A delegation from Komi visited Canada from September 27th to October 2d in order to get acquainted with the activities of the Canadian Model Forest Network.
The main task of the delegation consisting of the Head of the Komi Republic, Head of the Forest Committee Vasily Osipov, Minister of Industrial Development and Transport Andrey Samodelkin, and Deputy Director of the Silver Taiga Foundation Yury Pautov was to study the Canadian Model Forests experience in order to use it for development of the Komi Model Forest in the Komi Republic. Acquaintance with the Canadian system of heavy forest fires management systems and protection of the infrastructure facilities and settlements against them was also exceptionally interesting. It is well-known that in Canada just as in Russia forest fires are a serious threat both for population and business.
The Komi delegation have met with the representatives of the Canadian Federal Forest Service and management of the Forest Service of Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces, they visited “Jasper”, the largest national park of Canada, located on the boarder of Alberta and British Columbia in the most picturesque Rocky mountains, as well as Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan province. Besides, meetings with the representatives of the Secretariat of International Model Forest Network and “Foothills” (Alberta) and “Prince Albert” (Saskatchewan) Model Forest were organized.
It should be noted that the initiative to create Model Forest belongs exactly to Canada – the first of them appeared in this country at the beginning of the 90’s of the last century, and during 15 years this initiative was financially supported from the federal budget of Canada. In different years about 15 Model Forests were functioning in Canada. Their main target was implementation of the methods of sustainable forest management and use and their adaptation to natural and climatic, landscape, and socioeconomic conditions of different provinces of Canada. At the same time, Canadian Model Forest was a platform for reaching a compromise between different stakeholders – business, forest service, environmental NGOs, Indian tribes – during the solving of burning controversial issues related to the methods of forest management, logging, and organization of the environmental management on the forest land in general.
When starting its activity in 1997 Komi Model Forest in the Komi Republic set a target to create a practical example of sustainable forest management in the Komi Republic with conservation of biodiversity and natural values of forest, taking into account of the interests of the local population, economic (rental) assessment of wood resources, interaction of all stakeholders during the forest management, and development of the international forest certification in the republic as the priority activities. Since 2008 and until the present moment Komi Model Forest is the only Russian member of the International Model Forest Network. For nearly ten years its activity has been funded by different international donors, but in recent years financing was stopped. However, the development of the Model Forest in Komi is still important and expedient, which is admitted by many participants of the forest relations.
As a result of five days of fruitful discussions, interesting excursions, and exchange of opinions, the participants of the delegation from the Komi Republic saw firsthand that Model Forest is an efficient tool for coordination of the interests of different parties, implementation of innovations in forestry and conservation planning, forests fire and pests protection. The members of the delegation were especially impressed by the methods and techniques of firefighting organization of the territory and preventive burning for protection of the settlements and infrastructure in Jasper National Park. The Model Forest activity in the field of conservation of the rights, interests, cultural traditions of the Canadian indigenous population – Indians, methods for coordination of the loggers and Indian communities’ interests were also quite impressive.
However, the main result of the trip is an affirmative answer to the question whether it makes sense to support the development of the Model Forest in the Komi Republic at the regional level. According to the unanimous opinion of the participants of the delegation from Komi, the experience of the Canadian Model Forest can be successfully adapted and applied in the Komi Model Forest, primarily, in the vigorous activity on innovations implementation, coordination of the interests of the state bodies, business, and local population during the forest management and use, training and professional development of the forest industry specialists. The next step will be elaboration of a regional development program for the Komi Model Forest for the next few years.
A meeting with the representatives of the Canadian Federal Forest Service in Edmonton
Such “tennis balls” filled with an incendiary mixture are dropped from a helicopter by the Canadian firemen for initiation of the backfire during the fighting of the vast forest fires.
On the field airdrome in Jasper National Park (Alberta province)
A meeting with the representatives of the International Model Forest Network and Prince Albert Model Forest management in the office of the Forest Service of Saskatchewan province.
At the field excursion in Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan province).
«AgroUdora» on the Yirva: activities, problems, perspectives
| «Model river «Mezen» project by silverThe representatives of the Working group of the “Model river Mezen” project made a trip to the Yirva river in order to meet with the members of the Glotovo branch of the “AgroUdora” cooperative. During the trip and the meetings with the fishermen in the villages Kuchmozerye, Borovo, and Krivushevo the employees of the Silver Taiga Foundation Yury Pautov and Valentina Semyashkina together with the board member of the cooperative Aleksey Vurdov discussed the burning problems related to the activity of the cooperative, as well as its perspectives and participation in the “Model river Mezen” project implementation.
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Model Forest in the Komi Republic – Reloading
| «Komi Model Forest» project by silverA delegation from Komi visited Canada from September 27th to October 2d in order to get acquainted with the activities of the Canadian Model Forest Network.
The main task of the delegation consisting of the Head of the Komi Republic, Head of the Forest Committee Vasily Osipov, Minister of Industrial Development and Transport Andrey Samodelkin, and Deputy Director of the Silver Taiga Foundation Yury Pautov was to study the Canadian Model Forests experience in order to use it for development of the Komi Model Forest in the Komi Republic. Acquaintance with the Canadian system of heavy forest fires management systems and protection of the infrastructure facilities and settlements against them was also exceptionally interesting. It is well-known that in Canada just as in Russia forest fires are a serious threat both for population and business.
The Komi delegation have met with the representatives of the Canadian Federal Forest Service and management of the Forest Service of Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces, they visited “Jasper”, the largest national park of Canada, located on the boarder of Alberta and British Columbia in the most picturesque Rocky mountains, as well as Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan province. Besides, meetings with the representatives of the Secretariat of International Model Forest Network and “Foothills” (Alberta) and “Prince Albert” (Saskatchewan) Model Forest were organized.
It should be noted that the initiative to create Model Forest belongs exactly to Canada – the first of them appeared in this country at the beginning of the 90’s of the last century, and during 15 years this initiative was financially supported from the federal budget of Canada. In different years about 15 Model Forests were functioning in Canada. Their main target was implementation of the methods of sustainable forest management and use and their adaptation to natural and climatic, landscape, and socioeconomic conditions of different provinces of Canada. At the same time, Canadian Model Forest was a platform for reaching a compromise between different stakeholders – business, forest service, environmental NGOs, Indian tribes – during the solving of burning controversial issues related to the methods of forest management, logging, and organization of the environmental management on the forest land in general.
When starting its activity in 1997 Komi Model Forest in the Komi Republic set a target to create a practical example of sustainable forest management in the Komi Republic with conservation of biodiversity and natural values of forest, taking into account of the interests of the local population, economic (rental) assessment of wood resources, interaction of all stakeholders during the forest management, and development of the international forest certification in the republic as the priority activities. Since 2008 and until the present moment Komi Model Forest is the only Russian member of the International Model Forest Network. For nearly ten years its activity has been funded by different international donors, but in recent years financing was stopped. However, the development of the Model Forest in Komi is still important and expedient, which is admitted by many participants of the forest relations.
As a result of five days of fruitful discussions, interesting excursions, and exchange of opinions, the participants of the delegation from the Komi Republic saw firsthand that Model Forest is an efficient tool for coordination of the interests of different parties, implementation of innovations in forestry and conservation planning, forests fire and pests protection. The members of the delegation were especially impressed by the methods and techniques of firefighting organization of the territory and preventive burning for protection of the settlements and infrastructure in Jasper National Park. The Model Forest activity in the field of conservation of the rights, interests, cultural traditions of the Canadian indigenous population – Indians, methods for coordination of the loggers and Indian communities’ interests were also quite impressive.
However, the main result of the trip is an affirmative answer to the question whether it makes sense to support the development of the Model Forest in the Komi Republic at the regional level. According to the unanimous opinion of the participants of the delegation from Komi, the experience of the Canadian Model Forest can be successfully adapted and applied in the Komi Model Forest, primarily, in the vigorous activity on innovations implementation, coordination of the interests of the state bodies, business, and local population during the forest management and use, training and professional development of the forest industry specialists. The next step will be elaboration of a regional development program for the Komi Model Forest for the next few years.
A meeting with the representatives of the Canadian Federal Forest Service in Edmonton
Such “tennis balls” filled with an incendiary mixture are dropped from a helicopter by the Canadian firemen for initiation of the backfire during the fighting of the vast forest fires.
On the field airdrome in Jasper National Park (Alberta province)
A meeting with the representatives of the International Model Forest Network and Prince Albert Model Forest management in the office of the Forest Service of Saskatchewan province.
At the field excursion in Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan province).
In search of the salmon “nests”
| «Model river «Mezen» project by silverAnother research expedition within the frameworks of the “Model river Mezen” project with participation of the Silver Taiga Foundation employees, specialists of the Federal State Institution “Komirybvod” and the Udora district Committee for Environmental Conservation, as well as the representatives of the local community “Udorachi” was carried out.
The main task of the expedition was to monitor the reproduction of the Atlantic salmon (salmon) population, as the most vulnerable fish species, on the spawning grounds. The second task was to analyze the poaching situation, which was determined by the fact that overfishing had been the main reason of the drastic reduction of fish resources in the past decade.
At the beginning of October the weather on the Mezen is cool, with night frosts. The water temperature in the rivers is gradually decreasing from 6 to 2 ° С. Precisely this regime is required for salmon spawning, that’s why exactly during this season the expedition participants went to three different directions. The first group went to explore the upper reaches of the Mezen (from the mouth of the river Uv-Yu to the village Verkhnemezensk) and its tributaries the Upper and the Lower Puzla, the second group went to the river Pyssa, the third one – to the river Yolva. The groups had the task to boat up to the upper reaches of the river – to the place with numerous riffles, because on such areas – with a fast water flow and a pebbled bottom – the salmon is spawning.
For monitoring of the salmon spawning it’s required to evaluate a number of the so called pits and hills. A pit is a hole made by the salmon in order to lay eggs there. Having performed one or several egg layings to the pit, the salmon covers them with a pile of pebbles. It’s called a hill. Sometimes, due to some reasons it leaves a prepared pit and changes the place. Such “trial pits” are also interesting for monitoring.
According to the results of the research the spawning of the salmon has been successful this year. During the expedition more than 150 pits and hills were detected, which is much more than last year. According to the opinion of the specialists, it is related to the high water level, which helped the salmon to get to the upper reaches and to escape the nets and fences of the poachers.
The same as last year, traces of poaching could be seen everywhere. In spite of the fact that due to the high water level in the rivers there was not much direct evidence of fishing – nets, fences, poachers themselves, there were plenty of indirect traces – fire beds, fish traps left on the bank, and net poles.
Currently, the employees of the Foundation are processing the information collected during the expedition. The monitoring will be continued next year. Such researches are necessary for determination of the main reasons of the salmon stock degradation and development of a salmon restoration program on the Mezen jointly with the Arkhangelsk region.
FSC Friday in the Forest Institute
| News by silverAn international campaign “FSC Friday” aimed at drawing of the attention of society and business to the necessity of development of the environmentally and socially responsible forest use took place on September, 28th in the Forest Institute. Specialists of the Silver Taiga Foundation came to the meeting with the fifth-year students, who with a keen interest got familiar with the tasks of the voluntary forest certification according to the FSC system and FSC certification practice in our republic.
Silver Taiga Foundation ecologist Elena Popova told students about the origin of this initiative, main principles of sustainable forestry, observance of which have to be guaranteed by the certification. By means of specific examples she paid attention of the future forest sector specialists to the fact that the quality of the forest use and compliance with the principles of sustainability – which means also an aspiration of the user for getting a certificate – to a considerable extent depends on the sensibility of the market. Interestingly, on request of their teacher Andrey Krivoshein students brought to the meeting some examples of products certified according to the FSC system – juice packs, books, creams, etc. with an FSC logotype. Students had questions related to the fact that logotypes of different products contained different number and letters. The fact is that behind every of such logotypes there is a certificate with a unique number, which can be checked in the database on the website info.fsc.org. And the most important thing is that certificates are issued by an independent third party – an auditor.
Foundation coordinator working with the local communities Valentina Semyashkina dwelt upon the social aspects of certification. She showed through the practical examples from our republic that it’s not only business which is interested in the FSC certification and to which such certificate gives the possibility to export products to the sensitive European market. It’s also beneficial for the local residents, rural population of the taiga districts, because certification can be also considered as a protection mechanism defending the interests of the local community, including indigenous population.
The fifth-year students took interest in the topic of the meeting and seemed to be satisfied with the answers to their questions.
Translated by Irina Sokolova
Local population hope to get support from the State Council of the Komi Republic
| News by silverA meeting of the Udora district community with the chairman of the Committee of the State Council of the Komi Republic on nature management and ecology A.P. Makarenko was held in Koslan. During this meeting a discussion on the topic raised in one of the editions of the thematic supplement “Model river Mezen” by a reader Mikhail Fedorovich Loginov (an article “Near the river – but without fish?” dd. May 29th, 2012) was continued.
M.F. Loginov offered, first of all, to stop or restrict sport and amateur fishing organized on the area leased by the Federal State Institution “Komirybvod” in the upper reaches of the Mezen (Mezensky №1 plot). Secondly, he suggested introduction of changes in the rules of amateur fishing with account of the interests of the indigenous population of the rural districts. These proposals – in more detail and with specific justification – were sent by the author to the State Council of the Komi Republic. Moreover, many representatives of the Udora community and some deputies of the municipal district Council signed the letter addressed to the legislative body.
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Practice – from the first days of studies
| «Komi Model Forest» project by silverMore than 250 first-year students of the Syktyvkar Forest Institute got familiar with the history of the forest use, natural forest dynamics and biological diversity of taiga on the Komi Model Forest routes with the support of the Silver Taiga Foundation specialists Yury Pautov, Nikolay Shuktomov, and Elena Popova.
This was the administration of the Forest Institute who came forward with the initiative to organize educational seminars for the students. 9 seminars for the first-year students of different specialties, including future forestry engineers, ecologists, managers and many others, have been conducted throughout September.
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Intensive forest management in Latvia: effect is obvious
| «High Conservation Value Forests» project by silverIn August, on the initiative of the Silver Taiga Foundation a study tour to Latvia was organized for the employees of the Forest Service of the Komi Republic. The target of the trip was to study the experience of this country in the intensive forest management.
It was a sort of “return visit” of the specialists from Komi to Latvia: last summer twelve foresters from this country took a course in natural dynamics of taiga landscapes and history of forest use in Komi, which was organized and conducted by the “Silver Taiga” ecologists. Thanks to these very contacts representatives of the forest service from Komi got a chance to get acquainted with the experience of Latvia. Five specialists from the Forest Committee of the Komi Republic, four forest unit managers from different districts of Komi, and two employees of the Silver Taiga Foundation took part in the trip.
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«We can see everything from above…» – field works in the basin of the river Yn
| «High Conservation Value Forests» project by silverAnother field trip within the framework of the project aimed at creation of the cartographic basis for the forestry landscape planning took place at the end of August in the Ust-Nemskoye forestry unit (Ust-Kulom district): Silver Taiga Foundation ecologists have carried out the works in the basin of the river Yn, tributary of the river Nem.
This is the second of two pilot areas, where collection of the field data on the forest landscape specifics and comparison of the received information with satellite images of different spatial resolution, is fulfilled. An interesting feature of this area is the landscape formation on the fluvioglacial sediments (the sediments deposited by glacial meltwater flow) in the watershed of the Kama and Vychegda basins, which is quite unusual for watershed parts of landscapes.
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Down the river Mezen: illegal salmon fishing is carried out everywhere
| News by silverAn expedition to the lower reaches of the Mezen conducted at the end of July – beginning of August within the frameworks of the “Model river Mezen” project showed that the banning policy prevailing in the Russian legislation in the field of the fish protection and fishing does not work in reality.
An expedition team consisting of two Silver Taiga Foundation employees, as well as specialists of the Federal State Institution “Komirybvod” and a representative of the local residents of the Udora district, walked more than 450 km down the Mezen – from the village Bolshaya Pyssa to the city Mezen and further on – with the entry to the Mezen Bay of the White Sea. A specialist of the Federal State Institution “Sevrybvod” from the city Mezen joined the group already at the end of the trip, before the entry to the bay.
The group had several tasks. The first and the main one was to get familiar with the problems of the lower part of the Mezen, related to the fish resources condition and their management. Besides, it was important to check what had changed compared to the last summer on the areas, which had already been examined – from the Pyssa to the Sula; what was a social and economic situation in the villages alone the Mezen, as well as the significance of the river resources for the livelihoods of the local population.
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New knowledge for the volunteers
| News by silverThe next meeting of the volunteers was held in the evening on the 2nd of August. This time the topic of the meeting was voluntary forest certification.
From the report presented by the Silver Taiga Foundation specialist Elena Popova the participants learned a lot of new useful information about voluntary forest certification, its development in modern Russia, and the fact that availability of this very type of certification but not the compulsory one motivates the producers to adjust their production to the standards requirements. A short insight into the main principles of the most popular standard in Russia – FSC certification – was provided; samples of household items with a logo of the standard were shown, examples of the enterprises having relevant certificates were given.
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