Belovezhskaya Pushcha: how to rescue a World Heritage Site?
Anatoly LESNOY, Specially for the Website "Belovezhskaya Pushcha 21st Century", November 26, 2005
The article "Green bazaar, or why Belarusian ecologists did not support an action to protect Belovezhskaya Pushcha" shows that the national movement for nature protection is weak and "infantile". The movement adapted itself to the political reality in Belarus. It does not make sense to wait for a more powerful, intensified and more radical approach of the movement in the field of protection of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. However, the Pushcha with its ancient relic wood is unique within Europe and even within the Biosphere of the planet Earth. Thanks to this it was given the status of World Heritage Monument and Biosphere Reserve.
Gaining these titles and resting content is not enough to preserve Belovezhskaya Pushcha. First of all, it is necessary to establish a proper system of protection. It is necessary to ensure optimal conditions for natural self-development of such unique objects primarily from the ecological point of view. This should be done in stead of only creating proper protection in the form on paper. There is a Russian proverb - the one who pays money then orders music. Financial means are necessary to protect Belovezhskaya Pushcha of course. Experts in the field of Biosphere Reserve economy can calculate the sum needed. The Belarusian state is not rich. If it will allocate the needed money, it will aspire to let the funds come back and to fill its budget by involving economic activities with one or several kinds of natural resources from Biosphere Reserves. The business is not often done in a proper way. Belovezhskaya Pushcha illustrates as the best example of the above stated. In this case the state must guarantee a kind of protection of the World Heritage Site. Surely, international ecological and other organizations (UN, UNESCO) which are engaged in these scopes should take responsibility for protection of the most valuable objects, control the development and be keen on legislative aspects in relation to unique Monuments and Biosphere Reserves (in our case, to Belovezhskaya Pushcha).
The situation of the Pushcha is especially dramatic. The article "Green bazaar" by Heorhi Kazulka shows that even leaders of the national ecological movement are not aware of the true situation in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The cause is censorship which covers mass media, newspapers, TV and radio and blocks true and critical information about the current conditions and the situation in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The basic context of publications and reportages on Belovezhskaya Pushcha is built of odes to prize the management methods which the Property Management Department of the President applies. At the same time Belarusian reporters and writers are not allowed to publish and distribute accurate information about the present condition of the natural wood of Belovezhskaya Pushcha in the mass media. The facts are covered by state censorship.
In these conditions, a group of journalists and writers who are involved in international ecological organizations, including the UN and UNESCO, dealing with World Heritage Monuments and Biosphere reserves, could inform people and the society. They could open up the truth about the actual conditions in the woods of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Do such journalists exist? Do writers and naturalists exists which reach the level of G. Darrel, B. Grzhimek or J.I. Kusto?
International ecological organizations should, also financially, support those talented journalists, writers, producers and artists who are capable to touch human emotions not just their mind and who are working or wishing to work in this field. The products of such authors would inform the public about the true situation in protected natural sites. They would also bring over emotions which would activate people in the field of nature protection. Only when modern principles of nature protection will be perceived on a level of moral norms by some people, a quite large share of the society, of the politics and of presidents and governments will take these principles into account in their daily work.
Today the development of tourism in areas with a status of both Biosphere Reserve and National Park is often presented as an adequate way to solve economic problems. However, even civilized and well-managed tourism which in practice involves many people can put serious loss to the quite vulnerable nature of Biosphere Reserves. Even eco-tourism developed within the area of reserves must be subject to strong legislative regulation. This is especially an important aspect within the fast-growing market relationships.
The sale of products about Biosphere Reserves can be a way to obtain the financial means needed to protect the reserves, and to build an alternative for the development of tourism. The products include both scientific publications and high quality art objects, such as books, pictures and films. Products and information marketed under the umbrella of international ecological organizations can happily avoid the censorship practice of separate states. Since Biosphere Reserves are a global property as the last remnants of Wild Nature those goods express the interests of the worldwide population.