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Greenpeace today revealed the results of months of investigative work related to illegal logging activities in Russia. A report "Illegal Forest Felling Activities in Russia" ( Click here for the executive summary ) was released aboard the Rainbow Warrior in the south-eastern port of Vladivostock and on the same day at a news conference in Moscow.

According to the Greenpeace survey, at least 20% of timber in Russia is logged either illegally or severely violating existing forest legislation. Illegal logging is primarily logging without permits, with forged permits or by breaking regulations within existing permits. The Greenpeace report also includes video evidence of such activities in the Primorsky region in Russia's Far East. Violations documented by Greenpeace include logging outside permitted areas, logging in watersheds, driving of vehicles through watersheds and other violations of watershed legislation, prohibited logging of species such as Korean Pine and transportation of illegal logs by truck.

"Our investigation has shown that forest management here is controlled not by state services, but by criminal activity. In less than two weeks of patrolling in this district Greenpeace activists have witnessed seven sites with ongoing pirate logging," said Greenpeace Russia forest campaigner Alexey Morozov. "In these examples alone, the total volume of illegally cut oak and ash amounts to several hundred cubic metres of timber."

In Russia, illegal logging has become a common practice. The main reason why it is so wide spread is poor legislation that on the one hand makes illegal logging a profitable activity and on the other does not give the opportunity to punish illegal loggers. This will be further enhanced to a critical state by President Putin's abolishment of both the State Committee of Environmental Protection and the Federal Forest Service. Presently 200,000 foresters are employed but all of their functions will be transferred to 9,000 officials in the Ministry of Natural Resources (according to information sources available to Greenpeace).

The Primorsky Region is a territory where oak, ash and Korean pine are illegally logged. The main markets for such timbers are Japan, China and Korea. The majority of companies buying wood from Russia do not ask where the timber comes from. Greenpeace internationally is calling on buyers of Russian timber products to take responsible action and to ask for proof that the timber does not originate from illegal logging activity.

According to official statistics and statements from the regional government in 1999 the Primorsky region exported 300,000 cubic metres of illegally logged timber, the total value of which is estimated to be US$24,000,000.

"Russia must put an end to illegal and destructive logging practices in their forests," said Michelle Sheather of Greenpeace International. "Despite their public commitments to address the problem of illegal logging, the G8 countries remain among the largest importers of wood products from regions where illegal production and trade of forest products are still commonplace. As part of the G8, Russia and importer countries such as Japan must remember their commitments to protect the worlds last remaining ancient forests, yet vast areas of forest continue to be exported to G8 countries," Sheather concluded.