Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov visited the Abai region. The head of government inspected the progress of restoration work on the pine forest in the «Semey Ormany» nature reserve, and also instructed to step up efforts against illegal logging.
According to the government press service, Bektenov reviewed the forest nursery complex and the seed centre, where pine seedlings are grown using accelerated technology.
“In one year, specialists harvest twice – up to 3 million plants in total. The quality of seedlings with a closed root system is higher than those grown using traditional methods, which ensures a high survival rate for forest crops,” the statement said.
In turn, the head of the forest nursery complex and seed centre, Ruslan Nadirbekov, said that the complex produces about 10 million Scots pine seedlings a year.
“The planting material is distributed among the branches of Semey Ormany. From the 3 million pine seedlings with a closed root system, we will restore 714 hectares of burnt forest,” Nadirbekov stated.
It also emerged that projects for growing and restoring the ribbon pine forests of the Irtysh region are being implemented within the reserve. Alongside this, as part of the «Taza Kazakhstan» environmental campaign, more than 70,000 seedlings were planted in the reserve. Furthermore, in Semey Ormany, the felling of burnt tree stands is being carried out.
“For the disposal and processing of the burnt forest, the region has attracted investments totalling 7.5 billion tenge for the construction of a wood-processing complex producing finished goods – laminated chipboard, chipboard, OSB, and fuel briquettes. Currently, the procedure for allocating a 55-hectare land plot in the industrial zone of the city of Semey is underway. Moreover, over the past year, 38,300 cubic metres of round timber were harvested within the natural reserve using its own resources. The project plans to create 530 jobs,” the statement said.
The head of government noted that law and order on the territory of Semey Ormany must be strictly controlled. It was reported that law enforcement agencies have already identified instances of illegal logging and timber theft.
“Another important point I wanted to raise concerns those organised criminal groups involved in illegal logging. We must fight them. You know better than I do that they exist. I am aware that threats are even being made to certain employees to allow illegal logging to proceed unhindered. This is what we need to combat. The Ministry of Internal Affairs needs to pay very serious attention to this. The forest is our national asset. Those engaged in illegal logging are enemies of the state. The entire state must come together and deliver a decisive blow. That is your task, and the task of law enforcement agencies,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
Among other things, Olzhas Bektenov raised issues regarding the modernisation of the material and technical base for forestry workers. He stated that as part of the Comprehensive Plan for 2023-2027, 37 units of specialised equipment worth a total of 1.4 billion tenge were purchased for the Semey Ormany reserve last year.
The head of government said that last year, 12,876 employees of the state forest protection service received a 100% pay rise.
“This year, by a government decree, from 1 July, workers at forest and nature conservation institutions across the country began receiving supplements to their official salaries. Workers at forest fire stations, forestry institutions, nature conservation and forest management organisations receive salary supplements of up to 100%. In total, around 3,300 workers are covered by this additional payment. For 2024-2027, 8.4 billion tenge has been allocated from the republican budget for these purposes,” Bektenov stated.
The Prime Minister noted that the government will continue to equip the reserve, including promising to install early detection systems for forest fires.
In conclusion, the head of government instructed the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, together with the Abai region Akimat and relevant state bodies, to continue work on equipping and reforesting in Semey Ormany, and also to support the implementation of the project for developing burnt forest areas.
It is worth recalling that in June last year, a major fire occurred in the forests of the Abai region, resulting in the deaths of 14 employees of the Semey Ormany forest nature reserve. The fire destroyed more than 63,000 hectares of unique relict pine forest. The damage exceeded 160 billion tenge.
In July this year, it was reported that the director of a branch of the Semey Ormany reserve was detained in the Abai region. He is suspected of timber theft. In addition to him, law enforcement officers took more than 20 people into custody.