Ecologists prepare actions in defence of Utrish in Krasnodar and Moscow

An action in defence of Utrish and Baikal will take place on February 20 in Krasnodar. A rally and a march will be already the fourth public action in defence of Utrish in Krasnodar for the last two and a half months. On that day, participation of activists of all sorts of public and political organizations, and residents of Krasnodar concerned of the situation is expected. On the same day, a rally in defence of Baikal and Utrish will take place in Moscow.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in the end of January ecologists held the International Decade of Actions in defence of the Utrish Reserve, located between Anapa and Novorossisk.

According to the Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus, the forthcoming rally will protest against construction of a forestry fire-prevention road, a transit motorway Sukko-Maly Utrish, and plans of large-scale build-up of Utrish with commercial recreational complexes. Ecologists assert that the illegal, in their opinion, fire-prevention road last winter caused an enormous damage to the Utrish ecosystems and was stopped as a result of the action of civil resistance, held by activists of the Ecological Watch and movement "Let's Save Utrish!"

The forthcoming public actions in Krasnodar, as well as the present campaign of actions in defence of Utrish in general, are addressed personally to President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev.

Besides, in Krasnodar the topic of Baikal will be raised for the first time, as a gesture of solidarity with the activists of the organizations named "Baikal Ecological Wave" and "Baikal Movement", which are broadly campaigning in defence of the World Natural Heritage - Lake Baikal.

The rally was agreed with the authorities; it will take place in front of the "Aurora" Cinema and start at 1:00 p.m., while the march will move from the cinema to the Severnaya Street. The events will be accompanied by signing-in of appeals to President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev on preservation of these unique nature objects.

Let us note here that coordination of the time and place of the actions with the administration of Krasnodar encountered problems. The "green" activists agreed, in order not to endanger the actions, to change the venue of the rally and route of the march.

By picking up the initiative of the all-Russian wave of actions in defence of Utrish and the campaign for protection of Baikal, Moscow activists of the All-Russian Voluntary Movement "Let's Save Utrish!" will hold in Moscow, on February 20 at midday, together with the Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of Russia, a rally in defence of the two unique territories at the monument to Griboedov ("Chistye Prudy" metro station). The WWF of Russia reports that the rally was authorized by the authorities.