An analysis of satellite photographs suggests that an average of 2.9 per cent of all timber cut in Estonia from 1999 to 2002 was cut on the basis of forest notifications, but at the same time the cutting rules were violated. 4.4 per cent of total cutting was performed without forest notifications and in violation of cutting rules. Stolen timber should be added to this. Thus, in general it can be said as a result of the survey that during the period in question the average percentage of cutting harmful to the environment was 10.3 per cent. According to the statistics of the Environmental Inspectorate, however, the share of illegal cutting has remained within 1.2...2.5 per cent in the past five years. In the estimation of the Inspectorate, the volume of timber illegally felled has decreased twice and the number of illegal cutting cases has declined three times. The difference of close to 8 percentage points in official statistics and the analysis of satellite photographs can be explained mainly by the difference in measuring methods, the exclusion of borderline infringements from proceedings, later judgments in favour of the defendant and also by the failure to discover some of the infringements. The Ministry of the Environment ordered the analysis of satellite photographs last year to complement official statistics due to the need to get more specific information about the extent of illegal cutting. One the one hand, reliable information is necessary for combating unlawful practices. On the other hand, objective information is required for the purposes of international statistics on illegal cutting in order to objectively characterise the current situation in Estonia. After all, the extent of illegal forestry as a type of offence is indicative of the development of Estonia as a democratic state based on the rule of law. The Forest Department of the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Inspectorate have agreed that satellite monitoring of forest cutting will be continued. The survey is available on the web page of the Ministry of the Environment. Further information: Ain Purga Mart Siilivask |
