey. During the 1980s, some preserved areas had literally
hundreds of thousands of mountain goats and boars; now there may
be a few dozen left. Under these conditions, the leopard is
forced to descend outside the boundaries of his usual mountain
habitat and hunt domestic animals. Sadly, these rogue leopards
are, sooner or later, killed by bullets or baited poisonous
traps shot. (...) Even in the 1984-1985 season, the number of
leopards in the central part of the Syunt Khasardagsky Nature
Reserve was no more than three adults and one or two young, who,
as in the present day, wandered far outside the boundaries of
the reserve during their hunts since the population of mountain
sheep barely reached 100 individuals and the population of boars
barely reached 150 individuals. Remains of leopard meals
contained most evidence of boars, porcupine, and domestic
animals. Only in 20% of the finds was there evidence of mountain
sheep. However, within five years the situation changed for the
better. The leopard population increased to four adults and
three or four young, and attacks on domestic livestock almost
completely ceased. Instead, the major sources of food were
mountain sheep and boars, whose populations had increased to
approximately 250-270 and 170-200 individuals respectively.
Thus, as prey populations increased, so did the leopard
population. This correlation is explained by the fact that the
leopard preys upon sick, injured, old, young, or otherwise unfit
individuals. (...) Because of unregulated poaching in protected
lands, over the past five years, ungulate populations in the
Syunt Khasardagsky Mountain Range have plummeted to critical
lows and probably do not exceed more than a few dozen
individuals. Accordingly, leopard populations dropped from seven
to eight individuals in 1990-91 to three to four individuals
now. Wild prey now constitutes less than 25% of the leopards'
diet, and the leopard is again forced to wander far from the
nature reserve's boundaries in search of prey. Sometimes,
however, it is also able to find prey within the reserve's
boundaries as cattle grazing is, in the new regime, an allowed
use of the nature reserve's resources. It is obvious, that the
leopard is not guilty for its attacks on domesticated animals.
Rather, it is man's fault, an obvious fact if we can move
ourselves far enough to accept that the leopard also has a right
to life. Moreover, as public policy, the leopard is not a
significant threat, and shepherds are in actuality harming
themselves when they shoot leopards. In the areas where hunger
or guns extirpate the leopard, the wolf appears, a predator that
poses a much more salient threat to domestic animals. And if it
were possible to also extirpate the wolf, since nature does not
approve of empty niches, it is likely that feral dogs would
appear, only increasing the problem as these animals are
exclusively reliant on domestic prey and much more comfortable
around settlements. World practice is showing the need for
developed and interconnected systems of nature reserves and
hunting reserves. Ironically, Turkmenistan was a leader in
nature conservation in the 1980s; it's park system of nature
reserves was a model not only for the Soviet Union, but also for
the rest of the world. However, it's system of hunting reserves
was not as developed. This disparity was addressed a few years
ago in a unique way by the Ministry of Nature Use through the
efforts of Oraz Geldiev, an infamous former deputy minister.
Geldiev's solution was to turn nature reserves into hunting
areas, inviting rich foreigners to the country to pay for hunts
on endangered animals. His slogan, "the only science I need is
the one which pays," buried not only conservation biology, but
also the nature reserves themselves, sending nature protection
back a half century in Turkmenistan. While the nature reserves
operated, they offered total protection, a mandate respected not
only by the scientific community, but also by the local
populations. The appearance of such hunts only inspired locals
to take up arms themselves and initiated an explosions of
poaching that decimated the leopard's prey populations. 

This work was conducted with financial support from the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

THE DEGRADATION OF THE CHELEKEN PENINSULA 

by Timur Berkeliev, Ashgabad Ecological Club CATENA - The
Cheleken Peninsula (now actually an island connected to the
mainland only by a pontoon crossing) has suffered more than
other regions of Turkmenistan as a result of the rising waters
of the Caspian. The lower part of the town of Cheleken is
flooded, and the main road to Nebitdag, upon which residents
rely for trade an fuel, is threatened with destruction. All of
this exacerbates the difficult environmental conditions caused
by large amounts of particulate pollution (bitumen and heavy
metals) from a nearby technical carbon factory. Until the
beginning of industrialization in the region, the Cheleken area
contained natural springs of mineral water and bitumen, traces
of which are clearly manifested in khir sand (native bitumen
cemented sands), ozokerite residues sulfide carbonates, mineral
deposits, and radium bearing anomalies. Since the 1930s, iodine
has been captured from these underground pools at such a rate
that in the 1960s the natural springs disappeared. The
concentrations of elements in the local mineral water varies,
with cadmium, tin, and silver reaching up to 1 mg/l, zinc, lead,
and copper reaching up to 10 mg/l, and iron, strontium, barium,
iodine, and bromine reaching up to 100 mg/l. At one time, the
production of all the iodine-bromine springs reached nearly
40,000 cubic meters/day. At the present time, the actual number
is much lower because of outdated and worn-out equipment for
which spare parts cannot be found. Because of all this, for
natural and anthropogenic reasons, there are constant increases
in the concentrations of toxic heavy metals such as radium,
cadmium, and thallium, and valuable metals such as lithium,
rubidium, and strontium. To illustrate this phenomenon with some
specific examples, springs G-39 and E-188 exhibit
characteristically high deposits of radiobarite. Spring G-39,
drilled in 1961 to a depth of 1007 meters will be filled with
barites within three years. Even by 1966, the pumping pipes had
become filled with several tens of thousands of tons of barites,
which contained three times the amount of radium typical during
such operations. The total radiation carried to the surface is
estimated at approximately ten million bekkerels. In 1935, Dr.
Scherbakov estimated the daily incidental production of radium
from the iodine springs to be roughly 1.5 mg. Of course, the
present daily output is much higher. Nevertheless, we can use
this figure as a minimum estimate and calculate that over the
past 60 years, 36.5 grams of radium have been brought to the
surface, the equivalent of 1.35 trillion bekkerels. Moreover,
the activated coal used in the filtering process absorbs a
significant quantity of radium. At the same time, the question
of how and where to store waste materials has not been resolved.
After the powdered coal has dried, it is usually simply carried
away by the wind. The effect is easily viewed by radioactive
mapping, and the most disturbing consequences are viewed near
the territory of the carbon factory and the settlements of
Sary-Kai. Of course, other elements can also be trapped within
this coal, most notably very high concentrations of thallium.
Another serious environmental and health problem resulting from
the creation of radioactive coal is the production of radon as
radium decays. Technogenic processes are currently strongly
influencing earlier formed concentrations of rare elements.
Thus, sulfide minerals at the surface are exposed to oxidation
and the resulting compounds are often spread by wind causing
health hazards as these chemicals mix into the soil and water
supply. Moreover, no one has yet studied the concentrations of
thallium and similar elements in the dust around Cheleken. Thus,
the mineral waters of Cheleken which have been used as sources
of iodine and bromine, and could in the future be used to
produce other valuable elements, are a serious environmental
problem because of several heavy metals. More quantitative
research must be done to further elucidate the problem. It does
not seem possible to suggest closing down the iodine-bromine
factory since it is one of only three industrial sources of
income for the town. The other two are the technical carbon
factory and oil refinery (which is also far from being innocent
in the environmental sense). The closing of any one of these
enterprises would lead to significant unemployment and a danger
to the further existence of the town and nearby settlements.
Further, at the present time, it also does not appear to be
feasible to talk about remediation of the local soils and
restoration of local biodiversity. One interesting
characteristic of life on Cheleken is that the usual trophic
relationship between people and the land does not exist. The
usual soil-plant-animal-man chain is inapplicable since all the
drinking water and almost all food products (except fish and
some meat) are imported to Cheleken. Therefore, of primary
importance is cataloguing the transport venues of solid and
liquid wastes and preventing their concentration near
residential areas. Later, it will be necessary to do risk
assessments of these industrial wastes and determine
possibilities for recycling or containment. Concurrently, it
will be necessary to seek alternative technologies capable of
minimizing environmental damage.

This work was completed with financial support from the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Tadschikistan

THE PAMIR ECOCENTER

The Pamir EcoCenter is a nongovernmental nonprofit private
voluntary organization formed to preserve human habitat, wild
nature, landscapes, and also to disseminate environmental
education to local people. The Pamir EcoCenter was registered in
1994 through the Executive Committee of the Gorno-Badakhshan
Region of Tajikistan.

The current projects of the EcoCenter include conducting a
biological inventory of the Gunt Valley, in cooperation with
Khorog University, and the running of an active environmental
education center, partially funded through a grant from
ISAR/USAID. This educational center is located in the village of
Djelondy at an altitude of 3600 meters, 125 kilometers from
Khorog, and offers youth, university, and adult education
classes. The site was chosen because it is a striking example of
a high altitude ecosystem containing typical flora and fauna as
well as many thermal springs.

TAJIKISTAN NGO/GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE 

by Yuri Skochilov and Muazama Burkhanova, Foundation in Support
of Citizen Initiatives - On March 5 and 6 in Dushanbe, under the
auspices of the Foundation in Support of Citizen Initiatives, a
unique seminar was held: Solving Environmental Problems Through
NGO/Government Cooperation. Over 40 Tajikistan NGOs and foreign
organizations were represented at this seminar, as well as
representatives of the government and parliament. (...) In order
to more effectively realize social-environmental projects, we
intend to form an Independent Citizen Environmental Council
consisting of representatives of environmental NGOs. The
composition of this council was proposed and confirmed at a
general meeting of NGOs on March 14, 1996. (...) List of members
of the Independent Citizen Environmental Council is to develop
an action plan for the primary areas of environmental policy:

O. Aknazarov of the Pamir EcoCenter (Khorog)

O. Baratov of the Geological Society (Dushanbe)

M. Burkhanova of the Foundation in Support of Citizen
Initiatives (Dushanbe)

S. Blagoveschenskaya of the Small Academy of Sciences (Dushanbe)

R. Djabarov of the Law Department of Tajikistan State University
(Dushanbe)

K. Dadabaev of the Foundation in Support of Citizen Initiatives
(Dushanbe)

A. Rakhmonberdyev of the Foundation in Support of Citizen
Initiatives (Dushanbe)

Y. Skochilov of the Youth EcoCenter (Dushanbe)

V. Savateev of the Scientific Pedagogical Society (Dushanbe)

Tairov, Chair of the Dushanbe City Council Environmental
Commission

Z. Usmanov of the Institute of Mathematics (Dushanbe). (...)

Kurzmeldungen Mittelasien:

The 5 December OMRI Daily Digest reported that seven Uzbekistan
newspapers have ceased publication and that the quantity of
radioactive waste accumulating in Kazakstan's uranium mining and
processing plants, 219 million tons, is reaching "alarming
proportions."

The 29 February OMRI Daily Digest reported that wolves are
threatening humans in northwestern Kazakstan and that "the
Kazakhstani government has set aside 3 million tenge ($46,000)
to organize special brigades of hunters and offer bounties to
deal with an increasing number of attacks on humans by a growing
wolf population." It also reported a biologist's estimate that
there are now 60,000 wolves in Kazakstan, an increase due to the
cessation of government bounties several years ago, and that in
Eastern Kazakstan, a bounty for wolf is equal to $74.

Dushanbe's parks are being destroyed. Despite a spring
presidential decree, citizens are continuing to cut trees in the
city parks. 25,000 saplings were planted in March 1995, most of
which are now gone. 20% of the main park is now cleared of
vegetation.

The NGO Information Center, in partnership with Save the
Children United States, and with financial assistance from
Counterpart Consortium, has opened an NGO Resource Center in
Dushanbe.

Poaching continues in the Pamirs. This year, authorities
detained smugglers attempting to export 10 Snow Leopard pelts.
These skins sell for $1000 on the local Dushanbe market and from
$10,000 to $25,000 on the world market. However, in the remote
Pamirs, such a pelt or a rack of Marco Polo sheep horns can be
traded for a pair of durable military boots. The official ban on
such exports to Western countries and the active measures of
local law enforcement agencies have led to falling prices on the
local black market for Snow Leopard, Tien-Shan bear, and other
rare species.

The Eighth International Snow Leopard Conservation Symposium was
held in the middle of November in Islamabad, Pakistan and
contained a special working session on the biodiversity of
Central Asia. Snow leopard habitat countries such as
Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Kazakstan, Mongolia, Nepal,
Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were in attendance,
as well as representatives from the United States, Canada,
Turkmenistan, World Wildlife Federation, and the World
Conservation Union. Representatives from Central Asian NGOs
participated in both the snow leopard and biodiversity
discussions thanks to a grant from ISAR to the International
Snow Leopard Trust (USA) and Ecolog (Uzbekistan). Unfortunately,
due to unforeseeable circumstances, NGO representatives from
Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan could not attend. (...) There was one
particularly interesting moment at the symposium. Several years
ago, WWF International gave WWF Pakistan responsibility for
addressing the problems of Central Asia. While WWF Pakistan
representatives visited the Central Asia republics a few times,
nothing at all ever came of it. Thus, recently the coordinating
role was shifted to the Russian Program Office of WWF. Having
lost the formal right to represent WWF in the Central Asian
republics, our southern neighbors finally opened their eyes and
began to open up real communications with us. (...) (by Oleg
Tsaruk, tashkent@glas.apc.org)

Conference Announcement: On June 1-2, the Union in Defense of
the Aral Sea and Amu Darya and the Netherlands Foundation NOVIB
will sponsor the Second Central Asian NGO conference in
Tashkent. This conference was originally scheduled for late May
and only recently rescheduled. The goal of the organizers is to
facilitate the development of a region-wide NGO coalition. In
contrast to the first conference, held 10-12 November in Nukus
with the goal of acquainting NGOs with each other, the Tashkent
conference anticipates more concrete action. NOVIB hopes that
each of the invited organizations will dedicate itself to
practical results. This dedication should be demonstrated
through both past work, as well as through the presentation of
future projects, in English, to be considered for financial
support from NOVIB. NOVIB plans to provide financial support for
projects addressing ecology, environmental education, health,
water management, women's issues, and technology. The maximum
size of a grant will be $3000-$4000.

ECOSTAN NEWS- Ecological News from Central Asia, Edited by Eric
Sievers (English) and Andrei Aranbaev (Russian), Law and
Environment Eurasia Partnership, 569 Whitney Ave. #3 New Haven,
CT 06511 USA, (203) 776-5220, esievers@igc.org; Green Salvation,
Almaty, Kazakhstan, (3272) 67-13-52, ecoalmati@glas.apc.org

Ecostan News reports on the environment of, and challenges to
the democratic development of Karakalpakstan, Kazakstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Please
send a request in order to be included in the address list for
this monthly report, and indicate whether you would like to
receive a text or binary (Microsoft Word) file. Back issues are
available from the Science page of Friends and Partners:
http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/friends/science/ecostan/ecostan.index.ht
ml

MOLDOVA

State Ecological Inspection: Often From Misfortune Blessings Flow

According to the data given in the report of the State
Ecological Inspection by I. Buchinsky, Director, it could be
said that in the republic there was an invisible opposition in
"three spheres" (in the air, on the land and in the water)
between nature defenders and various economic agents who make
harm to nature by their activities. A considerable lowering of
the atmosphere pollution level belongs to the cheerful figures
mentioned at the 1995 report meeting of the Board of the State
Department for the Environmental Protection and Natural
Resources. Last year the general index of harmful particles
found in the air was reduced to 1.5 tons less than the previous
year's index, however, here it is appropriate to recall a folk
proverb: often from misfortune blessings flow. Regretfully, the
qualitative improvement of the atmospheric conditions could not
be explained by more careful attitude towards nature but by a
forced closing of the majority of the harmful productions caused
by economic confusions. Undoubtedly, liquidation of nearly 50
per cent of small boilerhouses or their remodeling to natural
gas stations has played a certain positive role in the whole
situation. Along with that, as it was mentioned in the report,
the index of sulphatanhydride presence in the air is kept at the
same level. It is connected with the use of high rate sulphur
fuel. Industrial wastes to be buried in the ground also present
a difficult problem to solve. Nearly 11 million tons of such
wastes were produced last year, 18.5 thousand of which are
considered to be toxic, while 3.5 thousand are extra-toxic. A
hopeful sign is that the use of pesticides was considerably
reduced for the last five years. The 1995 index is thrice less
than the one five years ago: 5.1 thousand tons against 14.5
thousand tons in 1990, though it also has negative impact on
soil. Besides the ever-application of chemicals the soil is also
subjected to other troubles. Particularly, as before,
considerable areas of fertile soil are excluded from the
turnover only because they are either used in insignificant
purposes or not used at all, because of landslides and wind
erosion. Various commercial groups, purchasing plots of land,
which are actually agricultural farm properties, do not care for
preservation of the fertile stratum of soil destroying it
instead of providing its disposal to some other place. The main
source of landslides and wind erosion is mass destruction of
forests and protective forest zones. The woods of Vulcanesti
region, which have suffered most of all from such disasters
during the current ten years, still are subjected to regular
tree felling. 29 hectares of forests were cut illegally in the
village of Brinza, despite it being the property of the local
authority, while 12 hectares of forest belonging to the local
agrofarm "Moldova" were cut in the village of Slobozeia Mare. As
to the water (...) the river Prut has suffered most of all. On
August 28, a heavy pollution of the river's section took place
in the confluence area of its tributary Bahlui as a result of an
accident during the purification works in the city of Yasi
(Roumania). The economic agents of the village of Yargara, in
Leovo region, added negative impacts to the situation when there
was a huge fuel leakage from containers of the local elevator
with oil escaping into the river. Last year 8,213 enterprises
and organizations influencing the environment were checked for
ecological standards by the State Ecological Inspection of
Moldova - an institution realizing special control over
environmental conditions. The inspectors have made 5,049
protocols, on the basis of which the economic agents were
subjected to sanctions. 112 cases were passed on to the
Ecological Prosecutor's office for investigation, while 720
cases of ecological legislation infringement were considered by
public courts and 14 cases by arbitration.

WHAT IS IN A GLASS OF WATER?

by Valentina Malikova, IEA "ALTAIR" - According to the
calculations of the international experts more than 60 per cent
of human diseases are connected with bad water quality. (...)
Meanwhile, in the Republic of Moldova there are more than 39.5
per cent of central water supply sources which do not meet the
requirements of (...) "Drinking water". Then, perhaps, wells and
springs are less dangerous? Unfortunately, the situation with
them is even more complicated, especially in the countryside. It
seems as if pure drinking water here is becoming an exceptional
rarity. As a matter of fact, now the main cause for drinking
water pollution in the countryside is private stock breeding.
Many villagers keep the animals in their back yards, without
paying much attention to waste utilization, namely manure and
sewer. Wastes saturating the yard's ground by themselves turn
into sulphates, nitrates and other organic pollutants. Then the
pollutants penetrate wells. Nothing of the kind could ever
happen if the owners would dispose their animals' wastes in the
fields, for agricultural lands fertilizing, promoting natural
nitrogen recycling. However, manure piles at the private back
yards continue to grow. Simultaneously the indices of drinking
water quality and those of villagers' health, especially the
health of children, are getting worse. The research testifies
that the children's sick rate level is 3-4 times higher in the
regions with the most polluted water sources. These children are
behind their peers in physical development, they get sick more
often and slower recover from illness. "The reasons for
children's and adults' poor health could not be, of course,
limited by the nitrate pollution of drinking water", - N.I.
Opopol, Professor of the State Medical University and First
Assistant General Director of the State Hygiene and Epidemiology
Scientific Center of Moldova, said. "Undoubtedly, the importance
of heredity should not be underestimated. Do not forget either
about bitter 'fruit' of intensive over-application of chemicals
in agriculture. I mean the statistics on liver cirrhosis, other
chronic diseases and, of course, the population death rate,
which was more than doubled in the last decade. It were village
residents, who are the leaders in the sad statistics.We have
worked out special recommendations on how to provide villagers
with pure drinking water and passed them on to the Ministry of
Public Health and the Government of Moldova. We believe that the
countryside populated areas need group water pipelines. The
project for their construction has been approved. The building
of such a pipeline has been started from the area of the town of
Soroki, but this new construction had to be frozen because of
the lack of means."

So, did the whole story come to the end? But, where is the way
out? As scientists think, there is a way out. Firstly, one
should try and find subsidies for construction of modern group
water pipelines, evidently at the expense of local budgets.
Secondly, it is necessary to take care of drinking water quality
in order not to allow its further pollution. Who should take
this responsibility? Apparently the local authorities! It is in
their power to prosecute the environmental protection law
breakers. At their disposal also are regional centers of hygiene
and epidemiology, whose specialists could reveal safe wells and
springs in villages to be used instead of polluted ones. Lastly,
the industry produces water purification filters. Professor
Opopol informed us about inculcation of such appliances of
collective use in Moldova. They are able to purify 300 liters of
water daily, which is quite enough to meet the needs of a
village school, kindergarten or several families. The efficiency
of such collective filters has been proved during the tests in
Hincesti, Orhei and Straseni regions of Moldova. (...)

Forests in Moldova:

Valentina Malikova, IEA "ALTAIR" - (...) In former times Moldova
was famous for its marvellous kodry forests. Now it is among the
poorest of the European countries in woods. Today forests occupy
less than 400 hectares in the republic. As a result, there is
only 0.06 hectares of woods per capita. However, even this
scanty index will turn to be less if one does not take into
account plantings along railways and freeways. In this case the
woods area will make only 6 per cent of the regions territory,
which is simply dangerous. Furthermore, the forest fund is split
to more than 800 units with an area of 0.5 to 1.500 hectares,
which is far from being sufficient to provide wild animals with
normal life conditions. The State Forest Fund comprises 325
thousand hectares, while the remaining part of the woods belongs
to the municipalities and collective farms. The state fund is
relatively fine as far as it gets necessary care, but the woods
of the collective farms are exploited rudely-unwarranted,
tree-felling is very common here. The local authorities choose
to ignore this and even take part themselves in these ruinous
actions. Unfortunately, the Ecological Inspection cannot
counteract with well-equipped and armed law breakers. As a
result, the collective forest fund has lost 738.8 thousand cubic
metres of wood for the last five years. While the state forest
fund lost 10 thousand cubic metres. The present crisis, affected
the forest resources of Moldova, is conditioned to many reasons.
The most important of these are illegal tree felling,
ecologically incompetent natural resources use, ignoring their
natural regeneration, primarily of seeds. All these factors
taken together caused the changes in green huge tracts of
forest, so that the main forest forming species- oak- occupy now
only 51 per cent of the state forest fund area (for comparison
in 1964 it was 64 per cent). In addition, some tree species, not
typical for this region, had been introduced in the republic.
Among them is white acacia, planted over a quarter of the forest
funds' area. White acacia has had a tragic lot. Its planting is
just perishing, simply drying up. By this time Moldova has a
weakend, badly regenerating forest, the existance of which is
under a serious threat of extinction. A deplorable condition of
woods, of course, had a negative effect on the state reserve
fund too. Presently, there are five reserves of an exceptionally
scientific character (the total area is 19,418 hectares).
However, their ecosystem's preservation appeares to be a
difficult task. To this end there is not any legislative basis,
which could account the new realia. The reserves are not
provided by a proper guard. The best highskilled specialists
leave their jobs, because of financial problems, while reserve
regieme breakers are becoming more numerous. Particularly, the
cases of poaching and herding of domestic cattle are becoming
more frequent along with the placing of trash heaps. (...)

STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BATS IN NOTHERN AND CENTRAL MOLDOVA

Andrey Vasilyev, Doctor of Biology, "Fauna" group Director -
Under this name the project, carried out by "Fauna" group
belonging to the Association of Young Ecologists of Moldova
"Campul Ecologic", has been closed on February 15, 1996. The
project was 85 per cent financed by the World Nature Association
(Maryland, USA). There have been carried out 16 expeditions to
study fauna of bats living in the caves of the republic, 32
lectures read to school students and mine workers, 5 articles
published in press and 3 scientific reports presented at the
conferences on temporary conditions and protection of these
animals. The hand-winged animals have wonderful abilities, such
as flying, ultra sound orientation in darkness and winter
hibernation. Bats bring much aid by eating lots of night
insects, including harmful ones. Of 18 species of the animals
living in our republic only 3 are quite common, the rest of them
are considered to be rare ones. All of them are protected by the
state, but no active measures on their real protection is being
taken. The "Fauna" group prepared a report "Bats' Contemporary
Condition in Moldova and Necessary Measures for Their
Protection", which is supposed to be presented to the State
Department for the Environmental Protection and Natural
Resources and Parliamentary Subcommission on Ecology. "Fauna"
group will continue the campaign on rare species of animals of
Moldova protection, including the hand-winged ones, during the
project realization "In the Search of Salamandra", financed by
ISAR Kiev Regional Office in 1996. 

News from Moldova, #2, February 1996, Published by ALTAIR
International Ecological Agency (Chisinau, Moldova) with
financial support from USAID through Eurasia Foundation in
association with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Kiev.
Distributed free, although contributions from the subscribers
will be appreciated to support our activities. Permission to
reprint is granted if source is fully acknowleged and notified.
Address: P.B. 91, Chisinau 277012, Moldova Tel./Fax: (3732)
568844 E-mail: altair@glas.apc.org

RUSSLAND

Oel und Gas

Die Menschenrechte der indigenen Voelker in den Oel- und
Gasfoerdergebieten West-Sibiriens

"Ich will gar nichts, nur mein Land.

Gib mir mein Land zurueck, wo ich meine Rentiere weiden, Wild
jagen und Fische fangen kann.

Gib mir mein Land, wo meine Rentiere nicht von streunenden
Hunden angegriffen werden,

wo meine Jagdpfade nicht von Wilderern zertrampelt oder von
Fahrzeugen verdreckt werden,

wo auf Fluessen und Seen keine Oelteppiche liegen.

Ich will Land, wo mein Zuhause, meine Freistatt und mein
Friedhof unverletzlich sind.

Ich will Land, wo man mir nicht die Kleider oder Stiefel am
hellichten Tag stehlen kann.

Gib mir mein eigenes Land, nicht das von jemand anderem.

Nur ein kleines Stueck von meinem eigenen Land."

Jeremei Aipin in"Das Land meiner Ahnen: verwuestet"

Bericht ueber eine Studienreise in die Region Tjum_n von Heike
Drillisch und Johannes Rohr

Alexei Gyndyschew (Eigennamen wurden veraendert.) lebt mit
seiner Frau und sechs Kindern auf ihrem Wohnplatz auf dem Gebiet
des Dorfes Russkinsk�je. Ein Zufall brachte uns zu ihnen. Da
alle Hubschrauber - im Sommer das einzige Transportmittel - der
regionalen Oelgesellschaft gehoeren, muss ein Flug immer vorher
bestellt werden. Wir hatten Glueck, dass gerade die Schulkinder
von den Wohnplaetzen im 3.000 km2 grossen Einzugsbereich des
Dorfes eingesammelt wurden, um die naechsten Monate im Internat
zu verbringen. Daher war fuer einige Tage der Hubschrauber im
Auftrag der Dorfverwaltung unterwegs und nahm uns mit. Alexei
und seine Familie sind Chanty und traditionelle
RentierzuechterInnen. Ihr Sommerwohnplatz besteht aus einer
Blockhuette, einer Kochstelle im Freien und diversen
Vorratshaeusern. Er liegt auf einer schmalen, sumpfigen
Landzunge zwischen zwei Seen. Fuer die anderen Jahreszeiten
haben sie weitere Wohnplaetze in waldigen Gebieten. Ein
Verwandter wohnt in der Naehe, alle anderen Nachbarn in 10 - 20
km Entfernung. Strom gibt es auf dem Wohnplatz nicht, die Huette
wird abends mit einer Petroleumlampe beleuchtet. Andere
industriell gefertigte Gueter gibt es in geringer Zahl; die
Haeuser, Schlitten, Fischreusen usw. stellt jeder
Rentierzuechter selbst her. Fuer den alltaeglichen Bedarf werden
vor allem Jagdausruestung und Zucker gekauft, ausserdem
Lebensmittel wie Mehl, Tee, Zucker und bei einigen Familien
Alkohol. Das Hauptnahrungsmittel - der Fisch - wird aber jeden
Tag selbst gefangen. Alexei besitzt 10 Rentiere, die er jetzt im
Spaetsommer sich selbst ueberlaesst und nach dem ersten
Schneefall zusammentreiben wird, um mit ihnen mitzuziehen. Er
hat sie nach dem Zerfall der Sowchose, fuer die er als
Rentierhirte gearbeitet hat, uebernommen. Um sich davon zu
ernaehren und genuegend Felle fuer Kleidung, Betten usw. zu
haben, braucht eine Familie 50 - 100 Tiere. Mehr als zehn kann
das Land, das Alexei zur Verfuegung steht, aber nicht ernaehren.
Die Hauptnahrungsquelle fuer die Rentiere ist das Rentiermoos,
eine ausgesprochen empfindliche Pflanze, die ca. 1 mm im Jahr
waechst. Manche Familien haben gar keine Tiere mehr. Manchen
RentierzuechterInnen wurden die Tiere von Wilderern oder
Oelarbeitern abgeschossen. Einem Nachbarn von Alexei starb die
gesamte Herde, weil sie oelverschmutzte Flechten gefressen
hatte. Die Tiere, die ueberleben, sind haeufig krank und viel
schwaecher als frueher. Als Ernaehrungsgrundlage fuer die
Menschen bleibt daher nur der Fischreichtum der Seen und
Wasserlaeufe. Bei allen Familien, die wir trafen, gab es bisher
noch ausreichend Fisch, aber nicht nur Alexei klagte darueber,
dass Menge und Qualitaet der Fische stark abgenommen haetten.
Auch der Bestand an anderen Nahrungs- und Erwerbsquellen (u. a.
Beeren, Pelztiere, Voegel) ist stark zurueckgegangen. Der Grund
dafuer liegt vor allem in der Oelfoerderung. Nachts ist der
Horizont flammendrot, da die Begleitgase ungenutzt abgefackelt
werden. Havarien verseuchen Boden und Gewaesser - selbst im Dorf
Russkinsk�je ist das Leitungswasser von einem Oelfilm bedeckt.
Durch Arbeitsfahrzeuge werden die sensiblen Rentierflechten
zerstoert und ganze Flusslaeufe zugeschuettet. Ueber die
Schneisen entfernen sich die Rentiere viel weiter als frueher
ueblich vom Wohnplatz, zurueckgelassene Ausruestung rostet
langsam vor sich hin. Nicht einmal die heiligen Gebiete der
Chanty, die gleichzeitig ein Rueckzugsgebiet fuer viele Tier-
und Pflanzenarten darstellen, sind davon ausgenommmen. Die
Oelfoerderung begann in Westsibirien in den 60er Jahren, ohne
dass die indigenen BewohnerInnen gefragt wurden. Heutzutage ist
die industrielle Nutzung des Landes ohne die Zustimmung der
lokalen Bevoelkerung unzweideutig verboten. Die Oelfirmen sind
gezwungen, sog. "oekonomische Vereinbarungen" mit den
BewohnerInnen abzuschliessen. Diese versprechen meist "Geld"
oder "Benzin" als Gegenleistung fuer die Zustimmung zur
Oelfoerderung. Da aber oft keine genauen Mengen festgelegt
werden, erfolgt kaum eine Lieferung. Ein nicht unerheblicher
Teil der Vereinbarungen kommt unter Alkoholeinfluss zustande,
wovon Vertraege zeugen, in denen als einzige Gegenleistung fuer
die Zustimmung verlangt wird, dass die Oelleute"nicht die
Rentiere beim Weiden stoeren" sollen. Doch nicht einmal diese
Minimalversprechen werden immer eingehalten. Alexei Gyndyschew
bemerkte im vergangenen Winter, dass auf seinem Land, 3 km vom
Wohnplatz entfernt, Ausruestungsgegenstaende abgeladen wurden,
ohne dass er ueberhaupt gefragt wurde. Der zustaendige Beamte
erklaerte uns, dass Alexei sicherlich im naechsten Herbst eine
"oekonomische Vereinbarung" unterzeichnen wuerde, deshalb sei es
ja kein Problem, dass die Oelfirmen schonmal mit der Arbeit
begaennen. Die Moeglichkeit, dass Alexei einer weiteren
Oelfoerderung nicht zustimmen will, sondern sein Land bewahren
will, wird gar nicht erst in Betracht gezogen. Anders liegt der
Fall bei Michail Taewlin, einem nenzischen Rentierzuechter, der
in einer benachbarten Region lebt. Er erfuhr nur zufaellig von
der bevorstehenden Vergabe von Oelfoerderlizenzen auf seinem
Land. Wiederholt stellte er klar, dass er der Foerderung nicht
zustimmte, u. a. waehrend der Kommmissionssitzung, bei der die
Lizenz vergeben wurde: All dies half nichts, im Angesicht
lockender Profite zaehlt das verbriefte Recht der indigenen
Bevoelkerung nicht. In den Staedten wird die ruecksichtslose
Ausbeutung der Oellager- staetten damit gerechtfertigt, dass die
RentierzuecherInnen sich gar nicht mehr selbst ernaehren
koennten und von den Lieferungen der Oelfirmen abhaengig seien.
Auf den Wohnplaetzen sieht die Realitaet anders aus. In der
Regel hatten die Familien, die wir trafen, hoechstens einmal
Lebensmittel oder Benzin erhalten. Sie sind es gewohnt, voellig
fuer sich selbst zu sorgen. Ihre Hauptforderung an die
Oelgesellschaften ist, dass genuegend sauberes Land bleibt, um
die Rentierzucht weiterfuehren zu koennen. Erst an zweiter
Stelle steht die Forderung nach Kompensationen fuer die
Zerstoerung, die die Oelfoerderung bereits angerichtet hat. Dies
sagen nicht nur die alten Leute. Wir trafen eine Reihe junger
Maenner und Frauen, die nach der Schule auf die Wohnplaetze im
Wald zurueckkehrten, um dort die Lebensweise ihrer Eltern
fortzusetzen. Im Dorf leben zu muessen, bedeutet fuer sie den
Untergang. Angesichts der grossen Distanzen zwischen den
Wohnplaetzen und der Uebermacht der Oelgesellschaften ist fuer
die indigene Bevoelkerung ein gezieltes gemeinsames Vorgehen
sehr schwierig. Die lange Erfahrung, dass die Verantwortlichen
doch tun, was sie wollen, und die teils gewaltsame Zerschlagung
des Widerstands, der sich in der Perestroika-Zeit bildete, haben
das Gefuehl der Hoffnungslosigkeit hinterlassen. Dennoch gibt es
noch immer einzelne Rentierzuechter, die den Oelfirmen den
Zutritt zu ihrem Land verweigern - notfalls mit der Flinte in
der Hand. 1989 gruendete sich im Bezirk der Chanty und Mansi die
"Assoziation zur Rettung der Jugr", im Bezirk der Jamal-Nenzen
die Organisation "Jamal Potomkam" (Jamal den Nachkommen). Die
Arbeitsschwerpunkte der Organisationen reichen je nach
personeller Besetzung von der Forderung nach angemessener
Beteiligung an den Gewinnen aus der Ressourcenausbeutung bis zur
Unterstuetzung der RentierzuechterInnen bei der Forderung nach
dem Erhalt des Landes. Da die AktivistInnen der Assoziation zum
groessten Teil StadtbewohnerInnen sind und oft die Verbindung
zum Rentierzuechterdasein verloren haben, fordern sie in der
Hauptsache eine ausreichende Entschaedigung, um sich eine neue
Lebensgrundlage aufzubauen. Auch die Abhaengigkeit von
oeffentlichen Mitteln, die zum groessten Teil aus der
Oelfoerderung stammen, erschwert es der Assoziationen, fuer eine
radikale Eingrenzung der Foerdertaetigkeit einzutreten. Fuer die
derzeitige Vorsitzende der Assoziation zur Rettung der Jugr hat
trotzdem die Bewahrung der Rentierzucht eine gewisse Prioritaet.
Ein Ansatz zur Loesung des Konflikts zwischen der Oelindustrie
und den Rechten der Indigenen ist z. B. die Verwendung von
Mustervertraegen. In ihnensind der Schutz festgelegter Gebiete
(z. B. heilige Plaetze, Brutplaetze von Voegeln, Fischplaetze
usw.), die Einzaeunung und Abdichtung der Bohrplaetze, bestimmte
Summen als Entschaedigung, das Verbot von Waffen und Hunden fuer
die Oelarbeiter, die Beseitigung entstandener Schaeden u. a.
festgelegt. Von einigen Indigenen wird die Forderung nach einem
Moratorium fuer die Erschliessung neuer Bohrstellen erhoben mit
dem Ziel, besonders sensible Gebiete, z. B. Oberlaeufe der
Fluesse, unter Schutz zu stellen und neue Technologien zu
entwickeln. Im Umfeld der grossen, schon erschoepften
Lagerstaetten befinden sich eine Vielzahl kleiner Lagerstaetten,
die ausgebeutet werden koennten, ohne dass zusaetzlich Menschen
vertrieben werden muessten. An diesem Punkt sind auch die
westlichen Firmen gefragt. Deutschland bezieht ein Sechstel
seines Erdoels und ein Drittel seines Erdgases aus der
Russischen Foederation, grossenteils aus dem Tjumener Gebiet.
Gerade fuer Erdgas wird z. Zt. massiv mit dem Slogan "saubere
Energie" geworben. Abgesehen von der oekolgischen
Fragwuerdigkeit einer solchen Aussage werden dabei die
menschenrechtlichen Folgen unseres Energiekonsums voellig
ausgeblendet.  Bisher haben sich die beteiligten deutschen
Firmen einem Dialog ueber diese Frage verweigert. Die Aufgabe
von Kirchen, Menschenrechts- und Umweltschutzorganisationen wird
es daher sein, sie dennoch dazu zu bewegen, sich ihrer
Verantwortung zu stellen.

Heike Drillisch, Ethnologin und Mitarbeiterin des Instituts fuer
Oekologie Aktions-Ethnologie (infoe) e. V., und Johannes Rohr,
Student der Osteuropaeischen Geschichte und ebenfalls
Mitarbeiter des infoe, unternahmen die Studienreise im Auftrag
des Informationszentrums Dritte Welt in Herne. Finanziert wurde
das Projekt vom Fonds fuer Studienreisen von Brot fuer die Welt.
(Johannes Rohr, Suelzbergstrasse 218, 50937 Koeln, Tel.: 0221 -
41 77 35)

Amoco and Indigenous peoples

The Amoco corporation is one of the most active western
companies working in the oil and gas development areas of
Western Siberia. For some years now they are working on
developing the Priobskoye oilfield in the bassin of the Ob river
in Khanty-Mansi autonomous district, Tyumen region. Also they
are involved in the exploitation of the huge gas fields of Yamal
peninsula, the northernmost part of Yamal-Nenets autonomous
district, also Tyumen region. Environmentalists and
representatives of the indigenous population (Nenets, Khanty)
have for years been protesting against the latter project.

Yamal peninsula is the home of some 4000 indigenous reindeer
herders who maintain a traditional nomadic lifestyle. Many
experts have estimated that development of the rich natural gas
supplies will mean the end to this ecologically sound way of
life. Still Amoco corporation has done a good job in convincing
local elites (both indigenous and non-indigenous) of the
opposite by inviting them on a PR trip to Canada, also by making
donations to these representatives and by other means.

However local activists and reindeer herders don't have access
to independent sources of information about western companies.
Even of the Ogoni case and the struggle of the Lubicon Cree
nobody we met ever heard of. On our trip to Western Siberia last
summer we have been asked many times to provide such information.

Infos an Johannes Rohr, Suelzbergstrasse 218, 50937 Koeln,
0221-41 77 35.

Kurze Meldungen

Die Tjumenskij Kredit Bank, Tjumen, und die Verwaltung des
Autonomen Kreises Chanty-Mansijsk haben ein Abkommen ueber die
gemeinsame Emittierung von Erdoelobligationen unterzeichnet.
Bisher wurden Obligationen im Wert von 50 Mrd. Rubel ausgegeben.
Nach den geltenden Richtlinien sind kommunale Wertpapiere ebenso
wie kurzfristige Staatsobligationen von der 15prozentigen
Wertpapiersteuer ausgenommen. Die Obligationen sollen bei den in
kuerze in Chanty-Masijsk stattfindenen Wettbewerben fuer die
Ausbeutungsrechte an Erdoelvorkommen als Zahlungsmittel gelten.

OSTinvest, 40/95, 6.10.1995, S. 14

Wintershall AG, Kassel hat mit AO Gasprom ein Abkommen ueber die
Lieferung von 10 Mrd m3 Erdgas unterzeichnet. Damit ist
Wintershall europaweit der groesste Gaspromkunde mit Importen
von 22 Mrd m3 Gas pro Jahr. Der Konkurrent Ruhrgas AG verkauft
nach der Mitteilung des Wintershall-Vorstands Detharding nur 20
Mrd m3 jaehrlich. Im Herbst 1995 begannen bei Frankfurt an der
Oder die Bauarbeiten fuer die Gaspipeline Jamal-Westeuropa. Die
Gesamtkosten des Baus liegen bei 36 Mrd. US $ fuer 1.695 km. Sie
soll in drei Etappen gebaut werden: Ein 200 km langes
Verbindungsstueck soll die deutschen und die polnischen
Pipelines verbinden. Die zweite Etappe ist die Verbindung des
polnischen mit dem weissrussischen Netz in der Naehe von Neswich
und als dritte Stufe die Zusammenfuehrung mit der aus Sibirien
kommenden Leitung bei Torschok in Russland.

OSTinvest, 40/95, 6.10.1995, S. 15; 41/95, 13.10.1995, S. 19

Die Internationale Energieagentur (IEA) hat die Situation auf
dem Rohstoff- und Energiesektor in Russland untersucht. Der
Sektor erwirtschaftete etwa 15% des russischen
Bruttoinlandsprodukts und brachte 45% der Devisengewinne. 30%
aller Investitionen gingen in diesen Sektor. Die strom- und
erdgaskosten liegen noch immer unter den Selbstkosten, Kohle
wird weiterhin subventioniert. Nur die Erdoelpreise wurden
liberalisiert. Die IEA empfiehlt die schnelle
marktwirtschaftliche Reform des Erdgassektors, da dieser 51% der
russischen Primaerenergieexporte erwirtschaftet. Im Erdoelsektor
fordert die IEA die Freigabe der Rohrleitungen auch fuer andere
Erdoelgesellschaften als Gasprom. Dies wird von Russland
abgelehnt, da dies vor allem auslaendischen Investoren zugute
komme. Ausserdem kritisiert die IEA die kuerzliche Bildung von
Grossgesellschaften, die den freien Zugang von kleineren
Auslandsfirmen verhindern.

OSTinvest, 41/95, 13.10.1995, S. 18

Russian pipeline spills 1,500 tons of oil

Reuters, March 14, 1996 - A pipeline leak in Russia's main
oil-producing region of Tyumen in Western Siberia has spilled
1,500 tons of crude oil over nearby swamps and a frozen river,
Interfax news agency said Wednesday. The pipeline ruptured on
March 7 in the Nefteyugansk area, 40 miles from the city of
Surgut and repair work was continuing, the agency quoted local
environmental official Viktor Dolinger as saying. The spill
covered 8.6 acres of swamps and 2.5 acres of the frozen River
Balyk, a tributary of the River Ob, Dolinger said, adding that
the accident had now been localized and special equipment was
being used to clean up the area. The oil on the river was being
burned, although the pollution had reached areas up to five
miles from the ruptured pipeline, he said. The River Ob was
unlikely to be contaminated, he added.

Erdoel-Pipeline von Azerbajdschan nach Westen

Ab 1996 sollen taeglich 70.000 Barrel Oel aus den Erdoelfeldern
"Aseri", Tschirag" und "Guneschli" im Kaspischen Meer sowohl
ueber Russland als auch ueber Georgien transport werden. Die
noerdliche Route soll ueber Baku-Groznyj-Novorossijsk (am
Schwarzen Meer) und die suedliche ueber Baku-Tiflis-Tuerkei
verlaufen. Die russische Pipeline soll in sechs Monaten, die
georgische in 18 Monaten fertiggestellt sein. Die Kosten fuer
die zum Teil neu zu bauende georgische Pipeline von 250 Mio.
US-$ uebernimmt die Tuerkei. Die Verhandlungen wurden nicht nur
von Russland (Tschetschenienkrieg, Transportblockade gegen
Azerbajdschan, angeblich auch Attentat auf Schewardnadze) mit
offenem Druck begleitet: Mit Rueckendeckung der USA sperrte die
Tuerkei "aus Sicherheitsgruenden" einige Zeit den Bosporus fuer
groessere Oeltanker. Bill Clinton intervenierte in Baku fuer die
Tuerkei.

OSTinvest, 41/95, 13.10.1995, S. 5, 6, 11

Der Status des Kaspischen Meeres und die Rohstoffvorkommen

Russland will die gemeinsame Nutzung der Rohstoffe durch alle
Anrainerstaaten. Kasachstan will die Schaffung von
12-Meilen-Zonen vor der Kueste jedes Anrainers und die
restlichen Gebiete jenseits der 12-Meilen-Grenze als gemeinsam
genutzte neutrale Zone definiert wissen.

Wald und Forstwirtschaft

THE DEEPER INTO THE FOREST.......

by Olga Bel'dina (Pravda Thursday, 14.III.1996 No. 39, 27685) -
Every time I hear the Russian rouble called 'wooden', I have
more empathy for the trees than I do for the rouble. In our
country, even given the current boarders, the tree has a
difficult fate. What is taking place in the Russian forest is
like no where else in the world. Europe would never allow the
kind of activities that go on here in Russia. Summer is
beginning, and with it, the forest fire season. It is the same
every year. There are a few notices in the 'highlights' section
of the newspaper, we all go ooohhhh!, take a bit of pause at the
figures, say "... and why is it that there are so many forests
burning ..." and then forget the whole thing. Summer is in
general a difficult period. Summer is the season for forest
pests that multiply at frightening rates. Last year there were
so many moths that foresters simply shook their heads. As soon
as a pest took to 'working' the woods in Krasnoyarskii Krai,
700,000 hectares were lost. There is a need to fight forest
pests on over 967,000 hectares but this requires 39 billion
roubles. And of the 84 billion roubles needed to fight fires,
all of 45 billion has been budgeted. Forest problems are the
same year in and year out, but the impact of modern economic
change on the forest is especially severe. For example, timber
sector enterprises are being so ruthlessly privatized that many
of the controlling interests are being gobbled up by foreign
corporations. Take for example the Svetlorogskii, Balakhninskii,
Kotlaskii Pulp and Paper Plants. Forests are a good investment
when there isn't anyone watching over what is going on. In
Novgorodskii Oblast', for example, a Swedish firm "Modo"
purchased the rights from the local LesPromKhoz to harvest
100,000 cubic meters a year for 49 years! Modo got the rights
rather cheaply - 52 million Finnish marks. There is also the
tendency in the last few years for local authorities to try and
make profits from the forest. It is true that each region has
its own specifics. In Krasnodarskii Krai, valuable oak forests
are being harvested for sale to Turkey and to Mediterranean
countries. All this takes place like a slight of hand trick.
That is what tempts people into the forest. In 1995 more than
417,000 cubic meters of timber was harvested without permits and
there were 609 documented attempts to develop forest lands
illegaly. The number of people assigned to pursue forest law
violators grows smaller and smaller each year. It is true that
the government is not lax in their efforts to issue a steady
stream of rules and regulations, but what does it matter when
there are not enough people to enforce the law. Taiga forests
are turning into bogs: 40 percent of the forests in
Kalingradskii Oblast are below sea level. Earlier a poldor
method was used to drain the lands, pumping water across dams.
Now the pumping station is out of order. We talk and think about
the forest as if there weren't any connection between forest
activities and the general condition of the environment. But for
instance, take the relationship between forests and fish. The
forest next to the river acts as a guard for fish stocks,
especially salmon and sturgeon. At the current time more than 43
million hectares of riparian forests protect spawning habitat;
this is more forest than the total volume for Finland and Sweden
combined. Fish, air, soil and trees is a closed cycle of
survival. As they used to say, "...forests are our bounty..."
But now?

mishaj@glas.apc.org, 23.03.96

TO THE FEDERAL DUMA - FROM THE PRIMORSKII KRAI FOREST SERVICE

(Vladivostok 15.III.1996, No. 49, 1673) - The Primorskii Krai
Forest Service conducted a seminar at which various issues
connected with rational forest resource use were discussed.
There was much talk about flaws in contemporary forest
protection legislation - Raion administrators have now been
given greater authority in the area of timber harvest and a
result of this policy is that the number of violations of
standing law are growing. For all intents and purposes the
harvest of ash is out of control. Large volumes of timber are
being exported abroad. Employment conditions for those charged
with protecting the forest were also discussed. Criminal
activities in the forest are increasing, so what can be said of
the 150,000 rouble salary of foresters who, in fact, don't see
any wages for months at a time. In addition, there is a
tremendous growth in the number of timber harvesting operations:
in Anuchinskii Raion, 36 foresters are responsible for
monitoring the activities of more than 200 timber harvesting
operations; in such conditions it is extremely difficult to
monitor timber harvest. Suggestions for improving forest
legislation were presented at the seminar; a major topic is the
effort to prevent privatization of the forest, a provision now
included in the new Forest Code. It is the opinion of many
specialists that privatization of the forest will lead to its
destruction. All the recommendations adopted at the seminar will
be sent to the Federal Duma.

mishaj@glas.apc.org, 23.03.96

Projekte von USAID im Chabarovskij und Primorskij Kraj

Anatolii Lebedev (Utro Rossii, 24.02.1966 / No. 37, 1206) -
Timber industry politics in the Russian Far East have become so
bad that to discuss improvements for the better sounds like a
Monday morning forecast for a Sunday afternoon sporting event.
Some even say the talk is dangerous. Genuine control is robbed
of vitality, the number of daring gyppo operators and timber
exporters exceeds any imaginable limit, timber is harvested
where ever and how ever, without licenses, without tariff fees
and taxes, using outdated equipment. In short, the situation in
the taiga is simply out of control. Timber extraction has become
a fast way to grab at some dear capital. All one has to do is
cut it down and get it to the appropriate port. Any anyone who
gets in the way of this policy, tries to put a halt it, well,
they are show a different road. The U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) spent two years getting a
sense of current timber politics in the region and another year
working out a project an alternative to current practices. The
Environmental Policy and Technology Project (EPT), using a 16.5
million dollar budget, is an attempt to organize a different
strategy to managing the biodiversity of the central
Sikhote-Alin bioregion of Khabarovskii and Primorskii Krai. And
just recently, Agency officials gathered together with their
Russian colleagues to assess the current work. In summarizing
the results (...) Dean Stepanik, Project Director, put it this
way: "... We have pointed out that there are a lot of difficult
issues. This is good; it means that we are working..." The EPT
project is part of an economic and technology assistance package
the U.S. government is providing Russia through the Gore
Chernomyrdin Agreements. Project objectives are to assist the
forest sectors in Khabarovskii and Primorskii Krai, to develop
environmentally sustainable small business, to provide
assistance in fighting forest fires, to support existing and to
create new protected territories, to support democratic
initiatives and to develop local self government. For those
involved in regional taiga politics and who want to give into
the banditry occurring in the forests, there is no need to talk
about how important this project is for the two regional
governments. True, not a particularly large amount of money is
involved. But we also all know that to rely upon Moscow for
reasonable funding is a waste of time. Regional timber industry
officials are want to make investments in the processing sector,
something that is understandable given government financing
policy. The small business fund being created at the urging of
the parties participating in the project will assist small
private firms interested in collecting, processing and marketing
the treasures of the forest get off the ground by providing
start up capital. Modern, small scale processing facilities are
foreseen. The finished goods from these facilities will reduce,
in theory, the total volume of timber harvested in the region,
while increasing local revenues. Model projects are underway in
Chuguevskii Raion in Primorskii Krai and Vyazemskii and Lazo
Raions in Khabarovskii Krai. These regions are major suppliers
of timber in the region and the experience gained there will
then be extended to other regions. There is also a small program
to encourage local self management and small business is being
financed in two national villages in the Khor and Bikin River
watersheds. Larisa Vachaeva, head of the natural resources
planning department in the Khabarovskii Krai administration, and
chairperson of that Krai's EPT Coordinating Committee, drew the
attention of those present at the review meeting to the urgency
of concentrating project funds on finding ways to resolve the
economic and social issues facing the Udege, the indigenous
people living in these two regions. To date, Russian-American
specialists have provided assistance in preventing and
extinguishing forest fires and in purchasing much needed
equipment for a majority of the region's zapovedniks. As an
exception to the rule that equipment purchased with USAID funds
must be of U.S. origin, domestic Russian transport was secured
for the zapovedniks. This means that a greater number of
vehicles can be purchased, and for those providing protection to
the RFE's zapovedniks, this is very important. Additional to the
current funding of protected territories, the project envisions
creating a trust fund to be used once the project is completed
to protect biodiversity not only within the zapovedniks but
through the entire project area where industrial timber harvest
occurs. A mapping system for the entire resource base of
Chuguevskii Raion is nearly completed. Based upon this work, the
leasing process for timber lots and hunting territories, the
monitoring and enforcement of current laws governing the taiga
will then be much more effectively and intelligently carried
out. The EPT project, like most American projects of its type,
is spending a significant portion of its funds on education and
training of specialists as well a on environmental education,
relying heavily upon the region's NGO sector. Many Krai and
Raion forest sector specialists and administrators have had a
chance to familiarize themselves with the experience of their
American colleagues, and many openly admit that these meeting
have radically changed their perspective on the mission of the
project, its goals and methods. Domestically barbaric approaches
to resource use are being questioned and the EPT project is seen
as an opportunity to begin a process to implement long needed
changes in regional timber policy. This does not mean that all
are quick to jump at the chance to copy progressive American
models; these models are not always applicable and often far
from progressive. The EPT project is providing an opportunity to
identify the best in both countries and to apply such in
practice. Growing confidence among colleagues in the forest
sector is an unexpected and invaluable result of the EPT
project. In an age of extreme budget deficits, it is no secret
that forest service agencies are attempting to generate revenues
any way they can, selling not only timber but information about
the condition of the forests as well. This often pushes projects
to develop effective data bases into a dead end, one in which
not only academic institutions but regional government agencies
participate. The EPT project is attempting to provide a venue
for all interested parties to cooperatively share information
for the more effective management of the biodiversity of the
central Sikhote-Alin. The largest scale project of this type is
the work being conducted to survey the Amur Tiger. The work
began last year and early this year a census was conducted in
both Khabarovskii and Primorskii Krai. The census is but a first
step in implementing an integrated plan to protecting this
living symbol of the Ussuri taiga. Separate portions of this
project are being funded by EPT and by other international and
national organizations. In early March results from the review
will presented for discussion to the Primorskii Krai
Coordination Committee. And perhaps, with time a bit of our
general consumer attitude toward the forests will change. And
somehow it is a bit awkward: it is really necessary that some
from the outside has to come in and save our treasures for us?

mishaj@glas.apc.org, 16.03.96

The Murma river project - developing Sustainable Forestry in
Siberia

By Rosa Babintseva and Vladimir Gorbachev - University of
Krasnoyarsk / From Taiga News no.16 - Forestry practices of
Russian lespromkhozi (timber enterprises) are unsustainable.
They destroy forest resources by overlogging and altering forest
composition. They do poor business planning and fail to include
the public in decision-making. Landscape zoning, business
planning, and public involvement in decision-making must be
implemented now, to preserve Siberia's forests and communities.
An ecosystem- and community-friendly pilot forestry project is a
necessary first step. In this article, one such project in the
Murma river watershed of central Siberia is presented by two
forestry experts involved. Part of the project is conducted in
co-operation with the Predivinsky lespromkhoz. The primary goal
of the work in Predinvinsk is to promote public/NGO
participation in Siberian forest management decision-making and
to improve the economical and ecological sustainability of the
Predivinsky enterprise. The timber industry in Siberia is based
on clear cut logging. It includes the use of heavy logging
machinery which causes irremediable harm to forest ecosystems.
Often water and wind erosion occurs and the soil cover is
disturbed. The hydrological balance of the forest landscape is
also disturbed. As a result of these and other effects, natural
regeneration is poor and the forest productivity is reduced. In
addition, the use of heavy machinery in logging operations leads
to reduction of employment, which in turn increases the social
tensions. Logging in Russia used to be concentrated in the hands
of large enterprises (lespromkhozes), resource bases that
controlled hundreds of thousands of hectares. The population of
forest settlements were usually completely economically
dependent upon the local lespromkhoz. This is still very much
the case. If the resource base of the lespromkhos is depleted,
this is not only an ecological problem, but also a
socioeconomical one. In fact, the very existence of the
settlement is jeopardised by unsustainable forestry management.
Thus, there are strong incentives for developing sustainable
forest management models in Siberia. However, forest management
systems elaborated for large territory units (for example for
Western or Eastern Siberia) will not be effective, even if they
prove to be correct and rational. To be workable, any such
system must concern a specific region and be based upon the
actual natural and economical conditions. (...)

ALTERNATIVE FORESTRY IN SIBERIA: The work on the project
Alternative Forestry in Siberia started in 1994. The initiator
of the project was Pacific Environment & Resources Center
(PERC), in particular its representatives Lisa Tracy and David
Gordon. The results this far provide a useful guide for future
work on the project. At present the project is being carried out
by a collective of Siberian scientists. The well-known Canadian
forest scientist Herb Hammond is assisting the project as a
consultant. The goal of the project is to elaborate strategy and
tactics for sustainable use of various Siberian taiga resources
for the concrete territory. The focus is on preservation of
forest ecosystem resources and ecological functions. The
concrete goal is to elaborate and bring to implementation an
alternative forest management system which provides continual
use of forest resources in a Siberian river basin and to give
ecological and economic grounds of suggested measures.

THE PROJECT AREA: The Murma river basin, covering 87,000
hectares, was chosen as the experimental area. The tree species
composition in the area is 11.5 % pine, 20.7 % fir, 16.0 %
spruce, 8.1 % cedar, 4.5 % larch, 22.0 % birch and 22.2 % aspen.
Preliminary studies of the economic efficiency of alternative
forestry in the Murma basin revealed the necessity of
considering some peculiarities of Siberian forests. In
particular, forest productivity is 2-3 times lower than in
Canada. Timber of the prevailing coniferous species fir (Abies
sibirica) and spruce (Picea obovata) is of no commercial value.
Furthermore, large areas in the basin are covered with secondary
forests, consisting of birch (Betula pendula) and aspen (Populus
tremula). There is presently no domestic market for birch and
aspen timber, and the export market is inaccessible because of
the low quality characteristics of the timber and high
transportation costs. Complete processing of timber is not
available locally, due to lack of equipment and technologies.
Processing of non-timber products meets the same difficulties.
The conclusion of what has been said above is that forest
management in the river Murma basin can be ecologically
sustainable, but it will not be profitable due to the small size
of the watershed. Economically optimal basin sizes will vary,
depending on the actual natural conditions (productivity,
volumes and diversity of forest resources) and the
socio-economic situation.

INVOLVING THE LOCAL TIMBER ENTERPRISE: As it became obvious that
the social problems of the settlement could not be solved
through developing forestry management in the Murma basin only,
the idea of widening the project margins was suggested by the
director of the Predivinsk lespromkhoz, V.M.Malkevich. Today,
Mr. Malkevich takes active part in the project elaboration and
supports the research collective. His resource base is situated
in the Bolshaya Murta region, Krasnoyarsk territory. It consists
of over 100,000 hectares and includes seven basins of small
rivers. Part of the watershed of the Murma river is included in
this area. The 3,000 inhabitants of Predivinsk are completely
dependent on the lespromkhoz. The project was planned for 3
years (1994-1996) and consisted of three stages: 

Mapping of the ecological basis (data base formation) and
ecological zoning of the territory. 

Scientific grounds of methods for alternative forestry
management within the single ecological zones and technical
grounds (elaboration of machinery and technology) of collecting
and processing all kinds of forest products.

Economic grounds of the whole cycle of the planned measures,
including logging and wasteless processing, employment planning
and production realisation on the markets of various levels.

The information collected for the first stage gave a complete
nature characteristics of the resource base and a comprehensive
picture of biological diversity of this territory. Based on this
information, ecological zoning was carried out. Additionally
soil map was compiled. However, we think that a series of
soil-ecological maps are needed, to serve as the basis for
various forest management and forest industry measures: logging
and scidding method; elaboration of methods of natural
regeneration assistance; tree species selection for artificial
reforestation, in accordance with forest-vegetation soil
qualities; elaboration of measures against possible swamping of
cuts; organisation of territory and selection of areas for
agricultural use to create fodder and food bases and so on. At
present the second stage of the project is being performed,
aiming at elaboration of management systems for various
ecological zones.

THE PREDIVINSKY LESPROMKHOZ: The Predivinsky Lespromkhoz was
founded in 1928 and is presently employing 1,100 people. The
village of Predivinsk has a population of 5,000 (when including
the neighbouring villages of Chernoye, Grebin, Posolnoye.) The
main industries of the village are forestry and agriculture
(just started in 1995) Predivinsky Lespromkhoz currently leases
149,000 hectares of forest land, out of which 83,000 hectares
are classified as exploitable. The exploitable timber volume is
about 18 million cubic metres. The average volume per hectare is
173 cubic meters, which is about average for Siberia. Predivinsk
has had a working sawmill since the early 1940s. Wood products
are sold within the territory, with the cities of Krasnoyarsk
and Krasnoyarsk-26 as main buyers. In the past the sawmill has
sold products to Moscow, Azerbaidjan, and Artem (Far East).
These trade relations have been cut off because of
transportation problems and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Occasionally raw logs or lumber is sold to "intermediaries" who
purchase it for unknown destinations, most probably for the
foreign market. The sawmill produces lumber for construction,
wagons and ships, but also chips (to pulp at the Krasnoyarsk
Pulp Mill), raw logs, walls, veneer, parquet (birch), panels
(birch), and fir oil. Fir and spruce are the basis for all
products (there is very little pine in the area). The
lespromkhoz used to produce intermediate furniture products,
furniture articles, and details for standard size homes. These
products were sold to Azerbaidjan. Now there are competing
furniture factories in Krasnoyarsk, so the Predivinsky
Lespromkhoz's furniture section was closed.

Rosa M Babintseva, is Ph.D. and professor in agricultural
sciences. Vladimir N Gorbachev is Ph.D and professor in
biological sciences, both working at the .

rogols@nn.apc.org 21.02.96

Gassinsky - a model forest project in the Russian Far East

By Andrei Laletin - Andrei Laletin is forest researcher and
leader of Friends of the Siberian Forest, a NGO based in
Krasnoyarsk . From Taiga News no 16) - The Gassinsky Model
forest is situated in the Khabarovsk region in the Russian Far
East. The natural borders of the model forest are the
Sikhote-Alin mountain range and the left bank of the Amur river.
The total territory of the model forest is 384,484 ha. If the
very good objectives of the project can be implemented, the
project may be important for the development of sustainable
forestry in the Russian Far East. The project is lead and
sponsored by the Canadian Government (Departments of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade), the Canadian Forest Service,
the Federal Forest Service of Russia, the regional
administration of Khabarovsk and the regional Forest Service.
There are about 20 partners participating in the project. The
project started in November 1994 and is planned to be completed
in April, 1997. Out of the total area of the model forest,
288,661 hectares are industrial forests, while 94,734 hectares
(25 %) are protected. The main tree species are spruce (Picea
ajanensis) and fir (Abies nephrolepis) together accounting for
49 % of the growing stock. Other significant tree species are
the Korean cedar pine (Pinus koreaensis) (12 %), two species of
birch (Betula mandshurica and B. costata) (17 %) and larch
(Larix dahurica) (10 %). There are well over one thousand plant
species in the model forest area. Many of them have useful
applications as edible and medicinal herbs. As concerns rare and
endangered plants 44 species have been registered. Of these, 27
are listed in the Red Data Book of Russia. The fauna is also
very diverse, including more than 20 species of mammals (for
example, sable, mink, squirrel, moose, fox and bear) and more
than 50 bird species. The Gassinsky model forest project was
created on the basis of the concept of sustainable development,
partnership and biodiversity protection for the interest of the
local population, especially the nanaitsy, the indigenous people
of the area. During the first year of the project implementation
the main focus was information and educational activities. The
project was introduced for the Nanaisky district community and
was advertised there. The Partnership Council and the Board of
Directors of the project were created, appointing
representatives of government, industry, science, and indigenous
peoples. A project office was set up and put into operation and
a schedule for future work was prepared. Some field data were
gathered during expeditions made by researchers from the
Institute of Water and Ecological Problems of Far Eastern Branch
of Russian Academy of Sciences and this Forestry Institute of
Russian Federal Forest Service. This was of course only the
beginning of the field work phase of the project. The main work
is to be made during the next two years.

rogols@nn.apc.org, 21.02.96