A healthy forest was cut down to build a visitor center at Krasnoyarsk Stolby.
Near the central entrance to the national park Krasnoyarsk Pillars Tree felling has begun for the construction of a new visitor center. Local environmental activists told NeMoskva that the sawing has destroyed healthy birch trees, young aspen, and even a local landmark—a Mongolian oak about five meters tall.
"Under the guise of improvements, they're not just cutting into the budget; they're feeding several generations and circles of the Krasnoyarsk 'political elite,' connected to former Governor Us and the long-time deputy governor and 'grey cardinal' of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Sergei Ponomarenko," a subscriber told NeMoskva.
The regional Tourist Information Center announced the construction of a brand new visitor center two months ago. In addition to constructing the temporary building, the contractor is also expected to install utility lines, paved pedestrian paths, navigation, recreation areas, and photo zones.
Planting and laying lawns are also planned. The cost of the entire entrance area was initially estimated at 81 million rubles.
As activists have learned, the Krasnoyarsk Stolby management was not involved in the development and approval of the project—the park administration was effectively presented with a fait accompli.
"This raises another question: were there public hearings on this center's project? Did they comply with all the regulations? Or were there none? What's wrong?" the activists ask.
Sources close to the project claim the site chosen had minimal vegetation (primarily shrubs and dead wood). However, activists insist the forest on this site is far more valuable than yet another commercial development and are calling for the construction to be cancelled.
Our colleagues from "Field of View" previously reported on how the Krasnoyarsk "Stolby" (Pillars) are attempting to regulate tourism, but in doing so, they risk destroying a subculture that has survived for a century and a half.
Pictured: A visualization of the visitor center project and felled trees. Source: Krasnoyarsk Forests of the Future
