Destruction of fences in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, 2005

Events, facts, documents and evidences: Two years ago a "prestigious" project was realized within the entire territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. It concerned creation of fences. This fact has been described on the page "Tourist complex and the destruction of ancient traditions of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, 2001 - 2003". Building a bulky wooden fence around the enclosures of the educational zoo, where some wild animals live, was the first action in the frame of this "fence-campaign". This fence cut off a forest road and a footpath along the existing enclosures with forest mammals for a distance of over one kilometer. Besides that a small house up in the place where the trail around the enclosure starts, meant for a cashier. When the fence had been realized, visitors were expected to pay a small sum of money to enter the trail by the enclosures.

These pictures show the long fence around the enclosures, entrance and the cashier house, as it existed after its creation.

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(The administration center of the National Park -
eclosures with wild animals, October 19, 2003)

According to the administration this measure was taken in order to raise the revenues from tourists who visit the National Park. However, in the opinion of economists the benefit of this "fence-building-action" around the enclosures with wild animals would be doubtful, because tickets for visitors earlier used to be sold in combination with access to the nature museum at a cash desk in the museum itself. Local inhabitants did not use to pay to walk along the path which passed by the enclosures, as they entered the area somewhere at the backside of the zoo. According to experts on building poles and the boards of high quality were used for the construction of the fence. The total volume of wood needed for the fencing project amounted to over 40 cubic meters. This would have been sufficient to build two wooden houses for the benefit of workers of the National Park, as housing the employees is a dramatic problem since the number of buildings in Belovezhskaya Pushcha is limited. Apart from this, the fence was build by a brigade of Ukrainian citizens, who earned 700 to 800 US $ per month, while the salary of employees of the National Park then amounted to less than 100 US $. It appeared to be a case of financial machination (Elena Tribuleva in "Your ancient grief is clear to me", "The Evening Brest" Newspaper, November 21, 2001).

One year later after the fence was set up its wood has turned black, and lost its aesthetic view as a result. It could be supposed that the National Park would make additional investments in order to restore or to maintain the fence.

However, these forecasts were false. The fence, that cuts off the footpath along the enclosures, has factually been painted light-blue.

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(The administration center of the National Park -
eclosures with wild animals, July 11, 2005)

The rest of the fence .. HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN AND REMOVED over a length of almost one kilometer on order of the National Park. By doing so the administration apparently confirms the conclusion which economists have drawn five years ago!

These pictures show a panorama of the enclosures and the broken fence lying nearby.

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(The administration center of the National Park -
eclosures with wild animals, July 23, 2005)

This is a view of wooden poles and boards made from the best Pine wood of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

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(The administration center of the National Park -
eclosures with wild animals, July 23, 2005)

This case evidently demonstrates once more the low level of long-term economic planning in the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha".


Further: Destroyed rural house of culture, 2005