Ecologists report illicit deforestation in Sochi National Park

Works on cleaning ground areas for development have started in the territory of Sochi National Park. Ecologists consider these actions illicit.

On October, 14, residents of the settlement of Blinovo, Adler district of Sochi, reported that trees were being cut down for building in an area of 0,5 hectares. Local residents appealed to the police but law enforcement bodies declared that the works were carried out on legal grounds.

The deforested area is located in the territory of Veselovsky district forestry of Sochi National Park.

On receiving this news residents of Blinovo appealed to the police again. Almost all the trees had already been cut down by that moment. On October, 16, employees of Sochi National Park established that tens of beech, oak and fig trees recorded in the Red Book of Krasnodar region in the area were illegally cut down, web-site of "Environmental Watch on North Caucasus" informs.

Now the National Park is preparing documents on illicit deforestation to refer to the police.

According to the ecologists, workers started cleaning the area for illegal felling on October, 23. A representative of National Park and district police officer arrived at the scene. The works were held up, "93.ru" reports.