Russian Far East forest disturbances and socio-economic problems of restoration

Abstract

For many years the economy of the Russian Far East relied on the military potential and use of natural resources, such as fish, wood and minerals. The economic crisis of the 1990s led to an increase in the importance of extractive industries and exploitation of natural resources became even more active with the application of the most exhausting and damaging methods. During the transition period to a market economy, the system of legislation and control over the use of natural resources weakened considerably and, as a consequence, there are continued efforts to expand logging in protected areas, non-compliance with cutting regulations and harvest of forbidden species like Korean pine. As a result, the degradation of unique complexes and reduction in populations of endangered species continues. With 26% of Russia’s forest reserves, the Far East represents a mammoth opportunity to contribute to the solution of numerous ecological problems, both local and international, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, regeneration and forest disturbances. The paper presents an analysis of recent processes in Far East forests that are related to disturbances and their socio-economic consequences.