The long-running struggle over the Ridder Pine Forest continues. Activists believe that under the guise of intermediate felling in the Central Forestry, the forestry enterprise is removing healthy pine forest of high economic value.
The local community has long been trying to draw attention to the issue of deforestation in the water protection zone, accusing forestry enterprises of insufficient control and negligent treatment of natural resources.
Representatives of the forestry sector, however, insist that everything complies with the approved regulations.
On 10 September, the State Institution 'Ridder Forestry' held a meeting with local residents and forestry specialists to explain the tree felling on the state forest fund land in Central Forestry, which had so alarmed the public.
The activists were provided with the documents authorising the felling, and were reminded that 'intermediate felling' is aimed at improving the health of the forest, its regeneration, and increasing its productivity.
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For reference: 'Intermediate felling' usually involves removing trees that hinder movement or worsen conditions for the growth and development of other trees. Meanwhile, 'sanitary felling' is carried out by removing diseased, damaged, or dead trees to prevent the spread of diseases and pests.
Furthermore, local residents were assured that information circulating on social media about the felling of healthy trees for subsequent sale does not correspond to reality.
Apparently, this refers to information published on the personal Instagram page of lawyer Olga Kaigorodova, where documents were released, also confirming the ongoing felling.
One of the attached documents contains a line indicating the felling of trees 'that have fallen behind in growth or are damaged', which precisely corresponds to sanitary felling.
At the same time, according to an order from the Chairman of the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife dated 22 December 2016, conducting sanitary fellings in fir plantations on sections of the state forest fund of the East Kazakhstan Region is prohibited.
The activists' concern is quite understandable here, especially after the devastating forest fires in 2021.
It is worth recalling that it was thanks to numerous public complaints that the territorial inspectorate for forestry and wildlife identified cases of illegal felling in the Levo-Ubinskoye Forestry in 2022.
One controversial topic in 2024 was the signing of contracts between the State Institution 'Ridder Forestry' and entrepreneurs, which unreasonably placed responsibility on the latter for clearing felling sites and restoring roads.
The editorial board of FBK has sent official requests to the Akimat of the East Kazakhstan Region and the Ministry of Ecology to learn more about the situation regarding the felling in Central Forestry.
To be continued…