Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in Russia Elena Kulikova, WWF Russia Forest Programme Director

Russian Forest Sector: Overall Context

Forests of Russia: Wealth and Poverty Forest sector as a part of resource-based economy 22% of World forests 3% of World timber trade 1 place in World by amount of round wood trade The lowest stumpage fee in the World Profit from forest management per 1 ha about 10 times less, than in Scandinavia

Global Importance of Russian Forests: Biodiversity and Climate Change Agenda One of four mega-areas of intact forests in the World (along with Canada, Brazil, and Congo basin) Russia accounts for 25% of the world's large massifs of intact forests Russian boreal forests has highest biodiversity and endemism among the other boreal forests in the World Sink for 15% of global CO2 emissions

Map of Russian Intact Forest

Key Ecological Problems of Russian Forests The pioneer “mining” of intact forests massifs is still on-going Imperfect forest management practice The biodiversity of commercial forests is decreasing (share of aspen and birch increased up to 30-40% of total area) As the result of forest fires about 2 mln ha of commercial forests burn every year

On-going Reforms in Russian Forest Sector Forest Code (frame character, about 60 sub-ordinate normative acts needed to be developed) Maximum decentralization - delivery of responsibilities on forest management to the regional level (re-organization of stricture and staff) Changing in export tax policy for round wood Priority investment projects May, 2008 – new Government, forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture, new Head of FFA

Specificity of Forest Reforms Implementation All they are implemented simultaneously Short-term period of realization Lack of information and communications, a lot of uncertainties Lack of public involvement into decision-making process

WWF Russia Forest Programme Priorities Forest Policy,FLEG and illegal logging HCVF Model forests Certification GFTN Forest and Climate

Forest Policy,FLEG and Illegal logging

Forest Policy Tools: Public Ecological Council under Federal Forestry Agency and Forest Council under the Ministry of Agriculture Major problem: low quality of new forest legislation Developing set of amendments A scorecard of ecological responsibility and sustainability of forest management of Russian forest regions has been created (by 2010)

Status of FLEG Issues Programme of measures on elimination of illegal turnover of wood, adopted by the Government (February, 2007). Federal level - set of activities Regional initiatives Relevant agencies’ activities (Ministry of Interior, Custom, Transportation, etc.)

Status of FLEG Issues BUT… Due to reforms, uncertainties in legislation, poor practice of law enforcement, etc. scale of illegal logging is raising There are no regional bodies designated for forest violation control or they are very limited in capacities Forest guard is abolished and its functions are distributed among 5-9 servicies Statistic is not available

FSC Certification in Russia

FSC standard  November 11, 2008 Russian national FSC standard got official accreditation. Development of this standard started in 1998; the last (fifth) version of it was sent to FSC in December 2007.

Rate of FSC Certification Growth in Russia 2000 – first certificate in Altaysky Kray - 32,7 thousand ha 2009 – 21 ml ha (North-West, Siberia, Far East) It comprises 15% of commercial forests 2-nd place in the world Leads to improved forest management

FSC Forest Management Certificates in Russia: Geography

FTN Russia as a Driver of FSC Certification

Russian Export of Forest Products by Value in 2008 Total Russian Export of Forest Products in 2008: 12 549 million USD

Problems of Russian Forests ILLEGAL LOGGING LOGGING IN HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS POOR FOREST MANAGEMENT Russia avoided deforestation, However there is a lack of high-quality wood in accessible commercial areas

Global Forest and Trade Network – Russia GFTN in Russia was established in 1999 as the Association of Environmentally Responsible Timber Producers Goal – to eliminate illegal logging and drive improvements in forest management by encouraging voluntary forest certification At present, GFTN-Russia consists of 50 participants and 10 applicants, Which manage near 24.8 million ha of leased forests, or 21% of such forests in Russia

GFTN-Russia in 2009 1 – Ilim Group 2 – Arkhangelsk PPM 3 – Volga 4 – Solombala Sawmill 5 – Kartontara 6 – TAMAK 7 – Sawmill-25 8 – Cherepovetsles 9 – Lesosibirsk Sawmill-1 10 – Solikamskbumprom 11 – SLT – Sawmill-3 12 – Fankom 13 – Dammers 14 – Swedwood Tikhvin 15 – Siberian Silver Pine – Management 16 – Zalazna Sawmill 17 – VM-Invest 18 – Cardinal 19 – Les Export 20 – Premium-les 21 – Yeniseylesozavod 22 – Arkhangelsk Sawmill-3 23 – Priozersky DOZ 24 – Terneyles 25 – Lesinterkom 26 – Titan-Lesprom 27 – Technoclassik 28 – Mospromstroymaterialy-Vyatka 29 – Pankratov 30 – Primorsklesprom 31 – Primorsky GOK 32 – Serebryanaya Sosna 33 – TMKPerspektiva 34 – Mondi Syktyvkar 35 – Kay 36 – Segezha PPM 37 – Sorvizhi-les 38 – Kata 39 – Malakhit 40 – PLO Onegales 41 – Prizma Holz 42 – Onega Sawmill 43 – Investlesprom 44 – ResursLesTrans 45 – Delta-Plus 46 – Lesprom-Invest 47 – Baikal 48 – Gogohiya 49 – Exportles Co. 50 – Sib-Ekologiya

Share of GFTN-Russia Participants in the Russian Forest Export Pulp & Paper 68% 32% Fibreboard 35% 65% Furniture 16% 84% Shaped wood 6% 94% Round wood 5% 95% Sawnwood 13% 87%

Voluntary Forest Certification Systems in Russia FSC certification began in Russia in 2000 FSC National Standard was endorsed in 2008 FSC forest area – 21.5 mln ha PEFC National Standard was endorsed in 2009 PEFC forest area – 0 ha FSC controlled wood certification and other legality verification systems

FSC certification Development in Russia All over the world – > 100 ml ha in > 80 countries Canada – > 24 ml ha

FSC COC Certificates in Russia 2008 – 19, 2009 – 11

FSC FM certificates The biggest areas : IlimSeverLes – 1 677 413 ha IlimSibLes – 1 589 944 ha Segezha PPM - 1 524 470 ha The smallest areas: Mospromstroymaterialy-Vyatka – 4263 ha Lesintercom – 6903 ha Priozersky lesokombinat – 8707 ha The biggest certified companies: Ilim Group – 4 323 116 га Investlesprom – 3 994 821 га Mondi Syktyvkar – 3 078 091 га Siberia – 4 965 481 ha (22%) Far East – 1 443 504 ha (6%)

FSC Promotion Campaign in Russia Main goals: 1. To communicate ecological, social and forest management features of certified forests/products, thus influencing the development of purchasing policies of companies and purchasing priorities. 2. To raise up FSC logo recognizability among the interested parties on a domestic market as a sign of guarantee that the unwanted timber volumes are minimized and better forest preservation is secured Partners:

FSC Promotion Campaign in Russia 1 – Work with big customers of forest products (big corporate customers, including banks, with social responsible policies) 2 – State and municipal purchasing (Moscow, St.Petersburg, etc.) 3 – Work with big retailers (office paper, DIY, furniture, etc.) 4 – Work with individual customers (mass media, Internet, social advertising) 5 – FSC logo promotion (among corporate and individual customers, promotion campaign)

High Conservation Value Forests

High Conservation Value Forests Concept is widely used by business in certification process WWF role: adaptation to the Russian conditions, possible legalization, identification and mapping, management Cases, geography, practical use WWF «Key Requirements on HCVF for the FSC Process Participants» - widely using Number of publications Attempts of legalization are not successful yet

Pskov Model Forest

Topical Questions of Russian Forestry How to ensure sustainable forest management Profitability of forest use Social and ecological issues of forest use Role of forests in different forest-growing zones

Pskov Model Forest System of intensive sustainable management is implemented and demonstrated for the first time in Russia Priorities: increased and stable profit, conservation of biodiversity, account of interests of local population

Nature Conservation Effect of Model Forests Key question: is it necessary to explore remote primary forests including intact forests? Idea of intensive sustainable forest management in secondary forests of already explored territories as an alternative of intact forests exploitation Cluster approach Already demonstrated ability under Russian conditions (Pskov Model Forest)

Forest and Cimate Pioneer demonstrator project in North-West Russia Forest conservation through the retiring of harvesting concessions – creation of regional protected area – decision of regional administration Improving harvesting practices – forest harvesting company Svetlozerskles - FSC GDNI- expertise on LULUCF FCNI – membership in Advisory Board on green standards

Education, Training, Publications Text book on sustainable forest management for secondary school Text book on sustainable forest management for Higher Education “Sustainable Forest Management” Journal

ekulikova@wwf.ru