Ecologists: box wood felling in Olympic Sochi should be stopped

Sep 14, 2009 - NatPress

The Ecological Watch across Northern Caucasus made a public inspection in the territory of the quarters #2 and #3 of Veselovsky local forest area of Sochi national park. As a result of the inspection it was revealed that a large-scale felling of the Kolkhidian box wood planned there by companies Open Society "Russian Railways" and Open Society "USK "MOST (Bridge)" had not been started yet. However they elicited the facts of felling of the box, testifying about preparation for committing of such ecological crime.

As it had been informed earlier, above that especially valuable large forest a threat of destruction as a result of construction of the combined road “Adler-Red Glade” appeared. Construction of a southern portal of the tunnel #3, as well as an industrial base of builders and railway embankment is planned on its territories.

In that connection, on August, 27-28th 2009 the Ecological Watch had sent 15 official applications to various state bodies in which it informed them on preparation for committing of a crime. Evidently, it prevented builders of the combined road to begin destructing of the large forest in which tens thousand Red Book trees grow.

As a result of the public inspection of the territory of the century virgin box wood, located in the area of Mzymta river in more than 17 hectares, they elicited facts of the illegal felling. Trees were cut down directly on the line of the combined road between its pickets #216 and #218, obviously, with a view of marking spots under cutting down.

As a result of survey it was revealed more than 50 cut down and damaged box wood trees. In that connection the Ecological Watch sent one more application to militia about committing of the ecological crime at construction of the combined road. Now Adlersky area department started investigatory actions according to the fact.

The continuous box large forest located in quarters #2 and #3 of Veselovsky local forest area, amazes with its magic picturesque landscapes. It is the largest flat inundated box wood in Russia.

Usually the box wood grows on calcareous slopes and rocky sites. It is an especially valuable natural complex and for a long time, even before creation of the Sochi national park, had the special regime of nature protection. However in connection with the plans of the road’s construction in this February without any substantiation and examination the territory was taken out from the structure of the reserve zones of the national natural park.

It adjoined with one more especially valuable continuous box forest, about 15 hectares, located above Mzymta’s current in the gorge of Glubokiy Yar stream and the coastal slopes of Mzymta, covering several wood spots in the quarters #1 and #2 of Veselovsky forest area. It is also threatened with destruction as a result of construction of the combined road “Adler-Red Glade”.

The first steps on felling of the box wood had been already made. As the Ecological Watch revealed in August, there in the 13-th site of the quarter #1 of Veselovsky forest area the builders of the combined road cut down the box wood on the area about 0,5 hectares.