FOREST FIRES, PESTS AND DISEASES: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Abstract

In the Russian Federation, the area of forests devastated by fires amounts to millions of hectares per year, and the areas affected by mass outbreaks of pests and diseases varies from three hundred thousand to two million hectares per year. However, the official statistics does not fully accounts of the real situation. The leaseholders of forest areas are usually not motivated to prevent fires. Forests that are not under leasing are mostly a burden for the majority of the subjects of the Federation. Fire prevention measures are often limited by the lack of funds in regional budgets. The deficit of full-fledged personnel and adequate technical support makes in unfeasible to forecast fires and successfully prevent them and stop their spread. Even when there is enough means, there is no adequate organization. Decisions are made based on subjective judgments because of the lack of objective estimates. Another problem is the inadequacy of generally accepted preventive measures. This is especially true with regard to sanitary felling, particularly selective felling, which is overtly hazardous. Even if such measures are substantiated, the procedures of their implementation are not followed, and they are often associated with commercial side interests and prone with building extra nutritive base for pests. Total sanitary felling is most often delayed. The generally accepted technologies do not provide for pest control. What is needed is legislation harmonized with regard to the objectives of controlling forest fires, pest and diseases.