17 November 2003 12:00
Lack of transport endangers environment on Russian Far East nature reserve
[Newsreader] A critical situation has emerged at one of the largest nature reserves in the country - the Kronotskiy
nature reserve in Kamchatka. Because of a lack of helicopter transport, dozens of inspectors there have lost contact
with the outside world. Here is a report by Sergey Kosarev:
[Correspondent] The management of the Kronotskiy nature reserve, the largest in Kamchatka, now has no time to deal
with protection of the environment. Their main concern is to supply food to people living in the taiga, get sick people
to hospital and transport staff. At the moment they are not managing at all. The peninsula's helicopter company has
lost its licence and consequently the nature reserve has been left unable to communicate with the outside world.
[Viktor Komarov, deputy director of the Kronotskiy state nature reserve] The (?Chazhma) boundary is quite a long way
away, 400 km from Yelizovo. And in fact a member of our staff has been stranded there for the last 20 days.
[Correspondent] The Kronotskiy nature reserve covers over a million hectares, and such a vast area of land can only
be protected from the air. An aircraft company had been carrying out these duties for free in accordance with an
agreement with the Natural Resources Ministry. There is no possibility of hiring helicopters from another company, as
funds are too tight. But the effect of the situation could be far greater.
[Yuriy Garashchenko, head of Kamchatka Region's natural resources and environmental protection directorate] We
now have more poachers. The poachers have learnt that the inspectors cannot travel from one side of the reserve to the
other. We know there will be losses to the environment of Kamchatka, to its biodiversity.
[Correspondent] Preparations for winter at the far side of the reserve are now in doubt, and in fact winter has
already begun. Dozens of people in the deep taiga will be left, or have already been left, without food, fuel or
medicines. Another week, or two weeks at the most, and the situation will turn into an emergency.
[Komarov] It's the end of the year, the situation is difficult. We will probably have to ask for help, probably
from the Emergencies Ministry or somebody, so as at least to carry out a shift change and to drop food onto the
territory of reserve.
[Correspondent] The geologists have problems too. There is no way of sending drilling equipment to the north. Gas and
oil exploration work has come to a standstill. Forestry staff are desperate too. If things carry on this way until
spring, forest fires will break out, and it would be impossible to put them out without aircraft.
[Channel One TV] |
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