50 Stories: Conserving Russia’s forests

WWF Canada



On April 29, 2011, WWF celebrated 50 years of environmental conservation. Join us as we highlight 50 stories in 50 days, looking back at what we’ve achieved together and looking forward to another 50 years.
Imagine a country spanning a sixth of the planet’s surface. A landscape that’s vast enough for both tigers and polar bears to roam, from subtropical forests to Arctic deserts. Somewhere you’ll find a fifth of the world’s forests, and some of the last few precious untouched wildernesses left on Earth.
Welcome to Russia. It’s an amazing place, and we’ve helped keep it that way.

Newborn saiga antelope, Cherniye Zemli Nature Reserve, Russia (c) Wild Wonders of Europe/Igor Shpilenok/WWF
What’s at stake?
Russia may be famous for its cold climate, but it’s got more in common with the world’s warmer places than you might think. Just like the Amazon and the Congo Basin, it’s home to huge areas of unspoilt forests that teem with life – from tiny insects to wolves, leopards and tigers.
Russia’s magnificent forests and vast tracts of Arctic tundra have a vital function beyond their beauty: they absorb and store the carbon dioxide that causes climate change. Letting them be destroyed would be a catastrophe – which is why we’ve worked so hard to keep them standing.
The story so far
For the last two decades, we’ve helped the Russian government safeguard these unique spaces.
So far, we’ve played a part in protecting 68 areas of Russian wilderness, covering a total of 430,000 sq km – that’s nearly twice the size of the UK. We’ve recognized Russia’s achievements as a Gift to the Earth, our highest conservation accolade.
We’re supporting sustainable environmental management too. Back in 2000, only 30,000 hectares of Russia’s commercial forests were managed with the environment in mind. Today, just ten years later,  and thanks in large part to our persistence, a massive 26 million hectares of forests are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). That means they’re managed to minimize harm to wildlife and the environment, while maximizing benefits for workers and communities.
Did you know?
 
The forests of the Russian Far East are home to more than 10% of the world’s wild tigers.
 
Facts and stats
 

  • 22% – proportion of the world’s forests found in Russia.
  • 26 million hectares – area of Russian forest certified by the FSC. That’s a quarter of Russia’s commercial forests under lease, and almost a fifth (19%) of total FSC-certified forest worldwide.
  • 43 million hectares – protected areas that we’ve helped to establish in Russia.

 
What next?

Thanks to research we supported, the Russian government recently announced plans for a vast network of protected areas the size of Switzerland. Over the next decade, we’ll be working with them to create 9 new national nature reserves and 13 national parks.
What you can do
Huge areas of Russian forest are now managed sustainably through the Forest Stewardship Council. You can show your support, and help conserve even more, by always choosing wood and paper products with the FSC label.
Be part of the celebration!