The Pushcha: whom to believe?
The article by Victoria Ravinskaya,
Published in «Birzha Informacii» (The Information Exchange) Newspaper, #258,
January 16, 2003
Last December the «The Information Exchange» has written about problems in one of the World Heritage Site, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. According to the opinion of some experts, the most beautiful forest in Europe is logged and sold. The present governing board of the reserve, as many people assure, realizing this economic activity on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, can do harm to this forest.
If we do not present the point of view to the owner of the National Park, to Nickolai Bambiza, the general director of the National Park, the story about Belovezhskaya Pushcha would be incomplete. Last time our colleagues could not meet him. He is a busy man. This time the journalists had more luck.
The bark beetle or an income?
The problems about the destruction of the Pushcha started a couple of years ago since the activity to earn some money and to support economic development started here. That was quite a change. During Soviet times there were a lot of restrictions to enter the governmental reserve without special sanction! What a matter is to say about freedom for economic activity in those times. As a logical consequence these innovations have followed at least bewilderment by local inhabitants and scientists of the Pushcha.
A problem, which appeared in the Pushcha the last two years, is the spruce bark beetle. The opponents of the today's administration say that — labeled as «forestry maintenance activities against the bark beetle» — pure healthy trees are logged in a scale which is inadmissible for the protected zone.
But is this necessary? There are two different opinions among scientist on the problem of spreading and invasion of the bark beetle. The first opinion is that a normal forest is ecologically strong enough to control the devastating bark beetle itself. This is because the bark beetle is a «medical attendant» in the coniferous forest. After an ill tree dries out a little, bark beetles get into a bark and begin to grind it intensively. As a result, it perishes releasing the vital space for healthy trees. But a problem is that the bark beetle can spread from the infected and lost trees to healthy ones. That is the reason why in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha the infected trees are felled and removed.
«The problem is that infected trees increased enormously the last three years», says Vyacheslav Semakov, a former research worker of the Pushcha, nowadays a pensioner. He says that this infection of trees is not because of economical reasons. Spruces dry on more places outside the Pushcha. It is a fact that we saw even in the Borisov district dried branches on spruce trees. Drainage of bogs initiated by Peter Masherov (former leader of Byelorussian Soviet Socialistic Republic) can be the reason of this starvation, say experts. Starting this drainage, people did not think of ecological consequences, but now we harvest the fruits. By the way, at one time Belarus considered to abandon the bogs, excuse, a «bladder of Europe» supplying water to European continent. Now, the people say that Western Europe has decided to spend money to work on rehabilitation of wetlands because floods in Europe can be bigger in the future compared with the last summer. But that is another question. What is the real threat to the National Park? Is it cut down so much timber or the drainage of the bogs? «I would say it is idiotism to live in the Pushcha and not to earn any money», said Nickolai Bambiza. «Economic activities were even realized here during king's times. The difference was later when the Pushcha was turned into a zone of the special privacy».
Under a signature stamp «not confidential»
Only six years ago the Pushcha was removed from the category of areas not accessible. Since that time all persons who were interested could access the territory, which means for those who want to have a rest and who can afford a considerable amount of money for this service. But a man with an average-income can go there as well. Excursions of schoolboys and students, for instance, did not stop since Soviet times. These excursions include only the visit of the Museum of nature and the zoo enclosures. But it is very likely that the students and schoolboys cannot allow to have dinner in the restaurant «Belovezhskaya Pushcha». It is too expensive. A restaurant is a profitable business. Especially in recent times it has become a trend among the rich Belarusians to have rest in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha's hotel. This is the second category of accommodation for tourists. Rooms are very cozy and clean, but expensive. And there are a lot of people indeed who wish to spend the weekend in the forest. From the hotel it is possible to walk in the dark forest. But without a guide and additional charges, it is only possible to walk on fixed routes. People come to breathe the cleanest air or even to visit a sauna. And, certainly, to enjoy unusual traditional dishes prepared in the local kitchen. Game is present at the menu almost every day. If the guests can afford to spend more money, it is possible to order an excursion within the Belovezhskaya Pushcha with the obligatory visit of the relic pine tree. The diameter of this more than 350 years old tree is about two meters, its height is 30.5 m. Another huge, more than 500 years old oak tree has a diameter of two meters and an eight of 28.5 m. Other places to visit are lakes with crystalline water, feeding places for bison, red deer, and other Belovezhskaya Pushcha's wildlife. Nickolai Bambiza has made a commercial basis for hunting and fishing. The true hunters are ready to pay out a big sum of money for guaranteed trophies. Any reserve needs the shooting of a certain part of the population of animals. But here it is also possible to suspect the administration of the park that more game will be hunted than that is necessary for a healthy population.
There are a lot of publications in which the management system of the Pushcha is criticized, we asked the director. But Nickolai Bambiza does not want to give any comment: «I'm not used to be criticized for things which are not my work.» And he is criticising the journalists in these opponent newspapers — he does not use the word independent newspaper during overall meeting — who never have spoken to him or even visited the Pushcha. He thinks it is a bad thing because people believe these publications: «Let it be the responsibility of those journalists!» he said. Besides that, Nickolai Bambiza clarified he has not time to meet journalists. He is too busy with work. Just the week before we spoke to him, he had visited the reserve «Zavidovo» in Russia which is the summer house of Boris Elcin. The intention is to exchange experience to create a joint scientific council of the international status. Nickolai Bambiza has also intentions to join the staff of the Polish part of the Pushcha to participate in a council: «The problems in the reserves are identical.»
Sites and locals
Local people don't like new general director because of his policy in making local workers redundant. Too many people feel offended. There have already been several publications on this theme. «The Information Exchange» Newspaper wrote about some of them in earlier editions (see «The Information Exchange», ¹51 (253), December 12, 2002). Mr. Bambiza does not hide that it was necessary to fire many local workers: «Thank God that the times have passed when a salary was paid only for the fact of appearance at a job place! Of course they have to produce that to have a proper earning. They deserve it, when they work, but not when they come to drink vodka. Those locals, who worked well, have remained».
Some forest areas are now under jurisdiction of local timber industry enterprises. General director of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha dreams to add these areas to the territory of the reserve. «It is awful when one of our animals crosses the border of the reserve. It will not return back alive. Only recently, on an early morning, a huntsman of the park has caught one of the locals with a sledge full of meat of wild boar which was killed at night».
In earlier days, under Bolshevik leadership, the Pushcha had become a hunting place for the establishment. Local inhabitants were then evacuated from villages which are located inside the Pushcha. Huntsmen were also evicted although they always lived on cordons around the Pushcha. Nickolai Bambiza is thinking of returning to a similar guarding system: «I think it will be more convenient for the huntsmen if the forest will be under steady supervision».
In general, many locals have a job in the National park. Of course they have a task to serve the national property. But they are also concerned about the park. Their ancestors lived from generation to generation here. This is way they worry about Pushcha. But is there a reason for pain?
Time of solid trousers has passed out
Today the financing of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha has the follow proportion — 50 percent is given by the state while the other 50 percent has to be earned by the Park by means of economic activities. But here is necessary to know where to stop with these activities because it can chop the Pushcha into logs for a fire. Mr. Bambiza supposes that development of tourism has the best perspective. Even if every Belarusian cannot allow the expensive rest in the Belovezha for itself, it will be a good solution. Mr. Bambiza considers it as a normal phenomenon: «Fortunately the times have passed, when everyone wore the same solid trousers!» It is true that forests are unique. The European primordial taiga was only saved here. «Is it really possible to cut it down?» — a reader would ask. No, it is the answer. And unique forest is not cut. Only a selected group of research workers has access to these places. This place is protected as an absolutely protected zone. The general director says that sayings that sometimes «strokes of axes are heard» are absolutely lies. Scientists go there only for research activities. But of course it is sometimes necessary to carry out some fire-prevention measures there. «Last summer was so dry, there is a danger of wood fires».
Mr. Bambiza thinks the high prices of a rest in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a good thing. First reason is that it prevents an invasion of too many tourists. It means there is no dust within the forest, there is no threat of the ignition and the animals can continue to live quietly. Second reason is that it gives the possibility to earn some money on tourism, which can help in protection of the primeval forest. Nickolai Bambiza says that at present all earned means go to the repair of hotels and the purchase of engineering. But, maybe, it will be possible to add finances to scientific researches in future.
Under jurisdiction…
There are two opposite points of view on the reserve. But this does not mean the people who are not indifferent, can relax. «We are witnesses of the destruction of the Pushcha» says one group of persons. Others are convinced that right now the foundation is made for future of the forest. Who is right? I'm not able to judge. But I am completely sure that the discussion on both points of view is very important and imperative. It is a perfect that our society is so indifferent to the future of the Pushcha. That is normal situation. To my opinion the economic activity within the Pushcha's territory should become a property of publicity. At least so that we do not doubt about what is right or wrong. There is hunting for big amounts of money, for instance. That is excellent on one hand; money will go to the conservation of the reserve. But won't all the animals be killed there, I ask myself. There is never too much money. You could try to dissuade me to think so. Mr. Bambiza would say that it is impossible to kill all the animals? But I will say that he is hiding away for the present situation. What to do then? It is possible to convince me,
We express a gratitude to the Regional Press Development Fund assisted the preparation of this publication.