For this post, we have talked to Denis Smirnov, Head of Forest Program of the Amur Branch of WWF Russia. Denis was one of the authors of our joint program.
— How long have you been with WWF? Why did you choose this organization? How did you find yourself on the thorny path of environmentalist?
I’ll be celebrating my ninth anniversary at WWF in a couple of days. However, I took an interest in environmental issues a lot earlier. It happened during my student years at the Leningrad State University in the late 80s when I joined the newly born «green» movement. After graduation I came to work to the Russian Academy of Sciences, and preservation of the remaining inviolate forests in Russia became my hobby that took most of my leisure time. WWF gave me an opportunity to turn «hobby» to a proper job.
— Has anything changed with the ban on logging of cedar forests come into effect in November 2010?
The situation has definitely changed for the better. Until the end of 2010, the cutting of the trees continued on the basis of the permissions that had been issued before the adoption of the new law. Starting this year, timber lorries laden with the Korean Cedar are no longer seen on the roads of the Primorye Region that often. Of course, we can still identify certain cases of illegal logging, but the overall picture is very promising. More importantly, thanks to this ban the inhabitants of the Far East started to believe that there is room for a better change. Before, you would hardly find a person to doubt the fact that cedar forests are doomed to vanish in the next few years through the greed of timber merchants.
— Have Russian corporations changed their attitude to restoration and preservation of forests lately?
Last year, Russian companies began supporting WWF’s projects on forest restoration in the habitat of the Far East Leopard. These programs used to be implemented at the expense of foreign donors. ZAO Citibank purchased the saplings of the Korean Cedar and funded the planting works. Thanks to BAT Russia and M-Video we bought a cross-country vehicle and a truck that help us transfer the saplings to mountainous areas. We hope that this interest will not wither once the International Year of Forest is over.
— You had a chance to take part in the planting works last weekend. How many saplings can a volunteer handle in one day?
It’s been my seventh day in the fields starting last Saturday. Under the existing conditions, as our experience shows, one volunteer can plant about 600 young trees per day.
— Thank you very much for your time and good luck! We’ll hope to see you on May 15th.
