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Komi
Forests of North western Russia
Introduction
The
Green Belt of Fennoscandia
Lake
Baikal
The
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
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Forming
Europe's natural eastern border along the Ural Mountains, the Virgin
Komi Forests are the continent's largest unfragmented oldgrowth forests
representing a wide variety of integrated ecosystems ranging from boreal
forests in the southern part of the territory to subarctic tundra in
the north. The forests, mountains, wetlands and river valleys that make
up the system are a haven for rare species and contain one of Europe's
most valuable stores of genetic and biological diversity.
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In 1994
these forests came under direct threat from many sides. A foreign
timber company began to carry out clearcut logging along the Pechora
and Ilych Rivers while one of the world's largest oil spills destroyed
the river and villages downstream. There was no help in sight: park
officials can go months without pay as nature conservation has been
forgotten in the economic crisis.
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While Greenpeace
campaigners decried the destruction downstream, Greenpeace researchers
got to work upstream to organise a nomination to UNESCO's World Natural
Heritage List, Russia's first such nomination. Once word of the nomination
got out, the loggers disappeared and efforts have turned toward developing
a sound management plan for the enormous 3.3 million hectare nature preserve.
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Contracted
by the Federal Government, Greenpeace has worked with local environment
groups, ecologists, indigenous peoples, and all levels of government
to prepare World Heritage nominations for seven natural areas
in Russia. The Virgin Komi Forests was officially added to the
World Heritage List in December 1995. Since its listing, the Komi
World Heritage site has received commitments of several million
dollars in scientific and infrastructure assistance from the Governments
of Switzerland and Norway.
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