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Anarchist campaign against Sochi 2014
Autonomous Action and other anarchists are organizing together with Russian eco-activists against Sochi candidature for 2014 Olympic Games. Currently campaign is centered on issues of ecology and socio-economic rights of the local people, but we are also developing more fundamental critique of commercial sport. There has already been one action in Moscow - 19th of January few dozen people picketed Russian Olympic Committee, and organized a guerilla theatre, where Misha the Olympic bear devastated Sochi national park ( http://avtonom.org/index.php?nid=635 )
18th-23rd of February Evaluation Commission of International Olympic Committee is going to visit Sochi . We would ask everyone to write to following addresses of IOC, demanding not to organize Olympic Games in Sochi : jacques.rogge@ioc.olympic.org , info@olympic.org , info@ioc.olympic.org . Although it is not much time left, we would be happy for any other kind of protest actions which you could think about. Evaluation Commission will be working until June of 2007 with selection process of the host of 2014 Olympic Games. Already now IOC is concerned with ecological protests in Russia .
We are preparing anti-candidature book, which will be presented in Moscow in a press conference 13th of February. Later on it will be translated to English. We are also willing to organize alternative briefing for journalists during days of the Evaluation Commission visit. Sochi city administration has taken a repressive stance and will ban any public protests against Olympic candidature, but illegal protests are planned and we are willing to pass information to journalists on times and places of these protests.
Below background information, which you may use when appealing to IOC against Sochi 2014 candidature.
The Russian government invests 10 billion euro to destroy world nature heritage
Help us to stop winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi !
The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Sochi as one of the Candidate Cities for the Winter Olympic Games in 2014. The idea of this project is a large-scale bluff. Russian government is ready to invest a fabulous sum of money in the development of Sochi - more than 10 billion euro! They declare that the creation of huge and luxurious skiing resort is very important for regional economy. But economical bases of the project are not stand up to criticism. At the same time it will harm to local population and nature.
Putin and state support
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has more than once expressed his support of the Olympic Games. All these events make a stir around the idea of conducting Olympics in Sochi . Obviously powerful Olympic lobby including the ruling clique and oligarchs is aimed at some other things, but not at holding the Games. First of all it's the stealing money from budget.
Damage to nature
It's a fact that the Olympic Games in Sochi will cause a huge damage to nature and biodiversity of the Western Caucasus . Protected natural territories including the World Nature Heritage Site " Western Caucasus " will suffer immensely. Olympic units partly will be constructed on the land of Caucasian national biosphere reserve which is closed now even for visiting. The anthropogenic influence of enormous skiing resort and mass competitions will spread for many kilometers around and put a lot of rare species on the verge of disappearance.
Damage to socio-economic situation
The Sochi ' Games threaten the socio-economic well-being of the local population. First of all a strong negative impact will be rendered on the Mzymta River . This river is a main source of water for southern and central part of Sochi . The part of inhabitants will be moved from their houses because this land should be used for Olympic constructions. It's not the Russian tradition to take into attention the interests of local population and we suppose that the rights of inhabitants will be violated. All attempts of people to enter against Olympic Games in Sochi were suppressed by authorities.
"We'd rather change the Constitution"
The application committee "Sochi 2014" asked the Russian Federation Government to order to "appropriate bodies" prevent protests of citizens and environmentalists. This fact shows the level of "democracy in Russia". Russian government and local authorities systematically neglect the right for demonstrations and ignore the opinion of population.
Furthermore, in autumn 2006 the head of the Russian Olympic committee Mr. Tyagachev stated: "If [the environmentalists] brandish the Constitution to declare that we cannot cut firs and pine-trees, we'd rather change the Constitution". Accidentally the official of high standing expressed his real opinion about law and legislation.
Our network unites the number of environmental activists and anarchists. We want to start world-wide protest of environmentalists and other people. Join our network and support public campaign!
Links to websites dedicated to "Stop Olympic winter games 2014 in Sochi!" campaign:
Anarchists:
www.avtonom.org/olymp, contact: taoom AT riseup DOTT net
Environmentalists:
www.seu.ru/projects/caucasus ,
www.dop.environment.ru/olimp2014, contact: nolympicgames ATT gmail DOT com
06.02.2007 | «Games over!»
The Russian government invests 10 billion euro to destroy world nature heritage
Help us to stop winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi !
The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Sochi as one of the Candidate Cities for the Winter Olympic Games in 2014. The idea of this project is a large-scale bluff. Russian government is ready to invest a fabulous sum of money in the development of Sochi - more than 10 billion euro! They declare that the creation of huge and luxurious skiing resort is very important for regional economy. But economical bases of the project are not stand up to criticism. At the same time it will harm to local population and nature.
Putin and state support
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has more than once expressed his support of the Olympic Games. All these events make a stir around the idea of conducting Olympics in Sochi . Obviously powerful Olympic lobby including the ruling clique and oligarchs is aimed at some other things, but not at holding the Games. First of all it's the stealing money from budget.
Damage to nature
It's fact that the Olympic Games in Sochi will cause a huge damage to nature and biodiversity of the Western Caucasus . Protected natural territories including the World Nature Heritage Site “ Western Caucasus ” will suffer immensely. Olympic units partly will be constructed on the land of Caucasian national biosphere reserve which is closed now even for visiting. The anthropogenic influence of enormous skiing resort and mass competitions will spread for many kilometers around and put a lot of rare species on the verge of disappearance.
Damage to socio-economic situation
The Sochi ' Games threaten the socio-economic well-being of the local population. First of all a strong negative impact will be rendered on the Mzymta River . This river is a main source of water for southern and central part of Sochi . The part of inhabitants will be moved from their houses because this land should be used for Olympic constructions. It's not the Russian tradition to take into attention the interests of local population and we suppose that the rights of inhabitants will be violated. All attempts of people to enter against Olympic Games in Sochi were suppressed by authorities.
«We'd rather change the Constitution»
The application committee “Sochi 2014" asked the Russian Federation Government to order to “appropriate bodies” prevent protests of citizens and environmentalists. This fact shows the level of “democracy in Russia”. Russian government and local authorities systematically neglect the right for demonstrations and ignore the opinion of population.
Furthermore, in autumn 2006 the head of the Russian Olympic committee Mr. Tyagachev stated: “If [the environmentalists] brandish the Constitution to declare that we cannot cut firs and pine-trees, we'd rather change the Constitution". Accidentally the official of high standing expressed his real opinion about law and legislation.
Our network unites the number of environmental activists and anarchists. We want to start world-wide protest of environmentalists and other people. Join our network and support public campaign!
Links to websites dedicated to “Stop Olympic winter games 2014 in Sochi !” campaign (mostly in Russian):
Environmentalists:
www.greenpeace.ru, www.seu.ru/projects/caucasus,
www.dop.environment.ru/olimp2014, contact: nolympicgames@gmail.com
Anarchists:
avtonom.org/olymp, contact: taoom@riseup.net
06.02.2007 | Appeal to IOC about breach of local inhabitants rights in Sochi
To the President of International Olympic Committee
Mr. Jacques Rogge
Chateau de Vidy
1007 Lousanne
Switzerland
Fax: (41.21)6216216
Dear Mr. President,
We would like to attract your attention to breach of law in Sochi (Russian Federation) which is connected with the project of Winter Olympic Games in 2014.
Our organization investigates initiation of bills and running the housing and other social reforms in Russia. At the beginning of this year we studied the situation in Sochi and we can declare that the Russian government and local authorities are not going to take into attention the interests of local population.
The population of settlements Krasnaya Polyana, Nizhne-Imeretinskaya Buhta, Mirnii and others which find oneself in the zone of Olympic construction don't have possibility to get impartial information and discuss the plans with local authorities. A few meetings organized by officials were formal and pretentious. The attempts of local people organize independent gathering were prevented by authorities.
According to the law from 01.01.2006 people in Russia have a right to privatize the land which they have in long lease and which is gathered round their houses. In spite of it the Sochi' authorities refuse local inhabitants to formalizing their right for pieces of land. We suppose in future population of Krasnaya Polyana, Nizhne-Imeretinskaya Buhta, Mirnii, etc. will be moved from this land without appropriate compensation because it's a common practice in Russia.
The poor, little educated and elderly people will be deprived their income from leasing the rooms in their houses and selling the vegetables, fruits and souvenirs to tourists. For sure local inhabitants will get new lodging far from the coast in the district of multistorey housing and fail the possibility for traditional business.
Environmental situation in these settlements moves near catastrophe. New hotels, restaurants, recreation centres built before the road, drainage system, water supply points, disposal tips construction. People who will not moved because of Olympic Games will live just near building sites and get all kind of pollution.
Mzymta-river is the main source of drinking water for Sochi. Building the great number of constructions in the river head and on the banks of river will change hydrological regime of the region and can create a big problem with Sochi' water supply.
We suppose Sochi is not the good place for Winter Olympic Games 2014. First it's impossible to escape the huge damage for unexplored wilderness and ecological balance in region. Second our officials do not observe the law and neglect the interests of people for profit's sake.
We ask you to meet with environmentalists from Environmental Watch on North Caucasus and local inhabitants during your visit in Sochi.
NGO “Institute of Collective Action”
5th February 2007
06.02.2007 | 2014 Olympic games and environmental damage to Caucasus Reserve
The President of
International Olympic Committee
Mr. Jacques Rogge
Chateau de Vidy
1007 Lousanne
Switzerland
Fax: (41.21)6216216
Re: 2014 Olympic games and environmental damage to Caucasus Reserve
Dear Mr. President,
Greenpeace International is concerned about the plans of the Russian government and large corporations (e.g. Gazprom and Interros) to construct facilities for the projected 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi in the territory of the Sochi national park in close proximity to the Caucasus biosphere reserve which is a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Property “Western Caucasus”.
Some facilities, in particular a bobsleigh route with all necessary infrastructure (including a high speed railroad line, Adler-Grushevaya Polyana), are planned for construction on the very edge of the Caucasus Reserve, which will inevitably cause considerable environmental damage.
Though the decision about the organization of the Olympic Games has not yet been made, construction of some facilities has already started, with gross violations of the environmental legislation. The unique high-mountain forest within the territory of the national park is being destroyed.
The Russian authorities actively promote these violations. In June 2006, the Russian government endorsed the Federal Program for the Development of Sochi as a Mountain Skiing Resort in 2006-2014. This program provides for the construction of facilities, some of which lie within the protected areas of the national park. It was endorsed by the government without the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment, which is a direct violation of the law.
“If [the environmentalists] brandish the Constitution to declare that we can not cut fir-trees and pine-trees, we'd rather change the Constitution,” newsru.com quotes the head of the Olympic Committee of Russia, Mr. Tyagachov as saying during his visit to Krasnodar. ( http://www.newsru.com/russia/06sep2006/sky.html ).
According to the Olympic Charter (Chapter 1, paragraph 2.13), the IOC's mission is encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games and held accordingly.
In this view, we ask you to demand the Russian government to strictly observe both the international commitments of Russia concerning the protection of World Heritage properties and the Russian domestic law during preparations for possibly hosting the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. This is needed to prevent both the destruction of the unique natural landscape of the Western Caucasus as well as the violation of Russian environmental legislation (and even the Constitution) for the sake of oligarchical structures and affiliated officials.
Yours sincerely,
Lena AAhlby
Issues Director
Greenpeace International
16.02.2007 | The Olympic Games-2014 will be one of the Sochi' demonstration topics
February 18 th at 11-00 the demonstration about socio-economical, town-planning and environmental problems will take place in Sochi (Krasnodarskii krai, Russia ) near Sochi ' authorities office (Sovetskaya str, 26).
Planned Olympic Games and its consequences for inhabitants will not be the main topic of the demonstration because local authorities didn't want to sanction the action directed against Olympic Games. But most of local problems are connected with future Olympic Games and National Purposeful Program for Development Sochi as Alpine Skiing Resort.
One of the main slogan of local ecologists “Olympic Games in Sochi is death for nature” will be used during this demonstration.
Action is organized the day before visit of IOC Evaluation Commission. Organizational committee could not get the sanction of local authorities for many days. The inhabitants of Imeretinskaya Lowland were going to organize three actions but they didn't get permission by the formal reasons.
Contacts in Sochi (Russian-speaking): 8-909-467-24-31 (Dmitrii Kaptsov), 8(8622)61-68-23 (Iraida Eremina), 8(8622)64-54-47 (Lyudmila Shestak)
More information: www.greenpeace.ru, www.seu.ru/projects/caucasus , www.avtonom.org/olymp , contacts in Moscow (Russian and English-speaking): +7-495-623-67-94, +7-926-757-69-26.
18.02.2007 | What is more important - bobsled track or conservation of natural heritage?
The Construction of the Luge/Bobsled Track on the Grushovy Ridge Would Ruin It as a Wildlife Area and Bring a Threat to the World Natural Heritage
by Andrey Rudomakha (Environmental Watch on North Caucasus ).
An increasingly serious threat is hanging over the Grushovy Ridge a valuable wildlife area of Caucasus, situated between the rivers of Mzymta and Pslukh ( Sochi , Krasnodar Territory , Russia )- due to preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games hosting in Sochi .
This ridge is a part of the Sochi National Park , it also belongs to the Sochi All-Republican State Nature Preserve (Sochi Zakaznik). Significant part of the ridge is a buffer zone of the Caucasus Strict Nature Reserve (Caucasus Zapovednik), which was included into the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site. In 1999 Grushovy Ridge as a part of the reserved zone of the Sochi National Park was to be also included into the World Natural Heritage, but the decision on the matter was postponed. And now, regrettably, the fate of this valuable natural area has turned a totally different way. The intensive land developing of the Grushovy Ridge is being planned. It will bring a vast amount of violations in the regimes of these specially protected natural areas, which forbid such construction neither in Sochi National Park, nor in Sochi Zakaznik, nor in the Caucasus Reserve buffer zone. There are plans to cover it with hotel complexes and Olympic facilities, make several asphalt roads, railroad and power lines on its territory.
Construction of three hydroelectric stations and one water reservoir is planned at the borders of the Ridge rivers Mzymta and Pslukh. All this constructions will lead to a mass-scale felling of the old-growth mountain forests. Decisions on the developing of the Grushovy Ridge area were made at the Russian Federation Government level. First, the Federal Target Program «Development of the Sochi as a mountain-climatic resort: 2006-2014» was approved in June 2006. According to it, the construction of the Luge/bobsled track, Olympic mountain village, several car roads and also the «Adler-Grushovaya Polyana» (as Grushovy Ridge is called in all official documents) railroad are planned on the Ridge. After this, two Russian Federation Government decrees (No.1592-r dated November 20, 2006 and No.81-r dated January 26, 2007) were raised allocating the land plots for the construction of Olympic facilities, hotel complexes and appurtenant infrastructure.
The idea of hosting the 2014Olympic Winter Games in Sochi is a pretext for the real estate development in the Grushovy Ridge. And the Luge/bobsled track and the Olympic mountain village are the key Olympic facilities for these needs. According to the Sochi Bid Book which was presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), both these objects are planned to be placed at the northern part of the Ridge on the borders of the Caucasus Reserve, in its buffer zone. Moreover, as the place for the Olympic mountain village can still be discussed and changed, then for the Luge/bobsled track the Grushovy Ridge is said to be the only suitable area for such construction. And now, the possibility of this track construction is the key question for the natural «resources» fate of the area. If it is to be built the wildlife of Grushovy Ridge is doomed.
What does this sport facility represents itself, what dangers does it bring to the nature of the protected natural areas, and what makes its construction on the Grushovy Ridge so dangerous for the wildlife?
According to the plans, the Luge/bobsled track will have more than 2, 200 meters in length and is to be built in the line along Pslushonok Stream inside the 65, 66, 67 quarters of the Krasnaya Polyana Forestry of the Sochi National Park just at the border of the Caucasus Reserve. The land area, needed for the projected object, occupies 80 hectares. The forest clearing area is 56 hectares. The expected capacity of the track is 11 thousand people at a time. 300 people per shift are to be employed for its exploitation. At places, where the track intersects the creeks sinking into Pslushonok Stream, they will be redirected to an artificial riverbed at the 600 meter-long zone. A complex of river-bank-protecting and other engineering measures are also planned. A total water consumption for various needs will take approx. 1700 cubic meters per day. Sewage from these facilities and also from the track will also take 1700 cubic meters per day. Building of treatment facilities to clean the surface discharge from the track is not envisioned, so they will be drained off directly into Pslushonok Stream. Plans will include the construction of refrigeration system for the ice surface of the track using the ammonia plants (refrigerating plant), and artificial snow-making system, to use ethylene glycol. The helicopter pad, several car parkings, a park for special service machines will be built near the track. An asphalted road and other communications will be connected to it.
Just from this short review of the planned construction one can see how serious will the effect of building and operation of the track at the borders of UNESCO World Natural Heritage be. It will involve utilizing considerable amounts of natural areas for economic needs, felling of mountain forests, permanent disturbing factors for wildlife systems due to intensive human intervention and traffic, violation of the area hydrologic regime, as well as water and air pollution.
Grushovy Ridge area plays acrucial role in biological conservation of Western Caucasus . It is crossed by many key migration paths of large mammals, including the brown bear. A negative impact on these species as a result of construction of the Luge/bobsled track will be critical. Many rare and protected animals species habitat areas are situated within the zone of the planned construction, such as Large-headed Water Snake (Natrix megalocephala), Dinnik's Viper (Vipera dinniki), Caucasian Banded Newt (Triturus vittatus ophryticus), Caucasian Parsley Frog (Pelodytes caucasicus), Caucasian Toad (Bufo verrucosissimus), Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea schelkownikowi), European River Otter (Lutra lutra) and others, which are included in the IUSN Red List. Their traditional habitat will be lost. Birds fauna will suffer greatly. Aboriginal birds varieties including many protected species will change to the species typical for human-exploited ecosystems.
Pslushonok Stream provides a habitat for the protected fish species such as Brown Trout (Salmo trutta m. fario). As a result of water pollution, hydrologic regime changes, and stern base's reduction this stream will no longer be thehabitat/ spawning area for the species.
Threats to the ecological welfare of the territory, implied by the Luge/bobsled track construction, are aggravated by the fact, that it is an active mudflow and erosion area, and also a high-seismic zone (grade 9). Intrusion into the natural environment could lead to catastrophic landslides, mudflows and floods. But the most critical consequence of the Luge/bobsled track would be the start of further full-scale land development in the Grushovy Ridge, which will result in its total loss as a wildlife area.
Construction and exploitation of the track will also provide a negative effect to the natural complexes of the Caucasus Reserve and World Natural Heritage. There is a serious threat that territories near the Pslukh Cordon would be torn away from Caucasus Reserve.
One of the major arguments towards construction of the Luge/bobsled track on the Grushovy Ridge is the lack of such tracks in the Russian Federation, and also that Russian bobsled sportsmen are unable to train home. But everybody keeps silent that construction of the bobsled complex “Paramonovo” has already been launched in Moscow Region. So it seems that Russia will have its own base for this sport development even without Grushovy Ridge. Is it really important to build one more bobsled track then? After all, bobsled is an elite sport, and there are not more than one hundred bobsled sportsmen in the whole of Russia . And even if this bobsled track were the only one in Russia , is it possible to sacrifice such unique natural area for that purpose creating a threat for World Natural Heritage conservation? The issue of the Luge/Bobsled track construction overhanging Grushovy Ridge is aggravating. In December 2006, construction of the road leading to the track building site started; asphalt pavement is planned for this spring. Active prospecting and drafting works are underway. Construction of the track itself is planned for the third quarter of 2007.
There is not much time left to prevent the destruction of the wildlife nature on this valuable natural area of the Western Caucasus .
Translated by Andrey SURKOV
February 17, 2007
21.02.2007 | What is more important - bobsley track or conservation of natural heritage?
February 17, 2007
The Construction of the Luge/Bobsled Track on the Grushovy Ridge Would Ruin It as a Wildlife Area and Bring a Threat to the World Natural Heritage.
An increasingly serious threat is hanging over the Grushovy Ridge – a valuable wildlife area of Caucasus, situated between the rivers of Mzymta and Pslukh (Sochi, Krasnodar Territory, Russia)- due to preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games hosting in Sochi.
This ridge is a part of the Sochi National Park, it also belongs to the Sochi All-Republican State Nature Preserve (Sochi Zakaznik). Significant part of the ridge is a buffer zone of the Caucasus Strict Nature Reserve (Caucasus Zapovednik), which was included into the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site. In 1999 Grushovy Ridge as a part of the reserved zone of the Sochi National Park was to be also included into the World Natural Heritage, but the decision on the matter was postponed. And now, regrettably, the fate of this valuable natural area has turned a totally different way.
The intensive land developing of the Grushovy Ridge is being planned. It will bring a vast amount of violations in the regimes of these specially protected natural areas, which forbid such construction neither in Sochi National Park, nor in Sochi Zakaznik, nor in the Caucasus Reserve buffer zone. There are plans to cover it with hotel complexes and Olympic facilities, make several asphalt roads, railroad and power lines on its territory. Construction of three hydroelectric stations and one water reservoir is planned at the borders of the Ridge – rivers Mzymta and Pslukh. All this constructions will lead to a mass-scale felling of the old-growth mountain forests.
Decisions on the developing of the Grushovy Ridge area were made at the Russian Federation Government level. First, the Federal Target Program “Development of the Sochi as a mountain-climatic resort: 2006-2014” was approved in June 2006. According to it, the construction of the Luge/bobsled track, Olympic mountain village, several car roads and also the “Adler-Grushovaya Polyana” (as Grushovy Ridge is called in all official documents) railroad are planned on the Ridge. After this, two Russian Federation Government decrees (No.1592-r dated November 20, 2006 and No.81-r dated January 26, 2007) were raised allocating the land plots for the construction of Olympic facilities, hotel complexes and appurtenant infrastructure.
The idea of hosting the 2014Olympic Winter Games in Sochi is a pretext for the real estate development in the Grushovy Ridge. And the Luge/bobsled track and the Olympic mountain village are the key Olympic facilities for these needs. According to the Sochi Bid Book which was presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), both these objects are planned to be placed at the northern part of the Ridge on the borders of the Caucasus Reserve, in its buffer zone.
Moreover, as the place for the Olympic mountain village can still be discussed and changed, then for the Luge/bobsled track – the Grushovy Ridge is said to be the only suitable area for such construction. And now, the possibility of this track construction is the key question for the natural resources' fate of the area. If it is to be built – then the wildlife of Grushovy Ridge is doomed.
What does this sport facility represents itself, what dangers does it bring to the nature of the protected natural areas, and what makes its construction on the Grushovy Ridge so dangerous for the wildlife?
According to the plans, the Luge/bobsled track will have more than 2, 200 meters in length and is to be built in the line along Pslushonok Stream inside the 65, 66, 67 quarters of the Krasnaya Polyana Forestry of the Sochi National Park just at the border of the Caucasus Reserve. The land area, needed for the projected object, occupies 80 hectares. The forest clearing area is 56 hectares. The expected capacity of the track is 11 thousand people at a time. 300 people per shift are to be employed for its exploitation. At places, where the track intersects the creeks sinking into Pslushonok Stream, they will be redirected to an artificial riverbed at the 600 meter-long zone. A complex of river- bank-protecting and other engineering measures are also planned. A total water consumption for various needs will take approx. 1700 cubic meters per day. Sewage from these facilities and also from the track will also take 1700 cubic meters per day. Building of treatment facilities to clean the surface discharge from the track is not envisioned, so they will be drained off directly into Pslushonok Stream. Plans will include the construction of refrigeration system for the ice surface of the track using the ammonia plants (refrigerating plant), and artificial snow-making system, to use ethylene glycol. The helicopter pad, several car parkings, a park for special service machines will be built near the track. An asphalted road and other communications will be connected to it.
Just from this short review of the planned construction one can see how serious will the effect of building and operation of the track at the borders of UNESCO World Natural Heritage be. It will involve utilizing considerable amounts of natural areas for economic needs, felling of mountain forests, permanent disturbing factors for wildlife systems due to intensive human intervention and traffic, violation of the area hydrologic regime, as well as water and air pollution.
Grushovy Ridge area plays acrucial role in biological conservation of Western Caucasus. It is crossed by many key migration paths of large mammals, including the brown bear. A negative impact on these species as a result of construction of the Luge/bobsled track will be critical. Many rare and protected animals species' habitat areas are situated within the zone of the planned construction, such as Large-headed Water Snake (Natrix megalocephala), Dinnik's Viper (Vipera dinniki), Caucasian Banded Newt (Triturus vittatus ophryticus), Caucasian Parsley Frog (Pelodytes caucasicus), Caucasian Toad (Bufo verrucosissimus), Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea schelkownikowi), European River Otter (Lutra lutra) and others, which are included in the IUSN Red List. Their traditional habitat will be lost. Birds' fauna will suffer greatly. Aboriginal birds' varieties including many protected species will change to the species typical for human- exploited ecosystems.
Pslushonok Stream provides a habitat for the protected fish species such as Brown Trout (Salmo trutta m. fario). As a result of water pollution, hydrologic regime changes, and stern base's reduction this stream will no longer be thehabitat/ spawning area for the species.
Threats to the ecological welfare of the territory, implied by the Luge/bobsled track construction, are aggravated by the fact, that it is an active mudflow and erosion area, and also a high- seismic zone (grade 9). Intrusion into the natural environment could lead to catastrophic landslides, mudflows and floods.
But the most critical consequence of the Luge/bobsled track would be the start of further full-scale land development in the Grushovy Ridge, which will result in its total loss as a wildlife area.
Construction and exploitation of the track will also provide a negative effect to the natural complexes of the Caucasus Reserve and World Natural Heritage. There is a serious threat that territories near the Pslukh Cordon would be torn away from Caucasus Reserve.
One of the major arguments towards construction of the Luge/bobsled track on the Grushovy Ridge is the lack of such tracks in the Russian Federation, and also that Russian bobsled sportsmen are unable to train home. But everybody keeps silent that construction of the bobsled complex “Paramonovo” has already been launched in Moscow Region. So it seems that Russia will have its own base for this sport development even without Grushovy Ridge. Is it really important to build one more bobsled track then? After all, bobsled is an elite sport, and there are not more than one hundred bobsled sportsmen in the whole of Russia. And even if this bobsled track were the only one in Russia, is it possible to sacrifice such unique natural area for that purpose creating a threat for World Natural Heritage conservation?
The issue of the Luge/Bobsled track construction overhanging Grushovy Ridge is aggravating. In December 2006, construction of the road leading to the track building site started; asphalt pavement is planned for this spring. Active prospecting and drafting works are underway. Construction of the track itself is planned for the third quarter of 2007.
There is not much time left to prevent the destruction of the wildlife nature on this valuable natural area of the Western Caucasus.
by Andrey RUDOMAKHA
Translated by Andrey SURKOV
ENVIRONMENTAL WATCH ON NORTH CAUCASUS
22.02.2007 | Citizens and environmentalists protest against the Olympic Games
Sochi
On February 18 over 1000 people took part in a rally on the dwelling and ecological problems of the city. The rally started at 11 a.m. in the square next to the city administration home and ended at 12.55 p.m. by passing a resolution. The major targets for protest were the dwelling policy of the authorities and the consequences of the Olympic Games planned to be held in Sochi.
The participants of the protest held out posters and banners saying @Nature to oligarchs, stubs to the next generations?”, “Any one-time building inflicts dramatic damage to the city-resort”, “No place for the Olympic Games in the national park! It's a law!”, “Save the nature, stop the Olympic Games!”, “Mr. President! Stop law abuse!”, “Stop Olympic-labeled robbing of Sochi!”, “Mr. President! Do you favour Sochi collapse?” “ Stop utilities tariff hikes!”. The rally was organized by a steering group of citizens and was supported by local Communist party representatives and ecologists. The participants waved red flags and flags with Sochi emblem. The speakers complained about prices increase for house utilities service with no improvement in their quality following, which are sky-high for the pensioners and low income citizens; about the construction works in Sochi ignoring the interests of local dwellers; about lawless withdrawal of areas in the Sochi national park for the Olympic construction works.
Moscow
On February 20 the radical ecological organization “Khraniteli radugi” hels an unauthorized protest action in Triumphalnaya Square at the building of the Ministry for economic development.
The greens expressed their protest against the Olympic Games to be held in Sochi in 2014. Significant areas of the park are to be destroyed in the course of the Olympic preparations. The choice of the site of the action is due to the fact that German Gref, chief of the Ministry for economic development, is at the head of the Russian Olympic project.
A group of 15 young people unfolded banners at the doors of the building saying “We are not Pavlov's dogs” and “The Caucasus Nature – goes to the bears?” A Cheburashka toy [the symbol of Russian Olympic team] was tied to one of the doors. During the action the activists handed around leaflets and chanted “Cheburashka is against the Olympic Games”, “Gref has sold the Caucasus”, “Nature means more than the Olympic Games”
During the 15 minutes of the action about 40 leaflets were put around. One of the activists was seized by the police.
Pictures - http://avtonom.org/index.php?nid=657