Even bison run away the «Farther»
The article by Ecaterina Vian,
Published in «Moscow Komsomolec» Newspaper,
January 24, 2003
The famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha can disappear on the map of the Earth planet. The large-scale cutting of the forest is conducted there and UN is ready to contribute to its protection already.
The scientists of Belarus sounded alarm long time ago. According to their data, an unprecedented felling is conducted in the most famous forest of Europe. At one time all national reserves and parks were subordinated to the President's administration. The Belovezhskaya Pushcha was one of them. Four years ago a sawmill was placed there and then an «axe of woodcutter» did not stop its work.
Scientists were the first who alarmed about the situation in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. They declared that authorities sell the forest property of world importance to fill their black budget. But the felling has not been stopped, despite of the fact of the UNESCO World Heritage Site status granted the Belovezhskaya Pushcha ten years. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the most ancient forest in Europe which served hunting interests of Polish kings and Russian tsars over many centuries. To understand the value of Belovezhskaya Pushcha let's mention just giant trees. These are oaks of two meters of diameter and the age of more than 500 years or spruces of the age of 350 years with the height of about 50 meters. Besides them this is the last natural home for bison.
Such the authoritative in the country people including Svetlana Alekseevich and Stanislav Shushkevich as well as international bodies have join to the opinion of scientists. But «woodcutters» have been not calmed down. Now UN will deal with the Pushcha. The situation in the Pushcha will be topic for discussion in the Council of Europe at the end of January as well. The former employees of the Reserve assert that hundreds of most valuable trees have been already felled. All this is the fatal danger for the Pushcha and even famous bison can merely go away to the Polish territory of the forest.