Ukraine and Russia stand up for Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Elena NOVIKOVA, "Narodnaya Volya" (The People's Will) Newspaper, No 54, March 23, 2005

The Ukrainian Coalition "For Wild Nature" and the International Socio-Ecological Union (Russia) announced the starting the international campaign to protect the Belarusian part of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The reason for this was the lasted numerous facts of infringement of the legislation and rules of wildlife science in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, as well as the intensive economic activity continues to be conducted in the National Park which contradicts the aims of nature protection and conservation of the unique primeval forest of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

These ecological organizations wrote in the press release that the public cannot monitor the economic activities in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The wildlife of the National Park is threatened with massive felling. Man-made forest plantations leave no trace of the forest wilderness, which irreversibly changes the look of the primeval forest. The area of the wild reserved forest constantly decreases. The National Park is transformed into one of the forms of commercial timber enterprises where the methods of forestry, typical for timber enterprises, replace ecological techniques of conservation of biological diversity. The administration of the National Park turns a deaf ear to suggestions of ecologists on conservation, while the ecological and wildlife since is ignored.

Commercial-driven activities in the forest of Belovezhskaya Pushcha often infringe national and international law, and conventions ratified by Belarus. Many violations are covered up by a higher authority. Watchdogs on conservation that arrive to Belovezhskaya Pushcha look all like "orchestrated". Therefore the government is not getting by true information and facts that create the simulation of 'wellbeing' in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Workers of the Park are sacked if they do not agree with this police or protest against it. The National Park itself has become a place for recreation and entertainment of authorities' officials and administration's kin. As if the wool over people's eyes, the residence of Santa Claus was built in Belovezhskaya Pushcha where tourists are delivered. It is the residence rather than the primeval forest and unique wildlife that is advertised for tourists today.

As a result, the unique forest of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is gradually transformed into one of thousands of commonly found in Europe forestries. As a result, the wilderness of Belovezhskaya Pushcha disappears. Íà ñìåíó åé ïðèõîäÿò âûðóáëåííûå ëàíäøàôòû è èñêóññòâåííûå ïîñàäêè. Felled areas and man-made forest plantations will not be able to substitute the wilderness, uniqueness and originality of the protected wood. The Belovezhskaya Pushcha Forest becomes an ordinary 'forest' area. But the latest figures show that the volume of felling in 2005 is going to be two times higher.... If the felling of the primeval forest and other danger activities carries on, we may lose this beloved unique wilderness area called Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Over the course of several years, Belarusian public organizations and activists have been trying to convince the authorities to stop the destruction and environmental degradation of the Europe's last primeval forest. The Park's administration reacted to this by virtually making its activity secret. Public activists and independent ecologists can hardly access the area of the National Park. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the PPMD shut their eyes on it and do not react positively to allow the public control.

The Belarusians succeeded in winning one campaign last year, a campaign to enlarge the strictly reserved zone and the World Heritage Site. Experts of the UNESCO helped them with it. Also, two years ago, thanks to an international 'fax' campaign organized by our coalition and supported by international ecologists, there could stop massive and illegal felling of living protected forest.

In this regard, the initiators of the international campaign to protect Belovezhskaya Pushcha again ask to support the Belarusian public to rescue Belovezhskaya Pushcha which is under barbarian use and to send letters and faxes to the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko. In particular, the initiators of the international campaign ask the Belarusian President:

1. To stop the management in the National Park which leads to destruction of the unique reserved forest of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, first of all, to stop planned massive wood harvesting and creation of artificial, man-made plantations which destroy the primary structure of the primeval forest. To adapt ecological-friendly methods and techniques which conserve biological diversity, instead of methods applied in commercial timber enterprises.

2. To take actions to institute criminal proceedings against those who are responsible for violations of law on nature protection and ecology.

3. To conduct all commercial activities in the area of the National Park, the forest of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, in conformity with the Belarusian law on nature and modern ecological and conservation principles.

4. To make public all activity of the administration of the National Park 'Belovezhskaya Pushcha', allow independent experts to inspect the area of the National Park and create for the National Park a watchdog that will consist of independent experts and public activists.