Ecologists ask UNESCO to include Large Sochi and Adygeya  territories into “World Heritage under Threat” list 
27.6.2009
     

Ecological Watch across Northern Caucasus sent a letter to address of the 33-rd session of the World Heritage UNESCO Committee taking place in Seville (Spain), with the request to study “the question of inclusion of the object “Western Caucasus” into the list “World Heritage under Threat”. The ecologists also consider that it is necessary to urgently direct to Russia the monitoring mission, “which could investigate directly the state of affairs which had developed in the sphere of environment protection of the object”.

The greatest fears of the ecologists are connected to the territories of Pear Ridge (Big Sochi) and Lago-Naki plateau (Maykopsky area of Adygeya).

The ecologists remind that they had addressed to the 32nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee which made the rigid decisions concerned a plenty of recommendations to Russian party. “Unfortunately, - they explained, - practically all the recommendations had not been executed by Russia, or executed partially. In addition to the former threats to the natural complexes of "Western Caucasus” some new were added”.

In the opinion of the authors of the reference it is necessary to prevent construction of the objects and infrastructure, concerning the Winter Olympic Games of 2014 in the territory or near to the object of the World Heritage, especially in such extremely vulnerable areas, as Pear Ridge.

As they underlined, “construction had been prevented concerning three Olympic objects - toboggan-bobsleigh lines, the mountain Olympic village and the water-supply system as it in general is very important step of Russian government. However, the Olympic object “Biathlon complex” thus was not taken out from Pear Ridge - the territory located near to the Heritage object.

Besides the ecologists ascertain, there were plans of construction of new objects for the territories or near to the World Heritage object - such as construction of an access road to the Olympic object “Ski complex” on Psehako Ridge which is partially planned to build directly in the Heritage territory, and the other part - in its buffer zone. Also in the buffer zone of the Heritage construction of the by-Olympic VIP-complex and ski lines of the mountain-skiing complex of "Gazprom" company on Psehako Ridge is planned, too.

As to Adygeya the ecologists are disturbed with construction of the roads there: to Lunar Glade from Apsheronsky area of Krasnodar Region and to Lago-Naki plateau - from Guzeripl settlement of Maykopsky area of Adygeya.

In relation to the first road the ecologists state that as a whole the road’s construction which begins from Chernigovskoye village, goes on. “The first site of this road is already asphalted. As, according to the project of this road, its final point place is Lunar Glade, so it gives the basis to believe that stopping of construction of the road directly in the territory of the Heritage is temporary and will be continued further. In addition to that in the end of 2008 from the structure of the Caucasian reserve those sites of its territory which are necessary for building the road to the Lunar Glade and which the resort Lunar Glade continues to develop actively had been withdrawn testifies to this”, - the ecologists explained.

In the ecologists’ opinion, Adygeya authorities actively continue to lobby the plans of recreational use and development of Lago-Naki plateau and Fisht-Oshten hills. “In particular, in this year and in the past year many representatives of Adygeya administration expressed repeatedly and publicly the ideas of necessity of construction in the territory of the Heritage two big mountain-skiing complexes, as well as Transcaucasian road Maykop-Dagomys, - the ecologists stated. Concerning the opportunity of those projects’ implementation they had negotiations with the Government of Russia”.

For realization of those plans now “with rough infringements of the legislation” construction of the road Guzeripl-Lago-Naki plateau is on, - the ecologists consider. That construction is conducted directly in the territory of object of the Heritage - within the limits of its component “Security zone of Caucasian reserve in Adygeya Republic”.

NatPress

http://www.natpress.net/stat_e.php?id=3921