Winter Olympics-2014 in Sochi under Control of Rosleskhoz

Corresponding commission Head of Rosleskhoz Valery Roshchupkin received from Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev.

The Center of State Forest Inventory and Evaluation of Forests (FSUE Roslesinforg), on institution within the jurisdiction of Rosleskhoz, will act as an operator of aerospace monitoring. V. Roshchupkin said that by using the newest equipment Roslesinforg would be able to submit operative information regarding influence of construction activities on ecological system of Sochi and Krasnodarsky Krai on the whole: “Digital technologies will allow us to scan needed areas with maximum precision, up to one separate tree. Once we notice even preconditions leading to violations of forest legislation we will inform immediately about it corresponding authorities and broad public”.

Results of aerospace monitoring will be regularly placed on Internet-site of Rosleskhoz in open access. V. Roshchupkin emphasized by this would be removed many questions connected with preparation for the Olympics, in particular those raised by public organizations.

It should be mentioned that in 2005 Rosleskhoz introduced for the first time in essence new system of control on using forest resources that is remote monitoring. This system allowed us to considerably strengthen activities on preventing illegal turnover of wood. Monitoring is based on deciphering materials of space and large scale air photography of main cutting areas in reach on forests Russian regions.

In 2005 remote monitoring enveloped total area of more than 53.2 million hectares in seven subjects of the Russian Federation. The volume of illegal logging made up 703.8 thousand cubic meters, the total sum of forfeits reached 2.4 billion rubles. In 2006 remote monitoring covered area of 101.2 million hectares in 18 regions of Russia. Volume of illegal logging was 1.02 million cubic meters; approximate sum of forfeits was 1.77 million rubles.

In 2007 analyses of forests utilization and organization of forest management with help of remote monitoring acquired basically new significance. After transferring functions of forest management to the subjects of the Russian Federation (in accordance with new wording of Forest Code, which came into effect starting from January 1, 2007), Rosleskhoz intensifies its activities on state inventory and monitoring of forests. “Heads of the regions for the time being still don’t realize their amenability for delegated to them powers. In order not to permit decrease of income from utilization of forest resources and increase of illegal logging volumes, we must more fixedly look at forest exploitation and react without any delay on any violations of the order ” – accentuated V. Roshchupkin.

In connection with this for 2007 remote monitoring was planned for conducting in 19 regions on total area of 112 million hectares. We will continue our efforts on improving methods of digital photography, what allow us to receive photos of considerably better quality, with increased scaling and consequently to reveal violations more efficiently. Besides, for the first time we will conduct monitoring of forests which earlier belonged to agricultural sector.