From Conflict of Interests towards Dialogue and Mutual Understanding
The Forests Dialogue “Virgin forests of the Komi Republic: alternatives to extensive forest exploitation” was held on 12 and 13 April at the initiative of the Silver Taiga Foundation in Syktyvkar.
Pristine forest is wildwood that wasn’t touch by noticeable economic and anthropogenic influence, i.e. clear felling, and that changes through many generations of wood species only due to the natural processes.
The large pristine forestlands with an area of 50,000 hectares are of exceptional value. This sizeable area helps to keep safe natural activity and biological diversity of taiga woods. Moreover, one part of this area is traditionally used by the rural population. Today it is also important, because for many villagers the traditional nature management is the only occupation.
For many decades during extensive forest exploitation new areas have been developed, and by now there are only five big pristine forests left, except for the Jugyd Va National Park, Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve and northern forest lands of low productivity. They are Koygorodskiy woodland in Koygorodok region and Pysskiy, Karpogorskiy, Timan and Verchnevashkinskiy woodlands in Udora region.
But almost all these woodlands are leased by logging enterprises now. The main danger is their fragmentation by felling and tracts. The logging enterprises which leased these woodlands realize the environmental and social importance of the areas, but they can’t refuse to develop these pristine forests as there is no equivalent substitution.
It’s obvious, that the partners of forestry relations have different interests, which sometimes can be opposite. How can we resolve this conflict of interests? How can we find and fasten a compromise that would save the naturally essential taiga woodlands, so important for the residential population? How can we provide well-balanced usage of the pristine forestlands?
To improve the situation it is important to take into account the interests of different stakeholders, such as state, forest industry, municipality and local population, claims Silver Taiga Foundation, the initiator of The Forests Dialogue. This can be achieved only in the course of negotiations by cooperation and mutual understanding.
The Forests Dialogue was organized to assemble different stakeholders and discuss the problems connected with commercial development of pristine forests, to find compromise and alternative ways of woodlands usage.
More than 30 members took part in the conversation. Among them were some representatives of forest industry, executive authority of Komi Republic, research institutes, non-governmental environmental organization, and some citizens. On the participants’ opinion, the conversation was necessary to determine incorporated attitude, confidence, mutual understanding and cooperation between the members of forestry relations and to find ways of well-balanced administration of pristine forests.
During the first part of two-day conversation the participants discussed ecological, economic, and social aspects of pristine forests development, as well as current situation in Koygorodskiy and Udorskiy woodlands. The representatives of environment-oriented organizations in Karelia and Murmansk shared their experience in pristine forest exploitation and reservation. You can download the presentations demonstrated during this part of the conversation.
The second part of the conversation was organized in a different way. The participants divided into small groups and discussed in detail the current problems and alternative ways of woodlands usage.
The first group consisted mostly of representatives of logging enterprises that have leased land in pristine forests. Members of the group, led by Yury Pautov, the forest policy coordinator of Silver Taiga Foundation, discussed current questions of developing lease located in pristine woodlands. For instance, they spoke about possible separation of guarded lots in these woods, moratorium or cancellation of lease of untouched forest territory.
Members of the second small group, led by Valentina Semyashkina, Forest Village project coordinator, discussed the importance of pristine forests for local population, the advantages and disadvantages of their commercial development, and possibility of logging operations in this area without disturbing the local community.
The third small group, led by Przemyslaw Majewski, Director of Silver Taiga Foundation, discussed the development of environmental tourism. The representatives of Izhma, Udora, and Koygorodok regions, businessmen and community workers (voluntary group activists) took part in the discussion. The group defined 11 factors that can attract tourists into rural districts. In addition, they specified the eventual target groups of tourists and possible products of tourist programs connected with forests.
In conclusion, the leaders introduced for collective consideration the results of what the small groups had discussed. The members of different groups were active talking the results over and making remarks and suggestions.
Within the framework of “High Conservation Value Forests” and “Forest Village” projects, together with the other forest stakeholders, Silver Taiga Foundation will continue realizing the suggestions that were pointed out in the resulting document of The Forests Dialogue in April.