On establishing the Utrish wildlife reserve

The ecological movements and the organizations entitled “Save Utrish”, Ecological Watch Northern Caucasus, Greenpeace of Russia, WWF of Russia and International Social and Ecological Union are engaged in collecting electronic signatures for the open web-petition to the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Heads of Administrations of Krasnodar region, the towns of Anapa, Novorossiiysk, and Gelendzhik urging them to take effective measures to preserve the unique areas of subtropical Mediterranean-type forests situated along the Black Sea coast of Russia, including measures to ban any construction works within the area of these nature reserves and to enforce the Instruction issued by the Government of the Russian Federation no. 725-p in the clauses referring to the establishment of the Utrish Reserve.

The text of the Petition

To: D.A. Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation
V.V. Putin, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation
Yu.P. Trutnev, Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, Russian Federation
A.N. Tkachev, Governor, Krasnodar region
T.I. Evsikova, acting Mayor of the town of Anapa
V.I. Sinyagovsky, Head of the Administration, town of Novorossiysk
V.A. Khrestin, head of the Administration, town of Gelendzhik

We, the undersigned, urge the government authorities to take prompt effective measures to preserve the unique natural areas of subtropical Mediterranean-type forests situated in Utrish, Abrau peninsula and the Markotkh ridge and to grant them the status of a natural reserve.

Utrish

  • is the only well-preserved stretch of East-Mediterranean landscapes along the Black Sea coast;
  • is a natural habitat of over 60 species of plants and animals registered in the Red Book of Russia, for many of them it being the only habitat within the Russian territory;
  • is a place of relic trees aged up to 600 years;
  • is the last 12-kilometres-long stretch along the coastline of the Black Sea, well-preserved owing to its remoteness from residential areas and motorways.


We demand that a decision should be taken without delay and a resolution should be passed promptly to the following effect:

  • all construction works and any projects within the area of the would-be Utrish reserve should be terminated;
  • All the damage caused by the illegal construction works should be redressed; the destroyed natural complex should be restored, including the remediation of soil and the planting of trees;
  • Lease contracts for forest resources in the areas constituting the would-be nature reserve should be dissolved and these territories should be immediately reserved to form the Utrish nature reserve;
  • The Utrish nature reserve should be established within the time limits stipulated under the Resolution issued by the Government of the Russian Federation no. 725-p.
First name • Middle name • Last name •
Citizenship • Country of residence •  
 
City• Postal code  
 
Street, house no., flat •
email •
I want to receive an information about the actions aimed to protect Utrish by email
Home telephone number with country and city code (eg., +7 (812) 123 45 67)
Mobile number (eg., +7 9021987654)

• — mandatory field.

The signed petition will be submitted to the Administration of the President, the Government of the Russian Federation, the Administration of Krasnodar region, the Administration of Anapa. Personal information is deemed confidential and shall not be passed to third parties with the exceptions of those to whom it is addressed.

According to Articles 7.3 and 11.1 of the Federal Law of 02.05.2006 59- ФЗ on “the individual applications submitted by citizens of the Russian Federation”, only those shall be considered that have arrived by common informational systems and contain the sender’s postal address to dispatch the answer to.

Why do we need this Petition?

In December 2008, notwithstanding the Russian legislation, the road construction was launched to cut across the territory abundant in relic juniper trees, pistachios and other plants to the Black Sea coastline, resulting in the loss of many a unique species. The area was leased and the construction works were in progress. This will destroy the ecosystem of Bolshoy Utrish and make the implementation of the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation on the establishment of a nature reserve there impossible. Only owing to the efforts made by ecologists who set up a camp of public resistance in Utrish and blocked the entry for the advancing trucks, construction works were stalled. Nonetheless, Utrish is still in danger – the workmen may return any minute. Your voice may help to save its wildlife.