Strategy for sustainable forest management in valuable Korean pine-broadleaved forests of Russian Far East Evgeny Lepeshkin WWF Amur Branch Moscow, December 06, 2011

The korean pine (=korean pine- broadlieved) forests reflected in 200 Global Ecoregions the most rich in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere of the Earth (up to 1700 species in flora) about 20 tree species can form stand variability in one site the main habitat for Amur tiger (add. Asian black, brown bear, wild boar, red deer, sable family etc.)

Rapid decrease of KPF area for last 50 years: Primorsky province - 1,9 times less; Khabarovsky province - 3,2 times less Rapid decrease of timber volume: 3,5-4 times less Extinction of old-growth KPF (7,6 % from all KPF; 5,4 % - from KPF in Primorsky province). – its 6 times less than in most untouched etalon-like KPF mln. ha of KPF are remained

Modern forestry basis towards Korean pine forests Short permits for non-commercial selective logging: -sanitary logging; -intermediate logging (non-commercial thinning) Illegal logging Commercial logging of Korean pine in non- Korean pine stands;

Before thinning After thinning

The best quality of Korean pine timber comes to China Up to m3 exported from Primorsky province in According to WWF specialists there are about m3 totally were logged out.

Extinction of most productive for nature stands results: Decrease of feeding productivity for mammals; Loss of biodiversity, main habitats of mammals (incl. tiger); Change of hydrological regime and climate features; Decrease of NTFP values Increase of social problems and conflicts

2007 «Korean pine strikes»

The WWF concept towards Korean pine forest management Goal: Protect valuable forest habitat, incl. their inhabitants (tigers, etc.) from logging, poaching, fire, etc. To do so: Create an economic mechanism which makes protection of Korean pine forests more valuable than logging.

Approach Object determination NHZ –Nut Harvesting Zones Determined optionsDetermined hotspots

Создание орехово-промысловых зон

Постановление СМ РСФСР 219 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 975-р от г. Постановления СМ РСФСР N 103 от Постановление СМ РСФСР 60 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 61 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 268 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 1253-р от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 265 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 535 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 581 от г. Постановление СМ РСФСР 11-р от г.

1,0 mln ha 45 massifs From ha to ha Formed up to 85% of Korean pine forests

Approach Object determination NHZ –Nut Harvesting Zones Long-term concession Determination of rights types Determined optionsDetermined hotspots

Concession right up to 49 years

Approach Object determination NHZ –Nut Harvesting Zones Long-term concession Determination of rights types Determined options Determination of management Conservation forest management Determined hotspots

Conservation forest management Decrease/totally remove logging operation on the area, especially on HCVF terriories Exclude most of area from road development; Protect against illegal activities (logging, poaching, fire, unsustainable nut harvesting). Implement fire fighting service

Approach Object determination NHZ –Nut Harvesting Zones Long-term concession Determination of rights types Determined options Determination of management Conservation forest management Determination of WWF partners Requirements for partners Determined hotspots

Requirements for partners Not involved to illegal logging operations; Experienced/Interested in NTFP business; Allocated on the ground (preferably);

Korean Pine Nut Harvesting Zones in the Russian Far East Province of Primorsky Pozharskaya NHZ 41,159 ha NOT LEASED Potential: 525,000kg/year Olginskaya NHZ 40,997 ha NOT LEASED Koksharovskaya NHZ 27,755 ha Leased by WWF partner PZB JSC. Potential: 648,000 kg/year Vostochnaya NHZ 95,811 ha Leased by WWF partner Primorskiy GOK Potential: 800,000 kg/year Bikinskaya NHZ and water protection zone 461,154 ha Leased by WWF partner Udege Tribal Commune Tiger. Potential: 580,000 kg/year Melnichnaya NHZ 22,117 ha Leased by WWF partner Krasnoarmeyskiy RZOP, daughter of Primorskiy GOK. Potential: 82,000 kg/year

The WWF concept towards Korean pine forest management Goal: Protect valuable forest habitat, incl. their inhabitants (tigers, etc.) from logging, poaching, fire, etc. To do so: Create an economic mechanism which makes protection of Korean pine forests more valuable than logging. To do so: Give local people economic incentives and therefore an alternative from illegal logging and poaching To do so: Give concession holders economic incentives to protect forest from illegal activities. To do so: Work with concession holders to create controlled economic / ecological zones and pay fair prices to local collectors. To do so: Work with international NTFP buyers to generate steady, attractive income.

Saving the last virgin forests in RFE Bikin River valley The Bikin climate project on Bikin Nut Harvesting Zone (NHZ)

Donors Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Berlin KfW Entwicklungsbank Partners – implementers WWF Germany WWF RFE Tribal Commune Tiger

biodiversity and tiger habitat protection natural carbon stock securing by saving standing phytomass tools: Concession rights for 49 years traditional nature use of Udege and Nanai tribes on preserved area: Create Federal TTNU (territory of traditional nature use) Mitigate impacts of climate change through the protection of large scale virgin forests in the Bikin Area (Russian Far East) Bikinskaya NHZ and water protection zone 461,154 ha

113 million tons of CO tons of CO2 Existing carbon stocks, in tCO2 Annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, in tCO2 Preliminary results: Assessment of the Carbon Sequestration and Finance Potential for Carbon credits

Main project activities Preservative and controling: develop inventory and management plan for the NHZ. protection by anti-poaching brigades protection by fires service (aircraft and land groups) Socio-economic: carbon project development for generating additional income Develop sustainable complex use: NTFP, eco-tourism, sustainable fishing and hunting management develop business relationships with potential buyers of nuts / NTFP.

Vostochnaya NHZ

Melnichnaya NHZ

Market links

COSTCO Nuts/ kernels Russian Far East International Market Harvester & Concession owner + Primary processing (various scenarios of how processing is managed) NHZ lease owner company/ies Most likely longer supply chain Buyer MoU Local People / Collectors Contract WWF RFE Market price Conservation fee MoU

Sustainable forest management on FSC certified areas Target: 1 Mio ha of new FSC areas with ban of logging for both high conservation reasons (HCVF) and climate reasons (CO2 emission reduction) 1 PDD (Project Design Document) created for evaluating climate benefits of FSC concessions and creating financial benefits for sustainable management and HCVF delineation Additional effects: As a climate project owners companies can be more competitive on a global markets Importance of HCVF (esp. korean-pine massifs) for local societies highlighted

Thank you for the attention

Какие экономические мотивации д.б. задействованы? -дикоросы -климатические инвестиции -экологические функции леса Какие категории лесов могут быть предложены в таком подходе? -ОПЗ -водоохранные зоны -эксплуатационные леса --- Как использовать внутри других инструментов? -FSC ( ПРИНЦИП 5. ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ЛЕСА Лесохозяйственные мероприятия должны способствовать эффективному многоцелевому использованию продуктов и функций леса…..) -лесное законодательство (многоцелевое устойчивое лесопользование) -ЛВПЦ как категория лесов с недревесным приоритетом лесопользования Кто сторонники? -Местное население --Охотпользователи -Представители бизнеса по дикоросам, турбизнеса