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Russian fire devastation pushes up timber demand elsewhere
27/08/2010
Catastrophic wildfires in Russia have seen demand for timber from other nations rise, after forests worth at least $300 billion were destroyed in the infernos.
The general director of the Moscow-based Biodiversity Conservation Center, Alexei Zimenko announced at a press conference this week that for each burned hectare of forest, Russia has lost at least $25,000 in the market value of the timber and the cost of the work that will be needed to restore the forests.
Data from the nation's Emergencies Ministry has accounted for at least 29,500 separate fires so far this year, affecting 935,286 hectares of land. Unofficial figurers from environmental groups, however, says that is only a tiny fraction of the real disaster, estimating the blazes have covered an area of land more like 10 to 12 million hectares.
The infernos have been the result of one of the worst droughts the country has ever experienced and the hottest July on record. Trees and peat marshes across western Russia – the worst affected region – have dried and desicated, easily catching alight.
Deputy Economic Development Minister, Andrei Klepach, said the effects of he fires would cut at least 0.7 to 0.8 per cent from 2010 growth. It is also expected to cost a $7-15 billion drop in the GDP.
The general director of the Moscow-based Biodiversity Conservation Center, Alexei Zimenko announced at a press conference this week that for each burned hectare of forest, Russia has lost at least $25,000 in the market value of the timber and the cost of the work that will be needed to restore the forests.
Data from the nation's Emergencies Ministry has accounted for at least 29,500 separate fires so far this year, affecting 935,286 hectares of land. Unofficial figurers from environmental groups, however, says that is only a tiny fraction of the real disaster, estimating the blazes have covered an area of land more like 10 to 12 million hectares.
The infernos have been the result of one of the worst droughts the country has ever experienced and the hottest July on record. Trees and peat marshes across western Russia – the worst affected region – have dried and desicated, easily catching alight.
Deputy Economic Development Minister, Andrei Klepach, said the effects of he fires would cut at least 0.7 to 0.8 per cent from 2010 growth. It is also expected to cost a $7-15 billion drop in the GDP.
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